Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - The Hanged Man

A fabulous sequel and holy cow, what a ride!

First and foremost: Josh Hurley does an incredible job as a narrator. His inflection and emotion, pacing and character choices made the listening experience gripping and deeply entertaining.

Secondly: as a sequel goes, I’d give this 5/5 stars. KD Edwards built on the world he created in the first novel while adding new elements and characters in a well-balanced way. We got to know the side characters from Book One more deeply; in the first book, Max felt a little less important than he should have been given how the novel started, but by the end of Book Two I was so emotional over Rune bringing Max formally into his family.

The relationships continued to build in a really lovely way. Addam feels a little too good to be true, but as that’s how Rune often sees him I don’t feel like it takes me out of the story. Brand and Rune’s relationship? Chef’s kiss. That said, I have yelled “BE A THRUPPLE ALREADY” at my speakers in multiple occasions, because c’mon. Rune has a soulmate and a boyfriend and the Atlantians are supposed to be laissez-faire about multiple partners, so I’m set up for that belief.

The concept of the ghost ship was exceedingly well done and appropriately horrific in its execution. All of The Hanged Man’s pieces - from taking away Rune’s ability to breathe unconsciously, to how he grew his mushrooms, to the carnage on the ship made him a formidable opponent and excellent Big Bad.

Also - I totally thought KD Edwards was a woman. I say that as the highest compliment, because oftentimes books written by men give me an ick in some way; how they write women, how they treat sex, etc. but not KD Edwards. Bravo!

I took off a half star because, like Book One, the climax of the story felt a little rushed in places and there were a few payoffs that didn’t quite fulfill the promise they made.

That said, this was an overall joyride of a story and I can’t wait for Book Three!

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gooseturnover's review

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adventurous dark 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

Sometimes a family is you, your soul-bonded queerplatonic bodyguard bestie, an accidentally acquired teenager sworn to you by vow who throws his safety out the window in an earnest but ill-advised attempt to help, your literal knight in shining armor boyfriend who gently but firmly rebuffs your attempts to protect him from your lifestyle, his extremely cryptic and endearing younger brother who drops life-altering sentences on you before your morning coffee, your housekeeper who you try to get to take a day off but refuses because if she does then you all forget how to feed yourself properly, your ex-boss/patron who is literally one of the most terrifying people in the entire world but that's cool bc he's sort of maybe also kind of your surrogate dad, and HIS soul-bonded bodyguard who's not his bestie but the other half of a terrifyingly efficient super-spy team.

And then you meet FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW ALSO INEXPLICABLY PART OF YOUR FOUND FAMILY. THREE OF WHOM ARE ALSO KIDS.

Anyways the Hanged Man can choke <3

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