Available at Amazon
, Book DepositoryCity of Ghosts is the third installment in Stacia Kane's Downside series and despite my desire to smack the main character, Chess, upside the head in the second book (Unholy Magic), I was more than willing to give her another chance to win back my heart.
Once again, the time frame isn't much beyond the previous book, and with that, all the fallout of Chess's actions and their effects on Terrible are still fresh . This for me was the biggest part of the story that I needed cleared up coming into City of Ghosts. Things are never that simple, though, and we have to allow for Kane's delivering the tale her way, to see if we're going to get what we want.
This story contained some new characters, Lauren, the Black Squad member that Chess has been asked to assist, and the strange man with all of the kids were major parts in the storyline. But it was the kids, the descriptions of their infirmities, how this could have happened that saddened and shocked me. Kane we true to form in her no holds barred way of story telling. As ever, the grit of the Downside world is evident in every element of the tale..
Back to Terrible, now, (I can never stay off this topic for long). As much as I was unhappy with Chess's actions in Unholy Magic, here it was Terrible that I wanted to give a good smack to (not that you would ever dare with a man like that...though Chess does :) His behavior towards Chess bordered on childish and it killed me! Ah! The struggles of these two characters is a huge part of why I have loved this series so much.
Kane is consistent in her tone and there is no lack of action in City of Ghosts. Had this been a trilogy, I think I would be satisfied overall with the entire series, but at the same time feeling a little deprived that I wouldn't get to spend any more time in Downside. Fortunately, there is more to come and for that I'm grateful. Chess has won me back and I look forward to seeing where her next adventure will take her....surely it can't be worse than "The City"? We shall see...
2 comments:
ha ha ha. Yea, Terrible was a dweeb in this one. I was not happy with him. But that is what I love with Kane's writing. She took a character I couldn't believe doing things, Chess, and made her the one I loved again. Then the man I loved, Terrible, and made him a doofes. But in all I love the way the story comes across in this harsh world. And the screw ups of the characters really work so wonderfully with this dank gritty world. It's perfect! lol.
Great review. And can't wait for more!
@Melissa - But then there's that scene where Chess was hitting him and... Anyway, maybe we'll be able to read book 4 together when it's released? :)
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