[php] [/php]

Exile by Shannon Messenger

Fantasy. 576 Pages. 5 Stars

13260670

Synopsis:

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny–the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities–her life finally seems to be coming together.

But Sophie’s kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group, she’s forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.

As long buried secrets rise to the surface, it’s once again up to Sophie to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.

In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.

My Review:

I seriously waited far too long to pick this sequel up. I almost wish I’d reread book one. There were a few things I wish I’d remembered from the first book, things I could tell were important, but that I just simply couldn’t recall. (Good thing I have a rockstar fangirl best friend! Catherine <3) But despite the tickling feeling that I should better understand a few things, I truly, very much enjoyed this sequel and am ready to tackle the rest of the series!

The plot was engaging, clearly. I love how Messenger demands your attention with the preface, then jerks you back a step and makes you wait. But at the same time, I get so lost in the story that leads up to the hook that I completely forget about the hook until it becomes relevant again. It’s a really neat trick, I think. Also, I really love how she plants things throughout the story that all come together just perfectly in the end. I mean, it’s scary how some of the puzzle pieces fit together so smoothly. That takes a lot of hard work and I admire that skill both as a reader and as a writer. The book’s a big, fat, honkin’ read, and I loved every page of it. Not once did I want to put the book down because I was tired of it. The plot is complex and intriguing and Messenger dangles just enough treat in front of your face to draw you deeper into her snare.

This whole world that Messenger has set up is really very neat. It’s intriguing to see more of it–especially more races; I hope we get more of those later on! It kinda blows my mind a little how easily she portrays this culture as the normal one and Sophie’s (aka human culture) as the abnormal. You get sucked into this Elvin world and their rules and regulations and laws and nature and then when something tickles you like it isn’t right you realize that all of the sudden it’s a contrast between worlds and you’ve just been acting like you weren’t human for the last who-knows-how-many hours. I liked the glimpse into Exile and the Wandering Woods. I feel like there’s so much more to this world than I can know right now and I’m excited to explore it further. It’s rounded out really well with subcultures and promises of more settings to come.

Everyone knows how I love characters! Well, this story had a lot more Keefe! I was glad to get to know him more–and actually a little surprised we saw so little of Fitz and some of the other characters who seemed so central in book 1. That said, it was cool to see him shine. Plus, we got some new characters and some deeper looks into a few older ones that expanded our cast. Fitz made my heart hurt a little in this one, and while I understood it completely, I’m curious to see if it will truly be brushed aside so easily as it appears to have been. I mean, he spent pretty much the whole book off screen in a place that changes people and relationships in real life. I love Fitz. I’m still cheering for him, but there has to be some lasting affects from that. *wince* Oh, guys, I can’t wait to get to know more about Jolie! I know there’s more to tell! And Vertina! I’m willing to bet she’s more important that we give her credit for. Also, I have this super crazy theory, but…I’ll keep that to myself for now.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read, an epic fantasy world with lots of fun plot threads tangled up that I can’t wait to follow! The book was clean and I’d easily recommend it to middle schoolers. No romance, no foul language, and very little graphic violence (a few cuts and gashes here and there). There are some thematic elements to consider such as emotional trauma due to guilt, fitting in, self-worth, psychological trauma from being kidnapped and drugged in the previous book, etc. But, again, it’s all very well-handled and I would think age-appropriate so long as you were aware of the themes. Could be a great discussion starter.

More:

Book 1 in the Keeper of the Lost Cities is Keeper of the Lost Cities (5 Stars)

Book 3 is Everblaze (5 Stars)

Book 4 is Neverseen (5 Stars)

Book 5 is Lodestar (5 Stars)

Book 6 is Nightfall (5 Stars)

Book 7 is Flashback

Book 8 is Legacy

Book 8.5 is Unlocked

Click the links above for more information on the books. I’m reading through the series now as I get them in from my library, so you can scroll down and see my reviews for the ones I’ve rated.

This series must be read in order.

On GraceBought

If you missed it, check out my thoughts on the previous book below! And stay tuned next week for my thoughts on the next book in the series 🙂

Keeper of the Lost Cities