"The heaven grant us only one life, but through books, we life a thousand."
— Chronicler Aurelius —

 Man... i'm fangirling over this book author. Jay Kristoff is just a sweet guy, too sweet for such a famous author. Why you asked? Because he replied (even shout out my stories in IG) my Dms. Literally all of them! Always got the last word. Anyway...Hello everyone! Welcome to another book review. This time, i would say, the one that i'm so proud of myself to finishing it with joy and fullness.

This is the second book of Nevernight Chronicle, i would like to add this one in outshine the previous series, but since the first book didn't disappoint me, i can't count this one into the series, so i made normal book review instead. But no worries, this one would be special! Just like the author himself got special space in my heart (yes, fangirling mode right now, got a problem?) so without further ado, let's dive in!

A Quick Flashback

In the Republic of Itreya, with the three suns rotating around it, there's literally no night each night, which they call it as nevernight, people sleeping in bright day light in they "night" time. The true night only happens once in every two and a half of year (approximately) which they call it truedark. The reason behind is because the god of suns, Aa banished his wife Niah (the goddess of Night) because he surely told her not to born a son who could become his competitor. Niah did it anyway so Aa banished her.

Our main character in other hand, born as a marrowborn (some kind of elite people in this social status society thingy), a daughter of Darius Covere the former Justicus of Illuminati Legion (we can call it as the leader of army in the republic) and his wife Alinne Covere. But turns out her father is the Kingmaker (that failed) against Julius Scaeva the thrice elected consul of Itreya. Failed leading rebellion, he got hanged, and all people hate him calling him (and his family, including Mia) as the traitor. 

In order to avenge her family, Mia decided to join the most dangerous cult, who worship Niah the Goddess of Night and blessed murder. But her journey to become the blade (the chosen among all the new members) is not easy, included in so much dangerous and deadly tests. She made it to best four though (which is the number of Blade that will be served to the church), but failed the last mission. Going back to Godsgrave with her Shahiid, Mercurio, discovered the answer of all the weird stuff that happened to her, going back to the red church to discover the betrayal by her friend Ashlinn who bring Julius Remus and his army to destroy the Red Church. 

Become the one who saved Red Church and its Shahiids included, she got blessed by Cassius (another darkin like her, also the Lord of Blades in the Red Church) to become the blade before his dead in that fight against Remus. Wow that's a long "quick flashback", sorry guys. Just click the picture below for more details.

 Synopsis

Become the official Blade for Red Church, Mia is going to every mission that she got, but also trying to reach her goal to kill Duomo and Scaeva (seriously, click that picture above for more details if you don't know who the heck are they) but Solis (The shahiid of Songs, which now become Revered Father after Cassius died) and some other member of Red Church of course didn't approve her as the blade, but accept it anyway. 

Mia goes to do her job as the Blade, killing people that the Red Church's patron asked to. But apparently her goal killing Scaeva is forbidden by the red church, and asked her to do another job instead, to get a map written in Ashkahi from a dona and kill that dona along. That mission lead her to meet again with Ashlin the traitor of Red Church but with that meeting she discovered another conspiracy behind why Ashlin did what she did. And yet again, Mia going to another secret mission to reveal the truth about Red Church, finding her true identity as a darkin and also do her revenge along with it.

"Some answers are learned. But the important ones are earned."

My Review

As always like the book before, this one set back and fort from past and present time for the story, somehow i feel the urge to finish each flash back fast so i just can go with the whole present time since it's sooo good! Got to be honest i felt a bit annoyed with this back and fort plot at some point, but i don't hate it, but still we can complain it a bit can't we?

She was planning to be the Gladiatii for Leonides so her odd to be in Venatus Magni the greatest game in the republic which Duomo and Scaeva will attend it together, specially Duomo dressing as beggar (as the story about god Aa give a freedom for the slave while he disguise as a beggar) with no Trinity around his neck (the one that can scared Mia's shadows and weaken Mia also as a darkin) so she can kill them both in one place but she got purchased by his daughter instead, of course, nothing is easy when it comes for Mia Covere.

I would say, again, how much i love the story, specially with this new shadow added in Mia's shadow, the Eclipse, the Shadowwolf that used to be Cassius' shadow. She always bickering with Mr Kindly that made me smile every time they appear, which i would say become a bit rare in this book since they always sent to do other things left Mia alone dealing her life as gladiatii herself.

“ . . . stop, you’re frightening me . . .”
“ . . . I THINK YOU TOO STUPID TO BE FRIGHTENED OF ME, LITTLE MOGGY. BUT ONE TURN, I SHALL TEACH YOU THERE IS A PRICE FOR OWNING TOO MUCH MOUTH AND NOT ENOUGH TEETH . . .”
“ . . . tell me, dear mongrel, do you practice these blunt little threats when you’re alone, or do you simply improvise . . . ?”
— Mr. Kindly and Eclipse —

They are just literally cat and dog in here. But look at how funny their nickname there. I think their bickering is a fun rest for the whole dark things that happening in the book. It's obvious that there are so much happening in the book, which always took me by surprise every time the plot twist happened. I mean, i know some of it, i expected things would be happened (i count myself as good at anticipate for the mystery to be solved way ahead before it revealed) but Jay kristoff is just super smart! A lot things happened in same time, you just can't really keep up with every single thing!

Okay, let me spill it a bit to you. Things to discovered, how Red Church operate, who's behind them, why Mia is a darkin? what is darkin anyway? and why this new darkin she met just different? he didn't have the passenger like Mia has Mr Kindly and Eclispse. Why Leona the daugther of Leonides hates her father? Why meeting with another darkin made her feel the want? also why Ashliin also made her feels a lot when she met her? What is this map anyway? People keep saying that Mia's parents are real traitor and deserve that hanging and dead, why? and lots more. Some of those questions above are answered in this book but some are not.

“The greatest gulf between people is always pride, little Crow.”
— Sidonius —

My Rating

I gave this one Uh-yeah! close to Woot woot (go to my rating system in case you're new here) to me, but since i still read it slower than i expected and still find that back and fort plot annoying, so i will stick with uh Yeah for this one. But yes i also keep myself for finishing the book fast and the few chapter left because i'm just not ready to say goodbye to this one, i got lots of favorite quote in this book too. 

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