World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2) by Susan Ee

World After by Susan Ee

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



☆ ☆ ☆

No spoilers and colorful language abound!

Angelfall Review




I am Lestat. The first 72% of this book is the grapes.

:: The blinking cursor is mocking me ::

( ( I scowl back at it ) )

:: Blink-Blink-Blink-Blink ::




When Penryn sits up, those around her realize she isn't dead and start to react, she finds this humorous. Penryn is better suited for this post apocalyptic world than she thinks. With her mutilated sister at her feet, her hysterical mother beside her, and the heartbreaking memory of Raffe's reaction to her death still fresh, she barely skips a beat. There is something to be said about a character who simply observes the situation around her and has the emotional wherewithal to appreciate the scenario she finds herself in. She isn't dead, she has rescued Paige, reunited with her mother and is in the relative safety of the Resistance, for now.

While at the camp we get some much needed insight into Penryn's changing relationship with Paige, her 7 year old little sister. I really appreciate Ee's ability to bind Penryn's devotion to Paige with the gritty reality of being a 17 year old girl in a crumbling society. The struggle within herself rings true, and as we all know truth is never as pretty as we want it to be. In addition we get some quality time with Mom and all her crazy antics, literally. There has yet to be a scene with Mom that I haven't found utterly fascinating; the depth of her character, her strange bursts of lucid truths, the depravity she wears on her sleeve. All makes for a truly unforgettable and might I say, perversely charming woman. Last but certainly not least we get to know to Pooky Bear, the semi sentient archangel sword who provides Penryn with an private view into Raffe's mind. It's not long before the strangeness within Paige surfaces, and she winds up on the run. Mom, Clara and Penryn set off after her back to the streets of San Fran.

This is about where I start to disengage.




Blah blah water droplets. Blah blah weird side plot. Blah blah boat. Blah blah twin girls. Blah blah costumes. Blah blah Uri. I am anxious. This is boring. I am bored and anxious. Just as I am crossing the threshold into complete despondency, it happens.




This is where the book stops being the grapes. I am now the elated dog. Raffe is back. They are the best thing about this series, we don't need to pretend otherwise. Paige's story line also gets a hell of a lot more interesting, Pooky is seriously my favorite, and the humans have a glimmer of hope. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how Ee handles the dreaded 3rd book with her challenging Young women! The truth is I really didn't like this book, I like this world, I like these characters, I like where it's going, I like Ee's writing, but this particulary story? Nope, not so much. For this I hover somewhere between 3 and 4, I'm going to give a 4 simply because my love for Angelfall is overflowing into this one. Edit: Changed from 4 starts to 3 due to insulting plot point.






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