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A review by jennaclarek
Siren by Sophia Elaine Hanson
4.0
What a finale! I was sent this book to review, but ultimately I am passionate about this series because I adore Sophia and her writing. The Vinyl series is incredibly unique because not only is it dystopian, but it has elements of steampunk and fantasy that run through its core— and this book creates a more dramatic scope than the other two combined. Siren amps up our story to a new level as it gives us more information about this world that Sophia has created. Not only does it highlight new cultures and people, but it also touches on many more fantasy elements. Most dystopian novels tend to stay with one continent, but Sophia did an excellent job of creating a true world rather than just one dying country. She has somehow managed to change the shape of dystopian novels, even though I always thought dystopians were pretty cookie-cutter!
I think Vinyl remains my favorite of the series just because it's such a strong first book, but this one came out as a close second - it was very well done! One of my favorite things about this series is Sophia's strong voice. The writing style is somehow both fast-paced and detailed, and it's so unlike anything I've ever read before. I never thought a dystopian could feel so much like a fantasy novel, but somehow Sophia did that! Siren feels like a mixture between Elise Kova's The Alchemists of Loom, Laini Taylor's Dreams of Gods and Monsters, and Leigh Bardugo's Ruin and Rising. It is a hard-hitting conclusion to a breath-taking series about friendship, healing, and self-discovery, and its strong world-building helps amplify a rich cast of characters. I loved seeing the characters evolve in this final piece of the story. Each one underwent some intense growth over the course of this series, and it's really impressive for a 20-something year old writer.
Overall, even though I had a few issues with this finale (too much kissing, and the ending was just a little bit too convenient), I really loved where Sophia took this story and I was so impressed with how she fleshed out the world and her characters. I am so excited to see where she goes next as she continues to write fiction!
I think Vinyl remains my favorite of the series just because it's such a strong first book, but this one came out as a close second - it was very well done! One of my favorite things about this series is Sophia's strong voice. The writing style is somehow both fast-paced and detailed, and it's so unlike anything I've ever read before. I never thought a dystopian could feel so much like a fantasy novel, but somehow Sophia did that! Siren feels like a mixture between Elise Kova's The Alchemists of Loom, Laini Taylor's Dreams of Gods and Monsters, and Leigh Bardugo's Ruin and Rising. It is a hard-hitting conclusion to a breath-taking series about friendship, healing, and self-discovery, and its strong world-building helps amplify a rich cast of characters. I loved seeing the characters evolve in this final piece of the story. Each one underwent some intense growth over the course of this series, and it's really impressive for a 20-something year old writer.
Overall, even though I had a few issues with this finale (too much kissing, and the ending was just a little bit too convenient), I really loved where Sophia took this story and I was so impressed with how she fleshed out the world and her characters. I am so excited to see where she goes next as she continues to write fiction!