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thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spoilers chockablock. Beware.
To be clear, I did enjoy this one. In spite of its problems.
The Rule of Many picks up right where the first book left off. Like...right where it left off. Ava and Mira have joined with the Common and incited rebellion all across the United States. (Which, yes please, #Resist.) Then they meet with Canada's president (I'll get to that later) and all hell breaks loose. They run hither and yon, there's some fighting, and then the book ends.
In essence, it was a middle book.
Characters changed, sure, but I think the problem with characterization isn't in the mains. The side characters suffer from cardboard syndrome. Some of them, at least, which is the confusing part. When Rayla died, my stomach clenched. When Pawel died, I had the "Oh no! Anyway" feeling sweep over me. I know Ava was broken up about it, but I couldn't understand why. He had a little sister. He was cute. That was basically his character. The MCs have reactions to these events, but I couldn't feel the emotions alongside them. My familiarity with each team member had not reached the same levels as everyone else's. To be honest, I didn't give a shit when Pawel died. Actually...admission time.
When a character who seems too much like an archetype or cliche dies, I have a little celebration inside. Think Palpatine growling out, "Gooooooooood." Owen has more time on screen now! I like Owen! Hooray!
Speaking of Owen, I think he was easily one of my favorite characters in this. Not because he shares the name of a wrestler who died in the ring (RIP Owen Hart), but because he changes so much in this book. His arc is fantastic, and I was there for it. He starts out as this snarky sad boy and ends up turning into a rebel leader with real grit, real heart for his teammates.
The sisters had a little more development, but I'm still having a hard time telling them apart. And, though it's no fault of the characters, this book felt like too much journey and not enough destination. It took me way too long to read this, and I kept popping back to other books (looking at you, Allie Brosh) that caught more of my interest. I read The Only Good Indians while in the middle of this book, and it FLOORED me. Coming back to this felt like a punishment. And I hate feeling that way, because I like the story.
It's the writing that kills me. "BuT cAiTlIn It'S oNlY tHeIr SeCoNd BoOk!!!11!!1!!"
Look, I get that. This review is a four-star, not a two-star, you'll notice kindly. I'm just pointing it out because I want them to get better. The Saunders sisters really do have an interesting writing career ahead of them, and I'll be following closely. Their prose needs to improve. That's no big deal in the long run. If I was dropping snark bombs, you'd know I had a shit time reading.
Note: Saunders sisters, please don't change Canada's leader's title. He's the Prime Minister. Not President. Yeah, I know, 'Merica and Democracy and all that junk. But Prime Minister is so much more dignified. Geopolitics are something you don't have to worry about changing much. The world in 1892 looked about the same geopolitically for the West as it does today. Except for, y'know, Russian cyber attacks on our liberties and the massive problem that is the American far right wing finally showing its true, saggy, peg-toothed face...
But anyway.
I'm nearly done with book 3. Let's see where all this goes. To me, for finally finishing the series that I start for once!
To be clear, I did enjoy this one. In spite of its problems.
The Rule of Many picks up right where the first book left off. Like...right where it left off. Ava and Mira have joined with the Common and incited rebellion all across the United States. (Which, yes please, #Resist.) Then they meet with Canada's president (I'll get to that later) and all hell breaks loose. They run hither and yon, there's some fighting, and then the book ends.
In essence, it was a middle book.
Characters changed, sure, but I think the problem with characterization isn't in the mains. The side characters suffer from cardboard syndrome. Some of them, at least, which is the confusing part. When Rayla died, my stomach clenched. When Pawel died, I had the "Oh no! Anyway" feeling sweep over me. I know Ava was broken up about it, but I couldn't understand why. He had a little sister. He was cute. That was basically his character. The MCs have reactions to these events, but I couldn't feel the emotions alongside them. My familiarity with each team member had not reached the same levels as everyone else's. To be honest, I didn't give a shit when Pawel died. Actually...admission time.
When a character who seems too much like an archetype or cliche dies, I have a little celebration inside. Think Palpatine growling out, "Gooooooooood." Owen has more time on screen now! I like Owen! Hooray!
Speaking of Owen, I think he was easily one of my favorite characters in this. Not because he shares the name of a wrestler who died in the ring (RIP Owen Hart), but because he changes so much in this book. His arc is fantastic, and I was there for it. He starts out as this snarky sad boy and ends up turning into a rebel leader with real grit, real heart for his teammates.
The sisters had a little more development, but I'm still having a hard time telling them apart. And, though it's no fault of the characters, this book felt like too much journey and not enough destination. It took me way too long to read this, and I kept popping back to other books (looking at you, Allie Brosh) that caught more of my interest. I read The Only Good Indians while in the middle of this book, and it FLOORED me. Coming back to this felt like a punishment. And I hate feeling that way, because I like the story.
It's the writing that kills me. "BuT cAiTlIn It'S oNlY tHeIr SeCoNd BoOk!!!11!!1!!"
Look, I get that. This review is a four-star, not a two-star, you'll notice kindly. I'm just pointing it out because I want them to get better. The Saunders sisters really do have an interesting writing career ahead of them, and I'll be following closely. Their prose needs to improve. That's no big deal in the long run. If I was dropping snark bombs, you'd know I had a shit time reading.
Note: Saunders sisters, please don't change Canada's leader's title. He's the Prime Minister. Not President. Yeah, I know, 'Merica and Democracy and all that junk. But Prime Minister is so much more dignified. Geopolitics are something you don't have to worry about changing much. The world in 1892 looked about the same geopolitically for the West as it does today. Except for, y'know, Russian cyber attacks on our liberties and the massive problem that is the American far right wing finally showing its true, saggy, peg-toothed face...
But anyway.
I'm nearly done with book 3. Let's see where all this goes. To me, for finally finishing the series that I start for once!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
Moderate: Cursing and Blood
Minor: Infertility
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