A review by hanarama
Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

The Good: 
  • Fairytale, mythology inspired. 
  • Learn more about side characters. 

The Bad:
  • Very tell vs show. 
  • Stagnate main characters.
  • Stale romance. 
  • Stakes don't feel high. 

You Might Like this if You Like: 
  • Descent into darkness plots.
  • Asian-inspired settings and mythologies. 

I'm honestly so disappointed in this book. I liked Spin the Dawn alright. It didn't blow me away, but it was a nice, fairytale-esque ya. This sequel was a major downgrade. 

To start, this is supposed to be a darker and edgier sequel where main character Maia grapples with her slow transformation into a demon. What should be exciting and introspective is anything but when all we get is Maia rehashing the same thoughts over and over and shunning anyone that tries to help her. The love interest Edan is reduced to a cheerleader, basically just saying how much he loves Maia and then sitting on the sidelines, which is a shame because they behaved like a team in the first book. 

Unlike the first book which was naturally broken up into three distinct parts, this book feels more like a list of chores being checked off a list. Every issue has Maia come in and take care of it in a chapter or two while bemoaning her transformation. 

Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is Lady Sarnai, but it feels as though she's been all but dropped by Lim until the last quarter of the story. 

Overall, very different from Spin the Dawn and a disappointment. 
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