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A review by ihateprozac
Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
5.0
Smoke and Iron picks up where we left off, with
THIS WAS MY FAVOURITE YET.
There is so much adventure and so much growth in this story; such that you can’t believe the characters started out where they did - whether it be geographically or emotionally!
Each character has such a clear role and clear strengths, more so than ever, and they all contribute to the rebellion in their own ways. The twists and turns made sense and nothing ever felt too easy or convenient; Rachel Caine expertly laid all the groundwork and foreshadowing. There’s even more political intrigue with the Archivist being a real focal point of this story, and it’s such a delight to watch the surprises and reveals unfurl.
I really enjoyed getting to read from multiple perspectives in this story; the perspectives of Khalila, Morgan, and Wolfe make for a much better story than if it’d just been Jess’ perspective. We get to see the inside of the. It adds so much depth to the story and their struggle to reunite and advance the rebellion.
I particularly enjoyed getting to read from Morgan’s perspective in this book. I’ve been kinda “meh” on the subject of Morgan in the past, but I really empathised with her in this story and the complex range of emotions and problems she deals with in being stuck in the middle of a war. Not only is she navigating political intrigue and imprisonment, but she’s also dealing with issues that remind you that at the end of the day, these poor characters are teenagers.
Also Khalila? MY ABSOLUTE QUEEEEEEEN. She really comes into her own in this story and shows how she can be useful in turning the tide.
I really recommend reading Caine’s Wattpad short story, [b:Tigers in the Cage|31942436|Tigers in the Cage (The Great Library #0.1)|Rachel Caine|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480869545s/31942436.jpg|52600037] before picking up this story. It’s a prequel short story focused on Keria Morning and Wolfe’s father, and adds so much depth and back story for a new character introduced in this book. You can get by without reading it, but you won’t fully experience the heartbreak and feels knowing what they’ve been through.
Overall: THIS WAS FANTASTIC. Smoke and Iron is my favourite novel in the series to date, doling out equal parts plot and character-development and making me a very happy camper! I legit cannot wait to see where our heroes go from here.
Spoiler
Jess imitating Brendan, Morgan imprisoned in the Iron Tower, Wolfe imprisoned in the cells of Alexandria, and Khalila and co set to be sold out by Red Ibrahim and Daddy Brightwell. It’s up to Jess and the scholars to reunite and continue their quest to restore the original principles to the Great Library.THIS WAS MY FAVOURITE YET.
There is so much adventure and so much growth in this story; such that you can’t believe the characters started out where they did - whether it be geographically or emotionally!
Each character has such a clear role and clear strengths, more so than ever, and they all contribute to the rebellion in their own ways. The twists and turns made sense and nothing ever felt too easy or convenient; Rachel Caine expertly laid all the groundwork and foreshadowing. There’s even more political intrigue with the Archivist being a real focal point of this story, and it’s such a delight to watch the surprises and reveals unfurl.
I really enjoyed getting to read from multiple perspectives in this story; the perspectives of Khalila, Morgan, and Wolfe make for a much better story than if it’d just been Jess’ perspective. We get to see the inside of the
Spoiler
Alexandrian cells, Red Ibrahim’s boat, and the Iron TowerI particularly enjoyed getting to read from Morgan’s perspective in this book. I’ve been kinda “meh” on the subject of Morgan in the past, but I really empathised with her in this story and the complex range of emotions and problems she deals with in being stuck in the middle of a war. Not only is she navigating political intrigue and imprisonment, but she’s also dealing with issues that remind you that at the end of the day, these poor characters are teenagers.
Also Khalila? MY ABSOLUTE QUEEEEEEEN. She really comes into her own in this story and shows how she can be useful in turning the tide.
I really recommend reading Caine’s Wattpad short story, [b:Tigers in the Cage|31942436|Tigers in the Cage (The Great Library #0.1)|Rachel Caine|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480869545s/31942436.jpg|52600037] before picking up this story. It’s a prequel short story focused on Keria Morning and Wolfe’s father, and adds so much depth and back story for a new character introduced in this book. You can get by without reading it, but you won’t fully experience the heartbreak and feels knowing what they’ve been through.
Overall: THIS WAS FANTASTIC. Smoke and Iron is my favourite novel in the series to date, doling out equal parts plot and character-development and making me a very happy camper! I legit cannot wait to see where our heroes go from here.