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A review by dinipandareads
The Second Son by Adrienne Tooley
4.0
I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Christy Ottaviano Books for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up
TL;DR: Objectively, I think this was a well-written story. It has an engaging plot, complex characters, and compelling relationships. While I wouldn’t say anything surprised me as I saw the twists and reveals coming from a mile away, I appreciate how Tooley formed her story around the chosen themes. The way she weaves emotion into faith was unique and I think the way it was written allows readers flexibility in how they interpret the story. Ultimately, I think The Second Son is a great conclusion to a dark-tinged fantasy duology.
I’m going to start by saying that what I found missing in the first book, which was a deeper emotional connection to the characters, was also an issue for me in this second book. I can’t lie and say this didn’t affect my reading experience with the duology as it meant I didn’t feel as invested as I’d expect to be with a story that has so many intriguing moving pieces and that I know should be emotionally charged. I’m not sure what exactly made the emotional depth feel lacking but I was still able to appreciate what the author did with this story.
There’s the political aspect that tackles issues like having a monarchy vs democracy and I liked how Tooley dissects this through Elodie and the Warnou siblings’ experiences. While I wasn’t always the biggest fan of Elodie, I appreciated the complexity of her character and her relationships with her siblings, Tal, and the citizens of Velle. Elodie experiences a steep learning curve as both a monarch who wasn’t prepared to rule but also as a young woman raised by a ruthless woman who loved herself more than her children or anyone else. She endures many hardships as a young leader and that too a young woman leader. As the story progresses, Tooley examines gendered roles and societal expectations and how harmful the impact can be on society as a whole, not just the girls and women in it. This message hit and I think anyone who has experienced this in any form IRL will be able to relate.
The second perspective comes from the religious pov with Sabine as the New Maiden. Sabine also experiences so much change following what happens in book one as she learns what it means to shoulder this monumental task. Something that I don’t recall from the first book is how big a role emotion plays in our character’s arcs but also the faith of this story. The importance of allowing yourself to feel emotions, particularly to embrace the darkness in you and to thrive not in spite of it but in coexistence with it, was a huge part of what Sabine learns. Also, the importance of learning to let go of ego and fear to ask for help when needed. I thought the way Tooley presented this through the deities' manifestations was unique and perhaps my favourite part of this story!
We get one other POV at the end of each part, but I won’t expand on this cos spoilers. That said, I liked the additional POV but also felt that more could’ve been done to bring depth to one of the plot lines. However, the weaving of everything was done very well and it kept the momentum moving at a solid and fast clip. A lot happens over a short period which means there’s little room for boredom while reading, lol.
The Second Son was a satisfying conclusion to the Betrayal Prophecies duology. While I recognise this story might not be for everyone, and though I also had some issues with it, I would still recommend it to those who enjoy their fantasies that are both political and philosophical with heavy leaning towards the latter. It was a unique blend!
TL;DR: Objectively, I think this was a well-written story. It has an engaging plot, complex characters, and compelling relationships. While I wouldn’t say anything surprised me as I saw the twists and reveals coming from a mile away, I appreciate how Tooley formed her story around the chosen themes. The way she weaves emotion into faith was unique and I think the way it was written allows readers flexibility in how they interpret the story. Ultimately, I think The Second Son is a great conclusion to a dark-tinged fantasy duology.
I’m going to start by saying that what I found missing in the first book, which was a deeper emotional connection to the characters, was also an issue for me in this second book. I can’t lie and say this didn’t affect my reading experience with the duology as it meant I didn’t feel as invested as I’d expect to be with a story that has so many intriguing moving pieces and that I know should be emotionally charged. I’m not sure what exactly made the emotional depth feel lacking but I was still able to appreciate what the author did with this story.
There’s the political aspect that tackles issues like having a monarchy vs democracy and I liked how Tooley dissects this through Elodie and the Warnou siblings’ experiences. While I wasn’t always the biggest fan of Elodie, I appreciated the complexity of her character and her relationships with her siblings, Tal, and the citizens of Velle. Elodie experiences a steep learning curve as both a monarch who wasn’t prepared to rule but also as a young woman raised by a ruthless woman who loved herself more than her children or anyone else. She endures many hardships as a young leader and that too a young woman leader. As the story progresses, Tooley examines gendered roles and societal expectations and how harmful the impact can be on society as a whole, not just the girls and women in it. This message hit and I think anyone who has experienced this in any form IRL will be able to relate.
The second perspective comes from the religious pov with Sabine as the New Maiden. Sabine also experiences so much change following what happens in book one as she learns what it means to shoulder this monumental task. Something that I don’t recall from the first book is how big a role emotion plays in our character’s arcs but also the faith of this story. The importance of allowing yourself to feel emotions, particularly to embrace the darkness in you and to thrive not in spite of it but in coexistence with it, was a huge part of what Sabine learns. Also, the importance of learning to let go of ego and fear to ask for help when needed. I thought the way Tooley presented this through the deities' manifestations was unique and perhaps my favourite part of this story!
We get one other POV at the end of each part, but I won’t expand on this cos spoilers. That said, I liked the additional POV but also felt that more could’ve been done to bring depth to one of the plot lines. However, the weaving of everything was done very well and it kept the momentum moving at a solid and fast clip. A lot happens over a short period which means there’s little room for boredom while reading, lol.
The Second Son was a satisfying conclusion to the Betrayal Prophecies duology. While I recognise this story might not be for everyone, and though I also had some issues with it, I would still recommend it to those who enjoy their fantasies that are both political and philosophical with heavy leaning towards the latter. It was a unique blend!