So...I wish I had reread the series from the beginning before starting The City of Mirrors; there are so many characters and so many years pass between books. (A suggestion to those of you who are hooked on the series, at least review the first two books before reading the final installment. :) Another tip: it is still offered on NetGalley and there is a give-away on Goodreads.) If you haven't read the earlier books, read them and save this last one for later.
Fortunately, I remembered enough scenes so vividly that the characters and events came back pretty quickly, but I still wished I'd reread the previous books, especially The Passage, which remains my favorite.
OK--The Twelve have been vanquished, and for years, nothing has been heard from Zero. The author brings the reader (not the characters) up-to-date about Zero, devoting nearly 200 pages to filling in his backstory. Does it evoke empathy? Is/was Zero an evil monster?
The beginning is a little slow, partly because the reader has to re-acclimate to characters and events, but eventually all of the familiar characters' lives are fleshed out.
Alicia of the Blades and Amy have disappeared and life in Kerrville has gone on without them. While the other characters wait and wonder what happened to them, the reader is much more informed. Years pass; the lives of characters change with the times. Kerrville grows, then depletes, as years go by without viral activity and people form new settlements and townships, moving outside the walls.
Peter, Michael, Hollis, Sarah, and Greer's roles also change over the years, and a few new characters are introduced. People eventually begin to believe/hope the world is safe again.
Lucas Greer has a vision, and he and Michael work to make it happen. Peter Jaxon continues his role as leader, but in a different capacity. Children grow up.
Time, however, is growing short. Something is coming....
It is easy to become involved with the characters, especially those who have been there since the beginning. We already feel as if we know these people, and we certainly care what happens to them.
The premise of a military experiment gone wrong (as explained in the first book) is believable and frightening. The perversion of science to the point of threatening humanity is certainly not a new theme, and yet Cronin's world-building and character development can place the reader firmly in this dystopian framework.
I'm happy to have this epic trilogy completed and to have the details of so many characters wrapped up. There were a few things that bothered me, but I'll omit them for now; I'd like to see how others feel about the novel. Overall, I'm satisfied.
Read in April; blog post scheduled for May 2
NetGalley/Random House/Ballantine
Dystopian/Post-apocalyptic. May 24, 2016. Print length: 624 pages.
I read The Passage when it came out, and really liked it, but could never make myself start The Twelve. I'm not sure why; so I probably won't be reading this one either, but I'm glad the trilogy ended in a way that was okay for you.
ReplyDeleteThe Passage remains my favorite. I'm not sure I am OK with the conclusion, but I am glad that it is finished!
DeleteThis was my problem with the second one. It was a long time between books that I felt I needed a cheat sheet to keep track of everyone and their situations. However, The Passage is an awesome read and I recommend it highly to most readers. I have this book and will probably read it very soon, but will take your advice and review the second one, and maybe the first... again!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much Cronin had in mind for this trilogy when he wrote The Passage...and how much just kind of developed as he went. I wanted find out what happened to all of the initial characters, but didn't enjoy the last two books nearly as much as the first one. :\
DeleteI've been on NetGalley a lot more lately and I did see this new book out but I haven't read the first two and figure it might not be a good standalone read. I would like to read The Passage but I guess I need to be prepared for a chunkster!
ReplyDeleteYeah, they are all chunksters. And, no, The City of Mirrors is definitely not one I would recommend as a stand-alone. Even having read the first two, I had some trouble with it! What I really wish is that Cronin had written The Passage as a stand-alone.
DeleteI've the first book but haven't got around to reading it. Now that the series are finished I know I won't have to wait longer if I decide to read them. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe first one is the best, I think. The thing is that I liked the characters so much I couldn't not read the rest of them! It is hard to wait so long between books, especially when there are so many characters and storylines. I love finding a new-to-me series that is already complete. :)
Delete