After how much I loved the first book in the series, I went into A Heart So Fierce and Broken with both excitement and caution. I know it's hard to follow up a thrilling first book with an even more so second book, especially when there are amped up expectations to take into account. But I needn't have worried, because I come away having thoroughly enjoyed myself.
I'll say right off the bat that this story is an unexpected follow up to the first. It doesn't so much extend it as it does a pivot away, both from the characters we loved as well as the storyline we were following. Going in, I was warned by many that this would be the case, so I had time to prepare myself. As a result, what I got was what I was expecting, which made the changes less startling and more palatable.
Being the middle book of a trilogy, there's a little bit of a slow down in terms of pacing. The urgency of book 1, in trying to break the curse, is gone. Instead, there is time devoted to setting up a different focus and in laying down the groundwork for what must be the big final conflict in book 3. Yet, the story still captivated me, and I was just as riveted with it as with the previous one.
What I loved about the first book is all still in the second. The characters are flawed, but also warm, kind, and courageous. We meet some new ones, and they are just as loveable as all the ones we already know. The love story is a slow burn that takes a while to come to fruition, but when it does, it feels rewarding. The conflicts and the disagreements still make sense, especially when taken in light of that most unexpected ending.
Speaking of the ending, what a setup for the next book! I am already anticipating starting the third book. I don't think I can wait very long, and can only pat myself on the back for having had the foresight to wait until all three books were out before starting this trilogy.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
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