A review by kaje_harper
Basilisk by Rob Thurman

3.0

This is the second series by Rob Thurman I've read and both times I loved the first book, reread it several times, but found the second (and beyond) less satisfying. This book is written in the first-person voice of Michael. the younger brother who was rescued from his scientist creators and captivity in Chimera. The previous book was his brother Stefan's narrative. Thurman has a distinctive writing voice, and in this case I felt it was not as good a fit for the character. For both Stefan, and Cal Leandros in that series, the slightly cynical, self-mocking tone is appropriate to the character. For Michael, who was sheltered, isolated, highly trained and serious, it seems a poorer fit. It also felt a little repetitive, as if the musings and stylistic choices were becoming automatic to the author. The plot was decent, but the theme of tightly-bonded brothers seems more obligatory and less well-thought out and nuanced. (Michael really has no qualms about the secret his brother has been keeping from him?) And the little plot twist at the end was telegraphed way ahead, at least for me. I've been waiting for this one, and I didn't hate it, but I was disappointed.