Release Date - March 10, 2015
Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 320 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**
**SPOILERS FOR PERFECT RUIN**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
Danger descends in the second book of The Internment Chronicles, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Chemical Garden trilogy.After the events of Perfect Ruin, I was eager to continue this intriguing series.It was a fast paced, jarring beginning to a series that promises to be filled with surprises. Burning Kingdoms offers up a sequel filled with beautiful, lyrical writing, a strong second novel in a series, and more the characters we came to love.
After escaping Internment, Morgan and her fellow fugitives land on the ground to finally learn about the world beneath their floating island home.
The ground is a strange place where water falls from the sky as snow, and people watch moving pictures and visit speakeasies. A place where families can have as many children as they want, their dead are buried in vast gardens of bodies, and Internment is the feature of an amusement park.
It is also a land at war.
Everyone who fled Internment had their own reasons to escape their corrupt haven, but now they’re caught under the watchful eye of another king who wants to dominate his world. They may have made it to the ground, but have they dragged Internment with them?
The first novel advanced the plot much faster than I anticipated. I did not expect the characters to reach the ground until the last installment of the series. This surprise left me eager to see what Lauren had in store for the plot as it meant it was going in a completely different direction than I anticipated. Burning Kingdoms proved once again that there are plenty of surprises still in store with this series. From it's pacing, setting and twists it moved the plot to places I didn't expect for THIS chapter in Morgan's story. This created a feeling of unexpectedness and an unpreparedness that became a vital part of the tone of the story.
The setting both feels like the 1920's and also something completely different. It's a mix of the scientific and the fantastical that blend together rather well. We learn more secrets about Internment even as we are discovering the secrets of those on the ground. This new setting and the characters we meet provided a fresh feel to the story and adeptly helped avoid the second book slump that can sometimes weigh down a series. This is not a rehash of the events in book one. This opens the world these characters inhabit and with it new connections and stories form.
The 'fish out of water' element to Morgan and the others from Interment was charming at times, and provided some much needed comic relief. This particular element of the story is rather well done, with the contrast and comparisons adding to the story rather than taking it over. The novel balances those funny moments with some truly insightful and beautiful moments. The ache of missing Internment and home is softly felt throughout the pages. The friendship between Morgan and Pen is especially endearing. These two are devoted friends and it feels true and fully realized. Their connection is a strong as any romance and incredibly nuanced.
This novel is a quieter, more pensive novel that the first. The first was all about the allure of the mystery and the quick pacing that offered. This novel feels like a game of chess where all the players are being put into positions and moves are tactically made for what is to come. This style fit the atmosphere of the book with everyone planning, plotting and the war that is ever brewing.
A solid follow up to a wonderful start to a series. Fans of the first novel will eagerly devour this one and (im)patiently wait for the finale. Lauren DeStefano shows, once again, that she is unafraid to make bold choices with her characters. There are casualties in any war, and with that nobody's safety is guaranteed going into the final part of Internment's story.
I really liked the first book, so I'm glad to hear the second was good too! I'll make sure to read it when I get the chance :)
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