Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 10th, 2020
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads
Rating: 4/5 Stars
I loved The Never Tilting World, and I was excited to dive back in with Haidee and Odessa in The Ever Cruel Kingdom. The twins are reunited, and though the world is turning, it comes with its own problems. Including the galla, who don’t seem very keen to let both goddesses’ go.
There are four POVs used through this book – Arjun, Lan, Haidee and Odessa. Seeing the events through the different characters’ eyes worked really well, especially as Haidee and Odessa quickly bond, and Arjun and Lan grow closer, connecting over their love for the twins. As Haidee and Odessa learn more about their world, their mothers, and what happened to the goddess’ in the past, they grow even more determined to save the world, themselves, and their loved ones.
We get more history here, too, including what happened between their mothers. In The Never Tilting World, their mothers (to me) both come across as cold, though very protective. We see more of that here, and get a deeper understanding of the relationship between both pairs of goddesses.
I will admit, I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first. I think because the scope was smaller – rather than travelling across vast, dangerous terrain, the events of this book are largely confined to the desert, and some parts around the middle felt a little repetitive, but that is the only thing I can really criticize the book on, and I still really enjoyed reading it.
I really, really liked the climax and ending, too. Without going into too much detail, from a certain point towards the end things really feel like they ramp up. The climax unfolds and Chupeco handles it all in such an intriguing way, not to mention how good of an ending this book gives us.
It’s a novel about sacrifice, protecting the ones we love, and unbreakable bonds. It’s about forgiveness, and love, and community, and how we need all those things to combat the ever-increasing disasters we’re witnessing. It’s honestly a really great duology, and has forever earned in a place in my favourite series’ lists.
Unwrapping Words 