Review Detail

Firstly, this book exceeded expectations. I mean, Weather Witch was okay, in my opinion, and I had not come to expect much from it’s sequel. Where Weather Witch had a languid pace and a very short plot-line, most of which was not focused on the heroine of the series, Stormbringer had an entirely different pace and build-up. The separate story-lines were reminiscent from the earlier book, the plot really thickens in this one. We had Jordan being pushed beyond her breaking point in Weather Witch, but here she faces another form of torture. I don’t know whether it qualifies as a spoiler, but the book contains rape and I would advise caution, for people who would be upset by it. It is terrible and dark, be warned. Rowen discovers the world is much more wider than the society of Philadelphia and finds a cause. The Maker and the one who seeks retribution against him, Marion have their own journey of sorts. All this was set against the backdrop of a rebel uprising brewing on the sidelines and the Council grasping on it’s grab of power. Also mixed in are the little snippets of magick, which somehow come together, not wholly, towards the end of the book.

The characters were rendered wonderfully – a lot was left to interpretation and maybe that makes the novel a bit harder to read than normal, but this time around I enjoyed the subtle shifts in behavior and emotions so intricately described. Each of them a mystery – even the little girl with the tremendous power. I was half in love with the story of the Wandering Wallace and Miyakitsu, even though I didn’t understand what exactly happened – not fully. There are a lot more mysteries still not clear, like the reason for the soul stones and what is the Wandering Wallace’s aim. The overall atmosphere of the book, is dark and grim, and even horribly sad at times.

The thing I was miffed with, however, was the start – it was the scene from the end of the Weather Witch – the same scene where Jordan and Rowen are boarded across different ships. The scene showed some differences this time around in the novel. Leaving that, I was pretty much into this book – hanging on to every word. The book got better and better as the story progressed, and by better I mean with regards to the plot. Mood-wise, it was dark, and even the end was sort of bittersweet. That, however, makes me really excited for the next book.

Received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.