Book Review: Rebel Spring

Rebel Spring
(Falling Kingdoms #2)

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Published By:  Razorbill

Publication Date: December 3rd, 2013

Page Count: 401 Pages

Buy it at:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound

Source:  Purchased by Reviewer

Audience:  Young Adult Fantasy

My Review for Falling Kingdoms

I really enjoyed this second installment in the Falling Kingdoms series quite a bit.  New characters were introduced, more were sacrificed and we got to know the rest of the characters a little better.

What I discovered, however, was that the ones I quite liked in the first book, I ended up liking less in this book and vice-versa.  Having said that, I am still invested in most of them.

I obviously wouldn’t divulge which characters were killed off, but I found most of them to be a bit of a shock that they were axed so soon in this 5-6 book series.  But because of the length of this series, I could understand that some of these sacrifices kept the story interesting and moving.

The one character who disappointed me the most, however, would be Jonas.  He was the leader of the rebels but not a very strong one.  He didn’t think things through very well and those actions cost him dearly.  He was careless, reckless and his decisions were too tied in with his emotions.  His heart was always in the right place but I didn’t find him to be leader material.  Hopefully, that will change, but right now, I found myself quite frustrated with him.

And Cleo would be another character I liked a bit less in this installment.  I quite liked how she grew from a naïve and sheltered young princess in to a more mature one in the last book but she still had some growing up to do.  I did cut her some slack though for all she had lost.

Princess Lucia changed substantially from her introduction in book one; perhaps due to the fact that her powers were not harnessed and she had no one to teach her how to control them. Regardless, I felt a little wishy-washy about her.

One the flipside, one new character I quite liked was Lysandra, although, I wasn’t too sure about her at first.  Initially, and with good reason, her emotions ruled some of her decisions much like it had with Jonas, as she too had suffered huge loss.  But she soon became the voice of reason, countering Jonas’s impulsiveness.  And she was damn good with a bow and arrow.

Prince Ashur from another kingdom—a much larger kingdom across the sea—was another new character that was both intriguing and charming.  But I wouldn’t put those attributes past him to use them to his advantage.  I wonder if he will be another force to be reckoned with in future installments.

But, somewhat more surprisingly, I found my favourite character in this installment to be  Magnus.  He was a complex character and one I think I most felt empathy for.  Caught between self preservation, and wanting to please his father just enough for him to not think he was weak, but strong enough to feel he has earned his respect (ha!) as rightful heir to the throne, and sorting out his conflicting feelings and issues on the side…his plate was quite full.  But I think he was perhaps the sharpest and most relatable character of the series (so far).  I’m anxious to continue to see his evolvement.

I still despise the ‘villain’, which would ultimately be King Gaius (Magnus’s father).  He was not above sacrificing anyone close to him for his own gain.  His was ruthless with a capital “R”.  His greed for power was his driving force and one that I predict will also be his downfall.  I cannot foresee it going any other way…but the question is…will it be sooner or later?

The ongoing quest for the Kindred by all parties seemed to be the backdrop, and driving force of the story.  It also seemed that magic was finally accepted by all as a true force and not legend.

The players changed, alliances shifted, tactics evolved as each of them inch closer to finding the elusive Kindred…and along with it, the power to achieve each of their lofty goals.

Looking forward to the next installment to see where this all goes…and who will be next on the chopping block.

Goodreads:

The road to power...is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.
Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.
Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.
Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over....

At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand.

When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.