I'm not going to lie, it was a rough read for me. Juliette throughout this entire book is selfish and whiny and does not take any accountability for her actions. For a while I could understand it, she had been through so much and suffered so much trauma, but it got to the point where she was hurting others with no regard, even when they were trying to be friendly towards her. It has probably been my least favorite book in the series but I understood why. ​​

 

THE CHARACTERS

First off, Kenji is probably the best character in this whole book for many reasons. He is written very well, and actually comes off as how someone would truly behave in this world that has been built. His connections to others and his loyalty to the Order made him even more likable. One of the major reasons why I loved him so much is because he was the only one that called Juliette out on her bullshit. Even though she would not listen to him half the time, he pointed out her self destruction and selfishness bluntly, which not only really contributed to Julliete's growth but also was so satisfying after the borderline unbearable way that she was behaving. He was always looking out for her, and I especially loved him towards the end of the book. 

 

I know I have already complained about this a lot, but wow, Julliete could not have been more annoying. Her behavior almost made me DNF this book multiple times. Through at least the first 60% of this book she was almost exclusively complaining, and she said the same things over again so repetitively that I had to skim through some parts. However, towards the end of the book she really started to grow into herself and shed this version of her, which really made it so much better. Part of the reason why she was so trapped within herself was because the Order would not give her an outlet to express her pain, instead they made her suppress it. Once she started realizing that she needed to let go, we really saw the character growth happen. This whole series so far is about seeing how she grows as a person, so even though it was necessary to show, it was still very annoying. 

 

Warner was one of the best things about this book, and truly made me realize why everyone loved him so much. It was great to see another side of him, rather than the perfect pristine ruler that he presents himself as being. I liked how he brought out another side of Julliete, she saw through all of the things that she was hiding inside. I love how we explored that Julliete and Warner are not as different as it might have seemed. Seeing how their relationship grows and strengthens, and Julliete not being able to accept how she really feels is one of the best plot lines in this book. He feels so raw and full of emotions, he is a very well written character and I cannot wait to see how their relationship goes from here. 

 

Now for probably one of my least favorite characters in the entire book, Adam. I personally think that the only reason that Juliette has any interest in him is because she was so touch deprived and lonely for so long, that the first person that shows her any type of compassion she becomes attached to. Adam does not understand Juliettes pain or her abilities, and continues to subdue and suppress her by making her fear herself. They also never actually talk or get to know each other, just use each other as an escape from the world. 

 

THE PLOT 

 

Besides the obvious flaws of Juliette whining, I really enjoyed the overlapping plot that drove the story. Even though it was kind of slow at some points, it was jam-packed with world-building and character development that made it much more interesting. The introduction of the Order was well done and expanded the world in a way that was very needed. 

 

I thought that there were a lot of similarities to the reestablishment when they were showing Juliette around the compound. For example, the cameras that are placed everywhere, the strict routines, training regimens, and guards patrolling everywhere. Everyone was also scared of Juliette's powers and avoided her at all costs.  

 

Throughout the story we learn about the Order, how they came to be, and what they have been planning to do. We see how the members of the Order have honed their powers and how they embrace it, rather than shy away from it like Juliette has been doing. I wish that we could have seen more of the other powers, I think it could have been great to explore. I hope that that is something that they include later in the series. 

 

I loved the way that this book ended. Finally seeing Juliette in action, using her powers in a positive way that she had never done before was so refreshing and kept me on my toes. I like that we finally got to see Anderson in person, even though he wasn't doing much. Juliette getting shot was not at all what I thought was going to happen, but I kind of wish that it ended with that and became a real cliffhanger, instead of knowing that she would be saved. Seeing Warner freak out over her though was very cute. 

 

TO SUM UP 

 

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was a very nice change in the series. It takes about half the story to get really into it, but I recommend everyone to stick through it. It expanded the world in such an interesting way and made you much more invested in not only Adam, Warner, and Julitte's stories but also new and interesting characters that were introduced. The relationship between Adam Warner and Julitte was great and is well worth sticking through it. It left me excited for what the rest of the series will bring.