frogggirl2's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book is dramatic, the stakes are high, the main characters are very compelling and the world building is rich and intriguing. My only criticism is the pacing; this is a very slow read and it would be better with a little less filler throughout. The ending, on the other hand, feels rushed, incomplete and a bit of a cheat.
emiann2023's review against another edition
5.0
I can't decide what I love most about these books. The plot twists, the characters, or the incredible cultures and world we inhabit in the pages of these books. I think I may even like this one more than the previous book. I hope there will be more books in this series.
debchan's review against another edition
4.0
imagine you're the chancellor of silasta and your best friend in the whole world risks his life for you every single day and that's his whole identity and then he leaves you to save silasta and comes back and saves your life and then proceeds to save your life one more time by binding himself to you
i said it last book and i'll say it again: MORE TAIN!
plot
ooh the plot thickens. after saving silasta from a visible threat, it is plagued by another threat two years later. except this one is bigger, badder, and a repercussion of silasta's history which i enjoyed immensely. silasta's problems don't just arise from nowhere to provide the plot with a bad guy - it's a gradual downward slope that has been growing ever since silasta's ancestors fled their home country years ago.
but in the meanwhile, jovan has begun training his niece, dija, to be the next proofer. and all the while, the whole city of silasta is coming to a realization of jovan's role as tain's proofer and suspicion is cast upon him over and over again as a paranoid spy lurking in the shadows of tain and slowly poisoning his mind.
on the other hand, kalina becomes much more involved in this book and as an ambassador, she is able to smoothly navigate the many other ambassadors that have come to silasta during one of its biggest celebrations.
one thing i will say is that this was SUCH a page-turner. in City of Lies i was really interested, but Hollow Empire took that up a notch. i literally could not put this book down AND i was so nervous the whole time reading it, as if i were part of the plot. it was just such a good book.
characters
jovan oromani: i don't know why no one listens when jovan has suspicions. the man clearly has the best intuition on the whole council. jovan is just such an interesting character and his relationship with dija was so sweet to read. another relationship is with hadrea and it is apparently fra
ying because of spoiler reasons. jovan's still the kind-hearted person he always was but this book really tests the limits of his graciousness to others when they threaten the people he loves. and i love the way he attacks people with poison - that's pretty cool.
kalina oromani: she honestly had the best chapters. kalina infiltrated the other delegations and ambassadors that arrived in silasta with ease and it was nice to see other cultures and how they viewed women that was vastly different than how silasta treated women. another pretty cool part was her relationship with abae! it was just so perfect - what a power couple.
tain iliri: and my favorite character! tain is beginning to hide secrets and act strangely and the oromani siblings know he's hiding something but with all the plots they have to uncover, there is no time to discuss such things. not only that, but he is surrounded by people he cannot trust and he must constantly rely on jovan and kalina, and that strain is wearing him thin. but that one line with jovan when jovan is about to leave - are we supposed to make an assumption about that? as well as
hadrea: hadrea is beginning to experiment with outside forces to help her magic and apparently is also dabbling in magic that the general public does not agree with. her secrets further divide her relationship with joron. however! they still learn to work together and be an actual power couple to save silasta. i don't know if they'll be as romantically inclined towards each other in the future but i do want to see hadrea using her magic. that part when she faced off the "bad guy" in the end was insanely cool.
abae: her love for language was so refreshing and fun to read. the way she's so sweet and is exactly what kalina needs to figure out the plot against silasta! i need more of her talking about what she's passionate about.
dija: dija is so smart and capable. she's literally a superhero. at like thirteen, she constantly saves jovan's life and i just think she's neat and we need more books about her.
overall, i would have been more satisfied if there was a third book. i know hawke said that it would be a duology BUT how can it end like that?? i need more tain obviously, but also more of kalina and abae being really cool. it would be nice if we had all the answers, because i cannot handle the jovan/hadrea vs jovan/tain battle.
beside all that, what an incredible series! i don't think i've ever been so hooked to a plot that i couldn't stop turning the pages. and the characters were such fun to read as well. please please please give us third book!
i said it last book and i'll say it again: MORE TAIN!
plot
ooh the plot thickens. after saving silasta from a visible threat, it is plagued by another threat two years later. except this one is bigger, badder, and a repercussion of silasta's history which i enjoyed immensely. silasta's problems don't just arise from nowhere to provide the plot with a bad guy - it's a gradual downward slope that has been growing ever since silasta's ancestors fled their home country years ago.
but in the meanwhile, jovan has begun training his niece, dija, to be the next proofer. and all the while, the whole city of silasta is coming to a realization of jovan's role as tain's proofer and suspicion is cast upon him over and over again as a paranoid spy lurking in the shadows of tain and slowly poisoning his mind.
on the other hand, kalina becomes much more involved in this book and as an ambassador, she is able to smoothly navigate the many other ambassadors that have come to silasta during one of its biggest celebrations.
one thing i will say is that this was SUCH a page-turner. in City of Lies i was really interested, but Hollow Empire took that up a notch. i literally could not put this book down AND i was so nervous the whole time reading it, as if i were part of the plot. it was just such a good book.
characters
jovan oromani: i don't know why no one listens when jovan has suspicions. the man clearly has the best intuition on the whole council. jovan is just such an interesting character and his relationship with dija was so sweet to read. another relationship is with hadrea and it is apparently fra
ying because of spoiler reasons. jovan's still the kind-hearted person he always was but this book really tests the limits of his graciousness to others when they threaten the people he loves. and i love the way he attacks people with poison - that's pretty cool.
kalina oromani: she honestly had the best chapters. kalina infiltrated the other delegations and ambassadors that arrived in silasta with ease and it was nice to see other cultures and how they viewed women that was vastly different than how silasta treated women. another pretty cool part was her relationship with abae! it was just so perfect - what a power couple.
tain iliri: and my favorite character! tain is beginning to hide secrets and act strangely and the oromani siblings know he's hiding something but with all the plots they have to uncover, there is no time to discuss such things. not only that, but he is surrounded by people he cannot trust and he must constantly rely on jovan and kalina, and that strain is wearing him thin. but that one line with jovan when jovan is about to leave - are we supposed to make an assumption about that? as well as
Spoiler
jovan's chest hurting after they save tain's life??? like seeing jovan being completely empty after tain died - that hurt. and even kalina not being enough to save him. they had to use jovan's blood to bring tain back to life but it also wasn't enough. and then magically tain comes back to life and jovan is rubbing his chest as if it hurts?? did they bind their lives together? are they in love? what's happening, sam hawke?!hadrea: hadrea is beginning to experiment with outside forces to help her magic and apparently is also dabbling in magic that the general public does not agree with. her secrets further divide her relationship with joron. however! they still learn to work together and be an actual power couple to save silasta. i don't know if they'll be as romantically inclined towards each other in the future but i do want to see hadrea using her magic. that part when she faced off the "bad guy" in the end was insanely cool.
abae: her love for language was so refreshing and fun to read. the way she's so sweet and is exactly what kalina needs to figure out the plot against silasta! i need more of her talking about what she's passionate about.
dija: dija is so smart and capable. she's literally a superhero. at like thirteen, she constantly saves jovan's life and i just think she's neat and we need more books about her.
overall, i would have been more satisfied if there was a third book. i know hawke said that it would be a duology BUT how can it end like that?? i need more tain obviously, but also more of kalina and abae being really cool. it would be nice if we had all the answers, because i cannot handle the jovan/hadrea vs jovan/tain battle.
beside all that, what an incredible series! i don't think i've ever been so hooked to a plot that i couldn't stop turning the pages. and the characters were such fun to read as well. please please please give us third book!
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, Blood, Violence, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Chronic illness, Drug use, Vomit, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Ableism, Sexism, Misogyny, and Child death
Minor: War, Classism, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Colonisation, and Abandonment
emmascc's review against another edition
4.0
What the hell just HAPPENED??? That ending was a rollercoaster
titusfortner's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the first book, and the sequel did not disappoint. Great pacing and energy throughout. I really enjoyed all of the characters and their quirks. Sam Hawke is added to my automatic buy list and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does next.
ladyofbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Set aside for later. I got about 250 pages and I need to reread the first book before returning to this one I think. I'm counting this as read and I will read this in January. 4 ⭐
codeanders's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
mimosaeyes's review
4.0
So that was a pretty wild ride.
This sequel to City of Lies ramps up the action and intrigue in all the best ways. Where the threat in the first book was overt, here the antagonist remains shrouded in conspiracy for ages, making for a tense main storyline. The plot also includes more relatable elements for a modern audience:. Overall, the game is being played on a more complex and insidious level, and it's thoroughly pleasing to watch it all unfold.
Not only is the plot engaging, but it also deals with a number of important issues. Where the first book highlights oppression and the rights of religious/ethnic minorities, here, I was impressed by the nuance given to the topic of gender. The culture clash between Kalina and female characters from the patriarchal society of Talafan gives rise to some insightful but not heavy-handed commentary. And based on the religious dogma propounded by, I'd expect the discussion to continue in any potential third book.
Relatedly: in the first book, it felt like a bit of a cop-out to portray a society without homophobia but only depict queer relationships between minor characters. I was pleased here to note the inclusion of.
I had some other quibbles with the first book, but I expected the author to improve in her sophomore run and she really did knock it out of the park. The scenes are not structured in a predictable rhythm, as before, and indeed Hawke has done some great perspective work. Plus, the main characters' histories, arcs, and relationships are delved into a lot more. Hadrea's arc felt true to her personality, even as I fretted about some of her decisions. And I shrieked out loud at the dark, defining moments Jovan and Kalina are each pushed to:.
That ending, though. This story is bursting with exciting developments, and I really want to see it continue!
This sequel to City of Lies ramps up the action and intrigue in all the best ways. Where the threat in the first book was overt, here the antagonist remains shrouded in conspiracy for ages, making for a tense main storyline. The plot also includes more relatable elements for a modern audience:
Spoiler
an urban drugs problem, terrorist bombing incidents, a public smear campaign targeting JovanNot only is the plot engaging, but it also deals with a number of important issues. Where the first book highlights oppression and the rights of religious/ethnic minorities, here, I was impressed by the nuance given to the topic of gender. The culture clash between Kalina and female characters from the patriarchal society of Talafan gives rise to some insightful but not heavy-handed commentary. And based on the religious dogma propounded by
Spoiler
the Prince at the endRelatedly: in the first book, it felt like a bit of a cop-out to portray a society without homophobia but only depict queer relationships between minor characters. I was pleased here to note the inclusion of
Spoiler
a new, non-binary character, Sjease, as well as the beginnings of a relationship between Kalina and another woman, AbaezallaI had some other quibbles with the first book, but I expected the author to improve in her sophomore run and she really did knock it out of the park. The scenes are not structured in a predictable rhythm, as before, and indeed Hawke has done some great perspective work. Plus, the main characters' histories, arcs, and relationships are delved into a lot more. Hadrea's arc felt true to her personality, even as I fretted about some of her decisions. And I shrieked out loud at the dark, defining moments Jovan and Kalina are each pushed to:
Spoiler
Jovan poisoning Erel moments before he could be restrained non-fatally, and Kalina ensuring Tain is resurrected even though she knows the magic involved is evilThat ending, though.