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A review by freadomlibrary
Skandal by Lindsay Smith
5.0
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Check out my series review here: https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/2016/04/15/series-review-sekret-duology-by-lindsay-smith/
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
exciting, intriguing, suspenseful, full of action and mystery, new setting and new characters, lots of twists and turns, a lot more emotionally deep than the first, really intense
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
historically accurate, elaborate, descriptive, detailed, vivid, poetic, emotional, precise, intense
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
Yulia is still one of my faves but she’s in shaky ground in this book. She’s in a whole new place, with a completely different kind of culture and it’s tough for her to get her bearings. She’s still incredibly brave and determined and powerful. However, she has a lot of doubts about herself and her insecurity shows and we get a glimpse into a more vulnerable part of her life. She’s angry and emotional and scared a bit. I loved her development and really enjoyed the ending.
I wasn’t captivated by the new characters in this series as much as I was in the first book. I liked them but I didn’t find them as intriguing as the group from the first book. They made an appearance and I was blown away by them once again. The romance developed in a very natural way, I loved how it wasn’t just all sunshine and roses. It reflected what was happening in the plot and what the characters had been through, while still tugging at my heart and pushing me to root for them. I feel like it was a great way to end the duology though I want more of the world.
Emotionally
I was anxious to finish this duology because I loved the first book so much and this second book did not disappoint.
The plot is suspenseful. Yulia has traveled somewhere new and she is now a part of the CIA, thanks to the connections her dad has in America. However, she does not recognize him at all, he’s changed completely, and she’s put to work to stop the KGB, the people who held her captive as well as her mother and brother, and end their plans. One of my favorite parts about this book is the world building. We’ve moved from Russia to America, so there’s a little bit more freedom to explore the surroundings. The music, the clothes, the slang terms and the roles in society were all totally on point and amazing. It really helps transport you to a different time. But I feel like that was the part that really caught my attention not the plot. I was intrigued and interested enough but it was a lot slower and a bit less mysterious than the first book. The beginning was interesting but it wasn’t until halfway that I was really snagged into the plot and got me to that edge of my seat feeling. I wish it could’ve been just as exciting as the first book but I also understand why it wasn’t that way. There’s a lot of other factors at play when you are in the US than when in Russia specially at that time in history. The ending was really bittersweet and not really what I was expecting but realistic and actually quite on the hopeful side.
Yulia is all over the place in this book but again it’s understandable. She’s in a new country, new city where things are completely different than where she’s from. She’s reunited with her father after years apart but he’s not how she remembers him and she has no idea why. However, the character traits that I loved about her are still relevant: her tenacity and determination. Her strength is actually quite awe inspiring for me.
Overall, I really need more people to read this duology! I feel like it’s completely underrated. It’s a great representation of historical fiction and I highly, highly recommend it.
Check out my series review here: https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/2016/04/15/series-review-sekret-duology-by-lindsay-smith/
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
exciting, intriguing, suspenseful, full of action and mystery, new setting and new characters, lots of twists and turns, a lot more emotionally deep than the first, really intense
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
historically accurate, elaborate, descriptive, detailed, vivid, poetic, emotional, precise, intense
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
Yulia is still one of my faves but she’s in shaky ground in this book. She’s in a whole new place, with a completely different kind of culture and it’s tough for her to get her bearings. She’s still incredibly brave and determined and powerful. However, she has a lot of doubts about herself and her insecurity shows and we get a glimpse into a more vulnerable part of her life. She’s angry and emotional and scared a bit. I loved her development and really enjoyed the ending.
I wasn’t captivated by the new characters in this series as much as I was in the first book. I liked them but I didn’t find them as intriguing as the group from the first book. They made an appearance and I was blown away by them once again. The romance developed in a very natural way, I loved how it wasn’t just all sunshine and roses. It reflected what was happening in the plot and what the characters had been through, while still tugging at my heart and pushing me to root for them. I feel like it was a great way to end the duology though I want more of the world.
Emotionally
Spoiler
I was so surprised that I enjoyed this duology when I read it. It’s now one of my favorite of all times.I was anxious to finish this duology because I loved the first book so much and this second book did not disappoint.
The plot is suspenseful. Yulia has traveled somewhere new and she is now a part of the CIA, thanks to the connections her dad has in America. However, she does not recognize him at all, he’s changed completely, and she’s put to work to stop the KGB, the people who held her captive as well as her mother and brother, and end their plans. One of my favorite parts about this book is the world building. We’ve moved from Russia to America, so there’s a little bit more freedom to explore the surroundings. The music, the clothes, the slang terms and the roles in society were all totally on point and amazing. It really helps transport you to a different time. But I feel like that was the part that really caught my attention not the plot. I was intrigued and interested enough but it was a lot slower and a bit less mysterious than the first book. The beginning was interesting but it wasn’t until halfway that I was really snagged into the plot and got me to that edge of my seat feeling. I wish it could’ve been just as exciting as the first book but I also understand why it wasn’t that way. There’s a lot of other factors at play when you are in the US than when in Russia specially at that time in history. The ending was really bittersweet and not really what I was expecting but realistic and actually quite on the hopeful side.
Yulia is all over the place in this book but again it’s understandable. She’s in a new country, new city where things are completely different than where she’s from. She’s reunited with her father after years apart but he’s not how she remembers him and she has no idea why. However, the character traits that I loved about her are still relevant: her tenacity and determination. Her strength is actually quite awe inspiring for me.
Overall, I really need more people to read this duology! I feel like it’s completely underrated. It’s a great representation of historical fiction and I highly, highly recommend it.