The Lightstruck (The Darkening Duology, 2)

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The Lightstruck (The Darkening Duology, 2)
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
13+
Release Date
August 29, 2023
ISBN
978-0358561996
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In this epic sequel and conclusion to the Darkening duology, which has been called “enchanting and wildly clever” (Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey), Vesper Vale, once savior to a city plagued by cursed storms, finds herself facing an even more sinister threat when an ominous light summoned by the Great King seizes control of the city.
Vesper Vale sacrificed everything to save her city from the cursed storm. After becoming a vessel of The Great Queen, Vesper awakes from a slumber three years after her life altering choice.

What she finds isn’t a home freed from the terror of the storm, but one where its citizens are besieged by the even more sinister force of The Great King and his growing army of the lightstruck—once regular citizens who are now controlled by the ominous light encroaching on the city. And the people are all looking to Vesper, now revered as a goddess after her sacrifice, as their city’s only hope.

To save the rings from the Great King, Vesper must contend with the obligations of being a deity to her people and the growing chasm between her and Dalca, the prince she swore never to love. Haunted by the guilt of their past choices and faced with the pressures of a city near ruin, Vesper and Dalca find themselves torn between the growing factions within the city and the royal court.

But in order to save her city from the light, Vesper must face the power most outside of her control—the goddess within.

Editor review

1 review
Balance Between Chaos and Order
Overall rating
 
3.7
Plot
 
3.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
The final book in the Darkening Duology, The Lightstruck, was an engaging read. In the first part of the book, we find that Vesper has been in the underworld not realizing her body is still alive until Dalca comes to find her. Three years have passed and she is a revered martyr treated with godlike reverence upon her return as a vessel for THE QUEEN.
The world-building was unique and fascinating. THE QUEEN was the storm and her touch left people with chaotic curses. THE KING is order and his touch leaves you seduced into giving up free will and following his overall plan of a perfect day. The Lightstruck have no distinguishing characteristics so it is easy for them to ambush and convert others. Since they have no free will, they work at an alarming speed to their final aim with all being in harmony.
This imbalance between chaos and order drives the plot. Being a duology there was not as much time to dive into the implications of these opposing themes. The King aims to create a perfect day that everyone would cycle through to the end of time. Yet, thinking very long about that prospect raises a lot of questions about how that would work. Would that mean babies are babies forever or would they grow to a certain point so they could have an adult version of a perfect day? It is an interesting idea that worked for the course of this book, but I do think the author created a hole in logic if this idea had been extended.
The book was predictable in that the people are now threatened by THE KING and to finally defeat him, he will need a vessel and Dalca is the obvious choice. The gods were at their most peaceful when they had vessels that loved each other in the past. Therefore, it was not a surprise that the chemistry between Vesper and Dalca would need to evolve. What was surprising is how the book got to these points and that it didn’t end with the obvious solution. This led to a more satisfying conclusion than I expected.
Overall, I enjoyed this series and found the resolution satisfying. I enjoyed the characters and the world created. Most of the book was fast-paced and had surprising elements that made it hard to put down.
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