Started: 23/07/19
Finished: 27/07/19
Spoilers: No.
This book was my second chance on this series. After not being impressed by the first, I did consider not continuing, but as I already own three of them, I figured I’d give it another go just to see.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed this more than the first book, despite not caring for Jack or Jill in the first book. I still didn’t feel particularly invested in either them in this one either tbh, but it was still interesting to learn their full story.
After hearing about the Moors in the first book, it was interesting to see this world first hand and see from the very beginning the girls’ journey to this fantasy world. The plot was pretty much what I would have expected from it, given what we know from the first book. We already know they leave the Moors and return to their own world, so I never really felt like there was any surprise or suspense, neither did I find it in anyway exciting or engaging, but one thing, at least, this book has over the first one, it knows what kind of book it is and tells it’s one story. My issue with book one was the random, unwelcome murder mystery plotline thrown in. Thankfully in book two, we keep to a linear plot and don’t see any silly sub-plots shoved in with too few pages in which to tell it.
I think what made this book so much more interesting was the setting. The Moors was genuinely captivating and I wanted to learn more about the world than I did the characters. It was like some weird, dark, Gothic, horror junkie’s wet dream. Like if Dracula, Frankenstein and the wolfman all jumped into the same book and learnt to coexist. Although we never actually see any werewolves. I would have loved to explore the world longer, but on the same note, I didn’t want to spend any longer with the characters than necessary.
I think because these books are so short, it’s hard for me to become fully invested in the characters, even though I basically read their entire life story to date, it’s just so brushed over. I mean, sure, I felt like I knew everything about them, but that doesn’t mean I should care. There was nothing there to make me care about them.
There were some great themes pushed throughout regarding femininity and what it means to be a girl. There’s no cookie-cutter children and no A or B way they should grow up. Children come in all shapes and sizes and personality types. This explores very well the important concept of letting children find their own voice and decide who they want to be or what they want to be.
This book may - in my opinion - lack in likeable characters or exciting plot-lines, but it at least offers a valuable message to readers. Something particularly important to young girl readers still finding themselves; that it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to be yourself. That’s your right as a human being.
Will, I continue the series? Well, as I said, I own three of them already, so I’ll read book 3 at least. I know it’ll be about a different character so perhaps I’ll enjoy it more. As for books 4 & 5, we’ll see, but I’m certainly willing to give the series a third chance.
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