A review by toni7tess
The Lost Book of the White by Wesley Chu, Cassandra Clare

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I felt like the book was lacking direction. In my opinion, the plot was overcomplicated and there was essentially no character development. I very much enjoyed the witty dialogue. Some of the Malec scenes and the Jem/Tessa bonus story at the end were very sweet. However, this book felt too unimportant for the sort of antagonists that were introduced and in my opinion including the whole cast of TMI was superfluous and didn't add much to the story. Simon's story arc felt really forced. A few plotholes and inconsistencies that I noticed completely took me out of the already messy plot. I would have preferred a book in the style of the Red Scrolls, with fewer characters, a less complicated plot, a strong focus on the Malec relationship (and their character development) and antagonists that fit better into the plot. Instead, I felt like I was reading a full-blown sequel to TMI that I didn't sign up for. I also find it bizarre that a book which includes such momentous events (which feel like they should have consequences!) is supposed to have taken place before TDA. I'm giving two stars because of the bits that made me laugh and a few good scenes, but overall I'm pretty disappointed. A simpler book about the Malec family dynamic with a mid-range antagonist would have done the job.
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