Reviews with content warning for Confinement - The Mask Falling

So far this has been my favorite installation in this series. Plenty of time to change around my order, but since the last three books aren't out yet this is my current order from favorite to least favorite:

1. The Mask Falling

2. The Mime Order

3. The Bone Season

4. The Song Rising

The Song Rising was still a near perfect read though, so it being in last place isn't saying much.

((General spoilers for themes if you haven't read the previous 3 books in series))

Blown away by the amount of world building revealed in this one, as well as the sheer emotional impact of this installation. Four books into a series, the stakes are higher than ever and you are so invested in the characters that every mission is nerve wracking. Shannon doesn't shy away from character deaths, character injuries, or putting her main characters through emotional trauma, so be prepared going into this one.

I enjoyed the blend of new concepts (Paris as a setting, new world building and lore, lots of new characters) as well as beats that have been in the series from the beginning (exploring emotional trauma as a result from the events of previous novels, Paige's relationships with other people and her own PTSD, and a heavy spy thriller atmosphere). I was nervous going into this one because of the different setting and the fact that the cast would be changing up quite a bit, but I thought this was really well executed.

I kept finding myself holding my breath as I watched Paige GO THROUGH IT. Both mentally and physically. The ending had so many genuinely shocking twists and turns that were all very effective, once you had finally acclimated to a twist, the next one was thrown upon you.

That ending. :( Not so patiently waiting for the next one. In terms of writing quality, this series just keeps getting better and better with every book.

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-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

She's done it again!

Samantha Shannon writes poignant, lyrical fantasy with first-rate world building and characters who are so nuanced they seem to leap of the page. It's what makes her novels such a joy to read.

As a standalone work, I think The Mask Falling has a cohesive feel to it, as well as a compelling self-contained plot. Within the series, this installment is a beautiful combination of slower, more character-driven story and white-knuckle moments of action & tension. More than ever, it's clear that Shannon still has a wealth of information and secrets to reveal when it comes to the Bone Series universe.

The ending of TMF felt a little overly-full to me. Some of the really fascinating nuance of Paris' criminal syndicate gets lost in the back-to-back action sequences, but perhaps that relentlessness is meant to reflect the never-ending chaos of life in the midst of totalitarianism & rebellion.

If you have yet to pick up this series, I can't recommend it enough. It grabs you from the beginning and, as The Mask Falling shows, never fails to dazzle.

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