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The Brink of Darkness by Jeff Giles is a book that I had been highly anticipating since I finished The Edge of Everything, and this instalment is definitely more X-centric. I enjoyed the setting and the main characters, but I was disappointed with the slow pacing. The book was still enjoyable, however, I wish I could have enjoyed it as much as I had been hoping.
Series: The Edge of Everything #2
Author: Jeff Giles
Also by this author: The Edge of Everything (The Edge of Everything #1)
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Genres: Supernatural, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: July 10, 2018
Rating:
Series Rating:
Things have changed for seventeen-year-old Zoe ever since the otherworldly events that brought her together with the mysterious bounty hunter she calls X. In order to save Zoe and her family, X has done the unthinkable - he's given up his freedom and returned to captivity in the Lowlands.
X is determined to break the lords' hold on him once and for all, but being stripped of his power pushes him toward a darkness he's never experienced and a past he's never known. The secrets that surface could be the key to reuniting X and Zoe... or they could mean the destruction of everything they have been fighting for.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: The Brink of Darkness by Jeff Giles
This book picks up right after The Edge of Everything, where X returns to the Lowlands. He continues to work on meeting Zoe again, but he has another mission this time: find his mother. I enjoyed how the setting of the Lowlands is even more developed in this instalment, and I enjoyed reading about this unique take on hell. However, this book seemed lacking compared to the incredible beginning to the series, and I was a bit disappointed.
❀ Enjoyable Narrators
Zoe is still the sassy and clever main character that I loved from book one. Her touching interactions with her little brother also remained my favourite aspects of the book. X, however, changes pretty drastically in this sequel. I feel like the book is more focused on his character instead of Zoe’s, so he really gets the chance to transform. The reader also gets to see a different side of him as he tries to find his mom. Both characters are enjoyable narrators, and I definitely shipped them.
❀ Slow-Paced
My main issue with this book was the pacing. It is very slow, and I found that all the action happens at the end. I was anticipating an action-packed story after my experience with the first book, but it just dragged for me. As well, the plot is not as interesting as I has hoped. It focuses mainly on X looking for his mother, and I didn’t really care about that. I would have appreciated more about X and Zoe’s relationship.
❀ Finishes up Loose Ends
The Brink of Darkness by Jeff Giles is the sequel to The Edge of Everything, and the characters are as likeable as ever. I wanted to love this book, however, the slow pacing frustrated me. I would still recommend this to tie up some loose ends from the first book, it just didn’t measure up to the first book for me.
About Jeff Giles
Jeff Giles grew up in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Most recently, he was the deputy managing editor of Entertainment Weekly, where he oversaw all coverage of movies and books, including the magazine's championing of YA fiction. Jeff has written for Rolling Stone and The New York Times Books Review. He also coauthored The Terrorist's Son, a nonfiction book that won an Alex Award from the American Library Association and has since been translated into more than a dozen languages. While reporting on the Lord of the Rings movies for Newsweek, Jeff was invited to be an extra in The Return of the King. He played a Rohan soldier, and--because he didn't have a beard or mustache--they glued yak hair to his face. Jeff lives with his family in Montana.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.