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A review by iam
Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat
5.0
I have no clue what to do with myself after finishing this. Book 3 hasn't even been announced yet. I am in shambles.
I said it before and I said it again - on paper, not much about this series appeals to me. But I trust C.S. Pacat's writing, and my god, it gets me so hard every time.
After the reveal at the end of Dark Rise, reading about Will and from his perspective is absolutely fascinating. He is incredibly manipulative, but like, in a good way? Or at least he tells himself he is doing it for good. And for good reasons.
The cast of characters grows and shrinks, and I truly enjoy reading from all their perspectives, even Elisabeth, who is just a child. But what makes the series so stunning and fascinating and utterly enthralling is how entangled all these characters are, both from their pasts and in the present. It is so much fun to follow their complications relations and fluctuating alliances and groups, and I absolutely loved that.
The plot felt a bit meandering at times, but it fit the pace very well and was always captivating. There were more glimpses in the pasts, including flashback/memory scenes that paint a very different picture than the one we are given by the stories that have made if from past to present.
Another intriguing part of the book is the sheer amount of characters that have... a certain tension, I hesitate to call it chemistry, between them. Part of that is the age of the cast, as this is a YA novel, and I fear I am reading into things, but it also makes it a lot of fun to try and figure out which hints of a romantic subplot may develop into something more.
Not that there really is a romance - there are hints of one, for obvious reasons, but even that is very much not romantic, and explored only minimally. It may be done in a slow-burn way, though I didn't really read it that way.
That said, the events of the ending are utterly shattering, both for plot reasons as well as for the few hints of romance.
There were a few details that didn't quite make sense to me, specifically centered around characters and their loyalties, and some of the character dynamics. But it didn't bother me overmuch, and may be explained later.
I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, and I am already looking forward to rereading this.
I said it before and I said it again - on paper, not much about this series appeals to me. But I trust C.S. Pacat's writing, and my god, it gets me so hard every time.
After the reveal at the end of Dark Rise, reading about Will and from his perspective is absolutely fascinating. He is incredibly manipulative, but like, in a good way? Or at least he tells himself he is doing it for good. And for good reasons.
The cast of characters grows and shrinks, and I truly enjoy reading from all their perspectives, even Elisabeth, who is just a child. But what makes the series so stunning and fascinating and utterly enthralling is how entangled all these characters are, both from their pasts and in the present. It is so much fun to follow their complications relations and fluctuating alliances and groups, and I absolutely loved that.
The plot felt a bit meandering at times, but it fit the pace very well and was always captivating. There were more glimpses in the pasts, including flashback/memory scenes that paint a very different picture than the one we are given by the stories that have made if from past to present.
Another intriguing part of the book is the sheer amount of characters that have... a certain tension, I hesitate to call it chemistry, between them. Part of that is the age of the cast, as this is a YA novel, and I fear I am reading into things, but it also makes it a lot of fun to try and figure out which hints of a romantic subplot may develop into something more.
Not that there really is a romance - there are hints of one, for obvious reasons, but even that is very much not romantic, and explored only minimally. It may be done in a slow-burn way, though I didn't really read it that way.
That said, the events of the ending are utterly shattering, both for plot reasons as well as for the few hints of romance.
There were a few details that didn't quite make sense to me, specifically centered around characters and their loyalties, and some of the character dynamics. But it didn't bother me overmuch, and may be explained later.
I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, and I am already looking forward to rereading this.