xeni's review against another edition
I have to say I am not willing to finish this book. It feels like depression porn: you know everyone is doomed, and will probably die, slowly over the course of the book, and all you can do is hold on. I'm not willing to stay on this ride.
chenoadallen's review against another edition
4.0
Started slow for me, but around halfway through, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Four stars because my favorite part of The Hidden City was the relationships (esp. Jay and Rath) and that wasn't as much a part of City of Night.
avis's review
5.0
I am so sad. I love these characters so much and ...
Gosh this book tears your heart out.
Gosh this book tears your heart out.
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
5.0
I think Michelle West's books are among the best of newer fantasy writers. I love her universe, her ability to write characters that are three-dimensional and who I care about, her interest in broad themes of family and loyalty, and her fabulous storytelling.
This is the second in the House Wars series and expands on the story told in the Sacred Hunt duology - expands and tells it from a slightly different perspective. Some people may find this annoying because they think they've heard the story before and it isn't strictly moving the new story along, but I'm not one of those people. I absolutely loved getting deeper into the tale, finding a new way of looking at it all, and getting to know these characters even better than I already know them. I love that West is taking her time to develop this rich story and this great group of characters. I can't wait to see where she goes next.
This is the second in the House Wars series and expands on the story told in the Sacred Hunt duology - expands and tells it from a slightly different perspective. Some people may find this annoying because they think they've heard the story before and it isn't strictly moving the new story along, but I'm not one of those people. I absolutely loved getting deeper into the tale, finding a new way of looking at it all, and getting to know these characters even better than I already know them. I love that West is taking her time to develop this rich story and this great group of characters. I can't wait to see where she goes next.
agathag's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
clendorie's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
laurla's review against another edition
made me cry. but her books do that. she has a way of expressing things thats just so real.
"but it feels real. i wanted - i needed - to find a place to belong. a home. a family. but there are some days i wake up ... and i know, i mean i know it cant last. this. and sometimes, when i know it, i'm afraid to want it too badly because if i want it, something will take it away."
"and you said you didnt understand duster."
"i dont. but i recognize my own fear when i see it in someone else."
"fair enough. but is it really better to have nothing?"
"no. but if thats all you're certain you'll have, sometimes you think it'll hurt less if you bring it on yourself."
"she had no words to spare. all of her words were on the inside of her mouth, her throat; they were a messy jumble of anger and fear. she wanted to believe that if she untangled them, if she chose the right words, he would understand. he would listen."
"but it feels real. i wanted - i needed - to find a place to belong. a home. a family. but there are some days i wake up ... and i know, i mean i know it cant last. this. and sometimes, when i know it, i'm afraid to want it too badly because if i want it, something will take it away."
"and you said you didnt understand duster."
"i dont. but i recognize my own fear when i see it in someone else."
"fair enough. but is it really better to have nothing?"
"no. but if thats all you're certain you'll have, sometimes you think it'll hurt less if you bring it on yourself."
"she had no words to spare. all of her words were on the inside of her mouth, her throat; they were a messy jumble of anger and fear. she wanted to believe that if she untangled them, if she chose the right words, he would understand. he would listen."
crownoflaurel's review against another edition
1.0
I'll probably never finish this one, so I'll just mark it here. First grievance--they didn't list it as being the second book in a series ("A House Wars Novel" means to me it takes place within a certain world, but isn't necessarily a consecutive book in a series). So, that made it hard, from the very start, to understand the story & characters.
Secondly--this book starts with a really interesting tale about a boy seeking revenge. The style of the writing was intriguing, slightly detached, and felt very much like a short story, and it wasn't truely resolved. Since it didn't resemble the book's description, I was a bit confused, but still enjoyed it.
But then it merged into the main story. And this boy became a nothing background character in a typical orphan kids' street gang, with somebody else as the main protagonist. And the story completely stalled out--all it seemed to be was this other character going back and forth between places, without ever a good reason for doing why, or moving the story forward. Pretty mundane stuff; the threat was not threatening, and the writing became dull.
And after the initial interesting start, it was very flat. And made me fall asleep while reading it. Which I don't usually do, as a rule. (And I'm a fast reader, so I should have been able to finish it quickly, and I couldn't do that, either.)
Secondly--this book starts with a really interesting tale about a boy seeking revenge. The style of the writing was intriguing, slightly detached, and felt very much like a short story, and it wasn't truely resolved. Since it didn't resemble the book's description, I was a bit confused, but still enjoyed it.
But then it merged into the main story. And this boy became a nothing background character in a typical orphan kids' street gang, with somebody else as the main protagonist. And the story completely stalled out--all it seemed to be was this other character going back and forth between places, without ever a good reason for doing why, or moving the story forward. Pretty mundane stuff; the threat was not threatening, and the writing became dull.
And after the initial interesting start, it was very flat. And made me fall asleep while reading it. Which I don't usually do, as a rule. (And I'm a fast reader, so I should have been able to finish it quickly, and I couldn't do that, either.)
beejai's review against another edition
4.0
I will not lie to you. This book had me a bit choked up more than once. I can watch the most dramatic of tear-jerker movies without batting an eyelash, but put a heartbreaking moment in a well-written book and I cannot hold them back. At three different moments I *so* want to talk about (but won't because... spoilers) I had to put the book down and grab me some tissues.
The first 2/3 the book was a slow burn similar to The Hidden City. Many of the same characters are here, now three years older. This brings them into their early teens and Michelle West does an excellent job of portraying the dynamic of a household of kids, orphans, all this age living together. They have moved out from living with Rath and have been scraping along by occasionally finding and selling an artifact from the Hidden City. (Or should we now call it the "City of Night"?)
Then the first big bad happens. And the second. Grab the tissues, come back, and now it seems almost like I am reading a different novel. The pacing has changed. The perspectives are often very different. And from here to the end it is almost as if we are reading a different novel. It is still in itself good, but the change is a bit jarring.
While MW's characterization and world-building are excellent, her magic system is not. It's a minor complaint and considering how many more books there are in the series, there is plenty of time to flesh it out better. The only other thing I did not appreciate was her too frequent use of the "d" word. Though I don't curse myself, I don't get all prissy with occasional profanity, but it seemed like every other sentence was "d" this and "d" that. Perhaps it has to do with how she thought a bunch of young teens would talk and think? Either way, it was overdone but a minor issue in comparison with this excellent story.
Now... Where can I get my hands on a copy of House Name?
The first 2/3 the book was a slow burn similar to The Hidden City. Many of the same characters are here, now three years older. This brings them into their early teens and Michelle West does an excellent job of portraying the dynamic of a household of kids, orphans, all this age living together. They have moved out from living with Rath and have been scraping along by occasionally finding and selling an artifact from the Hidden City. (Or should we now call it the "City of Night"?)
Then the first big bad happens. And the second. Grab the tissues, come back, and now it seems almost like I am reading a different novel. The pacing has changed. The perspectives are often very different. And from here to the end it is almost as if we are reading a different novel. It is still in itself good, but the change is a bit jarring.
While MW's characterization and world-building are excellent, her magic system is not. It's a minor complaint and considering how many more books there are in the series, there is plenty of time to flesh it out better. The only other thing I did not appreciate was her too frequent use of the "d" word. Though I don't curse myself, I don't get all prissy with occasional profanity, but it seemed like every other sentence was "d" this and "d" that. Perhaps it has to do with how she thought a bunch of young teens would talk and think? Either way, it was overdone but a minor issue in comparison with this excellent story.
Now... Where can I get my hands on a copy of House Name?