I am honoured to be taking part in the official blog tour for Samantha Shannon's THE MIME ORDER. As part of the tour, I am going to be reviewing the sequel to the best-selling first novel, THE BONE SEASON.
First, Bloomsbury decided to do something incredibly fun for this tour. This novel features clairvoyants and auras. Each of the auras mean something different and it represents the type of clairvoyant. We got photos of ourselves modified to reflect our auras.
As you can see, I chose blue for my aura. A blue aura represents Augurs. They use organic matter, or elements, to connect with the æther.
Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour for other reviews and content.
Don't miss the giveaway that is after the review as well! *US ONLY*
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Release Date - January 27, 2015
Publisher Website - Bloomsbury
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 528 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal prison camp of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the survivors are missing and she is the most wanted person in London...The Mime Order is a sequel that does exactly what it should - it improves on the first novel. This installment takes the story in unexpected directions, changes what you thought about it's world and characters after the first novel, and proves that there are still plenty of surprises left in Paige's story.
As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on the dreamwalker, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take centre stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner. Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided.
After the fully satisfying ending that The Bone Season offered, I was most curious as to where the story would go next. This installment offers a wider look at the world Samantha has created. A deeper, more complex look at the politics at play, and shows new sides to the characters we're beginning to care about. This expansion illuminates exactly why this is a multiple book series. It's richer, and more layered than it first appears. It creates many directions that the story could take, and the one it takes is rather surprising.
Betrayal, double crossing, secrets and lies are the currency of this novel. Everyone has an agenda and nobody plays fair. This allowed for some twists and turns during the novel. This can turn in an instant and loyalty is never guaranteed. The world of the syndicate creates a dangerous atmosphere and this novel highlights the severe consequences decisions can have.
The pacing of the story is pitch perfect. It's rapid speed will leave you mesmerized and in awe. Things that I did not expect to happen until much later in the series come to fruition sooner than expected. It leave you with a sense of both apprehension and elation because of the unpredictability this offers. Novels that can surprise me leave a lasting impression and this one did just that.
Without giving anything away, the Rephaim are back. Getting to learn more about them, and what their agenda is was one of the most compelling aspects of the novel. This group has politics that rival those in the syndicate and how it all meshes together is rather complex. The set up is like a house of cards with each move impacting the whole. It creates a fragile balance that is easily tipped. This novel is that balance breaking and it's aftermath.
The slow burn of the romances in this book is exactly what this novel needs. It's background to it's actual plot. The romance is something that heightens the already existing drama and emotions. It is just another layer to the characters, and not who the characters are. It makes it feel realistic and allows you to be become invested in the outcome..
As fascinating as the setting is, it is the characters that truly shine. The human moments of grief, betrayal, self doubt, perseverance, and every other emotion in between are what leaves a last impression. My favourite moments were the ones seeped in character development. It's where Samantha truly shows her talent and growth. If the first book was laying the foundation of the world, this book lays the foundation for character development and shows what that means for the plot.
Samantha Shannon showcases that we are only beginning to see her talent as a writer, and storyteller. This sequel will surpass expectations, and leave you desperately counting down the days until the next installment of this smart, addictive, well plotted series is released.
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