Review Detail

DEFY THE SUN is a fantastic conclusion to this YA fantasy duology. This book picks up right where the first book left off and does not spend time recapping, so I would highly recommend a reread of the first before jumping into this one. Bellona is a land divided not only along socioeconomic class lines (the Dogio and Basso) but also by a revolution. Bellona worships the sun and makes sacrifices to it, resulting in frequent loss of loved ones.

The Night is a group which is leading a rebellion against the current leadership and its many lies. Veda is a young girl who has been labelled as the Lunalette, a figure from a legend that says she will be the one to save them and lead a successful rebellion. On the other side is her best friend and love interest, Nico, who has been selected as Heir to the regent. The book begins with Nico being held by the Night and Veda being held by the Imperi, the militia of the regent.

The book has a slow start as each of them learns more about their captors and figures out a course to freedom. The end of the book moves much faster as we get into the action of the plans they have created. This book has a solid ending without cliffhangers.

What I loved: The writing is fluid and its easy to get caught up in Bellona and the intricacies of this world. We get perspectives of both Veda and Nico, which also gives extra insights into what is going on. There are a number of secondary characters (including a love interest creating a triangle) that add to the story. The characters here are quite compelling, and it was easy to step into their lives.

What left me wanting more: Small things, but I would have liked the end to be drawn out a bit more with more explanations about the Sindaco's mental state in particular. I also would have liked a bit more reasoning behind the resolution of the love triangle.

Final verdict: Engaging, atmospheric, and full of compelling characters, DEFY THE SUN is a great conclusion to a really great YA fantasy series. Would highly recommend for fans of HUNGER GAMES, FROSTBLOOD SAGA, and the MATCHED series.