A review by zoenelson
Shadow of Night (Movie Tie-In) by Deborah Harkness

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Second books in a series often struggle to live up to their prequel and this one suffered in the same way. It covered a lot, to be fair, but to me pacing was a major issue. We spent 200 pages doing little to advance the plot, which was then shoved in throughout the book in sometimes rushed and uncomfortable ways. 

I think Harkness also struggled to balance the many conflicts raised in the first book, on top of introducing a whole new cast of historical characters. The conflicts between Matthew and Diana, as well as with others, felt manufactured in this novel. 

Despite the shortcomings, there was a lot to love: some of the new characters enriched the story (Pierre, Gallowglass, the children,
Phillipe
); the depiction of Elizabethan England and Prague was exciting; the magic system is complex and interesting; the love between our main characters is believable and beautiful; and the vignettes back in the future were amazing.

I have hope she's setting us up well for the final book in the trilogy!
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