Seeing Redd & Archenemy - Frank Beddor

(Two reviews in one, because I read these a while ago and I can’t discern my thoughts between them, now that they have melted together in my mind)

It took me so long to try to work out why I didn’t like these books nearly as much as the first one.

But I’ve finally worked it out, so here’s a review.

Summary

I’m going to presume you’ve read the first book. So here we go. Alyss is now queen, but there are still weird things happening in Wonderland. King Arch is being a douche, Redd and the Cat have disappeared but the threat of them still looms, and she’s also trying to work out her feelings for Dodge. Hatter is also trying to work out his personal problems, and so on.

Cons

Redd. Not her in general, but some of her character traits really confused me. At some points, she could be so evil, like the skeletons which were so creepy and terrifying, just the image of them makes me shudder. But at the same time she was so childish, just the way she talked and how she treated people. I guess that makes her a strange combination, but there was no good in her at all. I wished she was slightly more dimensional.

Hatter Madigan. I’ve got to be honest. I was not that interested in his backstory. And I wished there was more conflict when Molly found out who her dad was.

The writing was still really childish as well, which is starting to get more annoying as it goes on. Especially the sound effects. At first it was interesting, now it just reads a bit bumpily.

Dodge and Alice. One of the reasons I loved the Looking Glass Wars was because I loved watching their relationship grow and develop, but now it’s stagnant. In Seeing Redd, there are a few rare, but extremely heartwarming, scenes between them. In Archenemy, I’m pretty sure there was an extreme lack of it. They’re relationship has grown dull and easy now, which is good for them, but not interesting to read. I wish there was more interaction between them, or even some conflict would be nice.

Pros

I’ve completely forgotten what I was going to write here.

I started this review a VERY long time ago. Around a year ago.

I can’t remember what I was going to say.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of pros! I seriously just am blanking on what they were.

I’m pretty sure most of the pros are the same for the Looking Glass Wars, in the interesting characters, unique plot, amazing world building…etc.

I really should do reviews straight after I read books, but I’m a massive procrastinator. In fact, I’m procrastinating right now. I’m putting off work to write a terrible review of books I cannot remember.

Well, this attempt at a review has been a little pathetic, hasn’t it.

(I will put, from what I remember, that Dodge became really sassy and awesome during Seeing Redd, and the covers are, as always, beautiful.)

Quotes

• “A Glass Eye leaped out from behind a parked snail-transport, blocked their way. “Did you drop something?” Dodge asked the assassin  “‘Cause I think I see you…” he unsheathed his sword and swung, decapitating the Glass Eye in one blow, “…head over there.”
• “Queen Alyss, my guards have discovered something you should see.”
  Her face had relaxed at the sight of him, but her brow at once contracted, her lips thinned with tension.
  We’ve found evidence of suspicious activity in the palace,” he said.
  What sort of activity?”
  You might want to step this way and see for yourself. I apologize in advance for you having to set foot in a guardsman’s quarters.”
  He led her into his rooms. The boyish portrait of Sir Justice, the fire crystals in the hearth, the elegantly arrayed table: Alyss blinked in puzzlement.
  What is all this?”
  My best guess, You Majesty, is that it’s breakfast, but I can’t be sure until we taste it.”
• “The only reason I don’t kill him,” he remembered the woman saying, her voice sounding like the scrape of iron against iron, a corrosion of vocal cords, “is because he’s not important enough.”

Overall

I’ve heard loads of people say that they love these books more than the previous, as there is a lot more plot and interesting stuff. However, there was not enough character development for me to really love these sequels as much as I enjoyed the first book.
I do hope these will be turned into films. Animations, if I could be picky, because the visuals would be absolutely gorgeous, and the entire world is so immersing and interesting that I’d love to see it on the big screen.

3 1/2 shuriken stars. I’m sure a lot of people would love these more than I did, but that’s where my rating stands. Please do read these books, they are great, especially the first, and if you love it, then read the next two. You’ll probably love them a lot more than I did.

 

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