A review by laylareadsthings
Chasm by Stacey McEwan
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.5
Ledge was a wonderful surprise for me last year, and I’m happy to say that Chasm followed suit and was an exceptional sequel.
Chasm picks up immediately where Ledge leaves off, dealing with the aftermath of the cliffhanger. The first 30% of the book is incredibly fast paced, but believably so. There’s a new character introduced but it doesn’t feel forced. The other 70% (as you can imagine with this book being 2 of 3) is a lot of setup and preparation for the finale. Characters are tested, obstacles are placed. This is the journeying part of the trilogy. I appreciated this immensely as it gives the characters time to breathe. I expected to be frustrated with the romantic subplot but I absolutely wasn’t. All your favorite characters have their time to shine (Baltisse was my standout). This is a 0.5 chili spice book, blink and you’ll miss it. I really love the narration style of this book, McEwan NAILS inner monologue and complex emotions better than most.
I have NO doubt that book 3 is going to literally have me on the edge the whole time biting my fingernails.
My one complaint would be that the mythology and magic system is explained slowly and seems to evolve at all times, when the story calls for it. As a reader, I kind of expect at the end of book 2 to have a pretty full grasp of how the magic works, but I found myself with more questions than answers. Wasn't anything that bothered me while reading, just a thought that came after I finished the book while reflecting.
Chasm picks up immediately where Ledge leaves off, dealing with the aftermath of the cliffhanger. The first 30% of the book is incredibly fast paced, but believably so. There’s a new character introduced but it doesn’t feel forced. The other 70% (as you can imagine with this book being 2 of 3) is a lot of setup and preparation for the finale. Characters are tested, obstacles are placed. This is the journeying part of the trilogy. I appreciated this immensely as it gives the characters time to breathe. I expected to be frustrated with the romantic subplot but I absolutely wasn’t. All your favorite characters have their time to shine (Baltisse was my standout). This is a 0.5 chili spice book, blink and you’ll miss it. I really love the narration style of this book, McEwan NAILS inner monologue and complex emotions better than most.
I have NO doubt that book 3 is going to literally have me on the edge the whole time biting my fingernails.
My one complaint would be that the mythology and magic system is explained slowly and seems to evolve at all times, when the story calls for it. As a reader, I kind of expect at the end of book 2 to have a pretty full grasp of how the magic works, but I found myself with more questions than answers. Wasn't anything that bothered me while reading, just a thought that came after I finished the book while reflecting.