What makes a story, a good story?
Some may say it’s the characters, some say the plot or theme, and some may argue it’s the message. Maybe the ending, the beginning, or the middle. The voice, the style or the prose. But, what about how it all fits together? How everything combined can make it feel like a perfect game of Tetris?
Let’s dive in to find an answer.
That said, let me welcome you to this spoiler-free review series where the best of the best will be ranked as ‘Tetris-style’—What can I say? Gaming has a big chunk of me.
Note: I don’t intend to say that the parts make the whole. Sometimes, many things converge and end up producing a much greater result—or worse, for that matter. So, stay tuned!
W H A T I S T H E D R E A M T H I E V E S ?
If you haven’t followed the series, check out my previous review here so you can catch up if you wish to.
Otherwise, keep on.
Following Blue and her Aglionby boys in their ongoing quest, the ley lines finally awaken as they had intended, so they could, for the first time, explore Glendower’s current residence. Except nothing is as perfect as it seems. People wanting a taste of Gansey’s dream come along to snatch it from his hands —or Ronan’s for that matter.
…Because Ronan has many dreams and many secrets.
**
From the very first moment, I knew this was a Ronan-centric book. The cover, the last book’s ending, and the prologue… Everything led to Ronan. And I didn’t dislike the idea of a tough, self-destructive, and violent boy taking the lead. In fact, I adored it.
I was surprised when things happened in a way I didn’t quite guess. It took time and a lot of thinking to make this book incredible on its own. It’s not the best in the series to me, but it does have its charm.
Being a book of many reveals, should you read it or pass on it?
Take a look!
C h a r a c t e r s
Having had a run of exquisite characters in the previous novel, I was anxious about what would come next. Anxious because sequels can be easily spoiled. And spoiled things I tend to avoid. Thus, I avoided it.
Fortunately for me, I was not disappointed.
Characters dive hard on their secrets, relationships deepen and darken, and emotions run wild. Though for some this may not be the best book, it is a much-needed one for characters to add a taste of depth to the already deep pie. And deliciously bottomless it turns out to be at the end.
I thought I had figured out what lay beneath each character—what each character arc would be like—, only to be surprised about how those secrets they held so tight were coming to the light so fast. This is the second book, the second …!
But the one who astounded me most was Ronan. The way he confronted his fears and the way he changed how he related to himself, others, and the world, was incredible. Incredibly subtle, but incredible nonetheless.
He is a breath of fresh air to stereotypes.
The negative: A lot of it still stands. The I’m-not-like-the-other-girls protagonist, the rich, the badass, the shy guy…
It’s hard to escape our narrative as a society, though.
Verdict? W O R K S F O R M E
P l o t
To me, the only missing link about this book.
Why?
Because the ending of the last novel didn’t foreshadow the conflict of this one—to my knowledge. I was promised something, only to be delayed from it. As if all of it had been conjured out because the series needed the goal to be pushed back; it was right in front, only to be snatched away!
So, it all felt like filler from there.
As I've heard being said by professionals, plots have to be careful about three things; promise, progress, and pay-off. This book nails the last two but misses on the first one. The promise wasn't delivered when it was hinted.
Though I understand that this book’s primary function was to link the previous book with the next whilst delving deep into Ronan, the plot stabbed like a broken oath; I kept wishing to go back to the ending of the first book.
Nonetheless, there were powerful moments emerging from time to time. The emotion and angst from the characters, the choices they made and how they affected the story, how they reacted to said happenings… Those are sturdy events on their own.
Much more importantly, Ronan’s story couldn’t have been told in a different way.
Even if I had wanted it to be different.
Verdict? N O T F O R M E
R o m a n c e
Unbeknownst to me, this book was plagued with romance. I just didn’t realize.
Suffice to say, the romance did wonders as it had done before. The feels were even stronger in this book than in the previous —for me—, but scarcer throughout. Though it might be argued the opposite.
I bet that with a second read-through, I’d be entirely contradicted.
Even so, I will say that not many books do it the way this series is accomplishing it. Romance intertwines so neatly with character motivations, relationships, and humor, that one can’t tell the difference between one and the other.
The only thing I might criticize against it is:
I want more.
Verdict? W O R K S F O R M E
W r i t i n g
I will say that the author’s writing keeps being amazing. From one book to the next, the changes are minimal. The jokes still go, the bonding still shows, and the mystery still develops.
My one issue here is something I hadn’t noticed in the first book, and that I’m not completely sure existed in it anyway:
Head-hopping. And too much of it.
I don’t know if this is a widespread phenomenon, but sometimes I failed to connect with the leading character in the chapter—all due to having mixed impressions and feelings of other characters mixed in. I wanted to be inside their heads more, figure out their secrets from a closer perspective, something that gave me stronger clues to their thoughts…
This is why I had a hard time understanding Ronan to the core.
However, thinking back on it, this format did do the story justice. The narrative thrived on exposing emotions, secrets, and things the very characters hadn’t realized themselves. If they’d been exposed clearly through one perspective in a chapter, the later reveal would’ve lost strength.
Not to mention that the writing itself is a metaphor for the character’s mumbled thinking and their overall confusion. Especially Ronan’s.
In this way, it’s brilliant.
Verdict? W O R K S F O R M E
T h e m e s
I have said it and will say it again, themes are related to conflict, especially, central conflict. Therefore, my rambling on this will dejectedly not take place here. But I will mention one thing:
My previous theories dissolved into dust as soon as I read the ending.
I was wrong in my predictions and I’m not mad about it. Not a single bit. I have to admit though, I have yet to pinpoint the main theme underlying the whole narrative, but I am impressed by the turn of events. I didn’t expect to see important questions arise as subthemes, and I was glad for it.
In any case, what I loved most was how complex and difficult these themes were, and how the author didn’t shy away from them. The story, the world, and the characters make the perfect reflection of our world in a mirror: Real.
If you want to know more about my thoughts on the themes, watch out for my analysis of the series coming soon!
Verdict? W O R K S F O R M E
To make a long story short, this book is:
Good.
F i n a l t h o u g h t s
Making sequels is tough. Making good sequels is tougher.
And Stiefvater nailed it.
Though not my favorite book so far, I enjoyed the change inside characters and how they intricately connected with themselves and the rest of the crew. Much more in how that connection comes together as a theme that vouches for the complexity in the world and how to cope with it. This novel is, by no means, a perfect-ending type of novel, which gives it points for immersion and realness. Something not many have.
And that makes it great.
**
If you want to be rid of the intrigue, buy it here. Maybe you’ll catch the twist, or be like me, and…miss it entirely.
Let me know how you do!
…Aaand, follow me here, if you want more of these.
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