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In this second book, the
intricacies of the bonded world become more transparent. Oli's connection with
her bonds is gradually becoming clearer, though she still carries the burden of
believing she's leading them towards their demise. At times, she even vocalizes
these fears to some of her bonds, with Gryphon showing understanding and a
commitment to uncovering her hidden secrets. Throughout the story, the author
skillfully hints at Oleander harboring a significant secret, possibly related
to the Resistance—a rebellious group opposing the bonded community.
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| Oleander Fallows |
Gabe and Atlas have evolved into close friends of Oli, and in this book, she begins to let her guard down. Her training progresses, and her overall well-being improves due to her proximity to her bonds. However, there are instances when her bond behaves erratically due to jealousy and some other reasons, leading all of them to find a unique solution: Oli sleeps with one person (literal sleep) at a time to calm her bond and prevent it from harming others.
The powers of Nox and North
become more defined in this book, involving shadowy forms resembling both cute
and ferocious dogs, as well as darkness manipulation that can kill the brains of
people with a mere touch. Oleander's powers become more apparent as it was
mentioned two times that she is a soul Render capable of snuffing out
souls of people without physical contact killing them on the spot..
Oli's best friend, Sage, gets caught in a mysterious situation, prompting the group to suspect that the resistance is interfering with bonded groups, rendering them powerless and emotionally unstable.
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Oli and Gryphon | Artwork by giulia_fw.arts |
Notably, Oleander bonds with Gryphon, who is on the
book cover which means in every book she is going to bond with the person on
the cover of the group. “That scene” was okay to some extent but the tension between
all of them after that was quite funny. Some bonds become caring towards her,
some got jealous (I think Nox's behavior means he was jealous) and some
got awkward.
The book's ending is rather abrupt, leaving me curious and eager for the next book—a very strategic move to keep us readers engaged.
Things that were annoying in this book:
Firstly, Oli's frequent
threat of killing others, even in serious situations, starts off amusing but
eventually becomes somewhat grating. Her relentless confidence and declarations
of power come across as cheesy and quite annoying.
Secondly, it's somewhat frustrating how every female character seems irresistibly drawn to her bonds. While some variation is expected for the sake of the story, it would be more empowering to showcase diverse character dynamics.
Lastly, Oli's shift from initially fearing her powers to using them recklessly and overconfidently is a bit unsettling. She was afraid to be a murderer in the first book which was later revealed that she was one, and she considered herself a monster and stuff. It was hard keeping up with that girl. All of this makes her character look irritating and foolish, and I'm at a loss for words. I'm even perplexed.
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