Our Dark Duet

There was a strange place, between knowing and not knowing. A place where things could live in the back of your head without weighing down on your heart.

Why do you do this to me, Victoria Schwab?

The Writing and Worldbuilding

I loved that we got to see outside of Verity, and I hope that if we ever get more in this world—P L E A S E—that we'll get to see even more.

The plot was awesome, almost better than This Savage Song, and I was totally invested throughout. Unfortunately, the emotional parts just didn't hit me nearly as hard as they did in the first book, though not for lack of trying.

I absolutely loved the addition of the Chaos Eater. It really upped the stakes and expanded the world.

I also loved the little poetic interludes in show more the perspective of the Chaos Eater. Those were super cool and unique.

The Characters

August: It's no surprise that I love August and will always love August. I really appreciated how his character changed and grew in this, becoming more mature, but also more tortured in a non-angsty teen kind of way. Also, I guess he does have a sex drive *wiggles eyebrows up and down and bites lip*

Kate (and sort of Alice): Kate was great in this too, and I loved her arc and final stand with Alice, her Malchai doppelganger, who was an excellent addition.

Sloan: Good ole Sloan, being creepy and obsessive. Honestly, I didn't really care much for him last book, but he really stood out in this one.

Soro: I didn't really care much for them tbh though I appreciated that Sunai can be non-gender-specific.

Conclusion

I seriously loved this, and Schwab has once again cemented herself as my queen and goddess. If you haven't read this one yet, D O I T! show less

I think the accidental two-year gap between reading the first book and the second impacted my rating, because I forgot a lot and didn’t have the momentum of going straight from one climax to the new normal. In other words, if I hadn’t had to reboot myself, this would probably have been an 8 instead of a 7. (Or possibly it’s that I don’t like Schwab’s YA as much as her adult books.)

Schwab’s writing is still strong. She’s done a good job of throwing the reader into the thick of things, introducing new characters and situations right from the start without slowing down (including an agender Sunai!). There’s some expanding on world-building, and things I wish could’ve been dwelled on longer because they were interesting, show more but at the heart of everything, it’s Kate and August and the monsters, as it should be. There’s residual nastiness from the last book, and something of a stalemate, and one of those meditations on moral greyness and impossible situations that Schwab does so well. The new monster is a terrifying addition to the world, omigod.

This is definitely a fitting cap to the duology. Stuff’s revisited and expanded on and called into question in different ways, and the final showdown sure is something. My heart nearly fell out at one point. Maybe two. I would not recommend reading this without having read the first book, and that within recent memory, but yes. Was good. Very Schwab. Not my favourite YA of all time, but those are some tough books to top.

7/10

To bear in mind: Pretty darn violent. Do not expect all major characters to get happy endings. Or every plot thread to be wrapped up. show less

Note: Spoilers for the first book in this duology, This Savage Song

Book Two begins with Kate Harker, now 18, living under a fake name in the capital of the region of Prosperity for the past six months, since leaving August and the region of Verity behind. She has joined a group calling themselves the Wardens, dedicated to chasing monsters. The Wardens aren’t hunters, but “hactivists” who dig through surveillance sites trying to find evidence of monsters. Then Kate goes after them. Of the Wardens, Kate says, “They weren’t Flynn Task Force soldiers. Or coddled Colton kids. They were just - normal. They had lives outside this one. Things to lose.”

She almost thinks of them as friends, although she resists the idea. You can get show more rid of monsters, but you can’t get rid of the burdens relationships impose. She keeps reliving the moment when August went dark, for her: “He sacrificed a part of himself - his humanity, his light, his soul - because of her. She could handle her own blood. She didn’t need anyone else’s on her hands.”

Back in Verity, August, 17, now heads a task force that is in charge of identifying and culling sinners from the refugees who have been streaming into the South ever since Callum Harker, the leader of the North, was killed. (Performing music causes the essence of sinners to rise out of them.) There is also a new Sunai, Soro, who is heartless compared to August. Soro possesses an unshakeable resolve, a belief that the Sunai existed solely to destroy monsters and eliminate the sinners responsible for them. With him there was no waivering, no doubt, and no mercy.

August has now repressed the very large part of him that wants to be human: “August would never be human. He knew that now. It wasn’t about what he was, but why, his purpose, his part. They all had parts to play. And this was his.” He is “aided” in his denial by the voice of Leo, his Sunai brother who seems to live on inside him ever since August killed him. Ilsa, the other Sunai, wants August to keep trying to keep his violence at bay, but she is literally voiceless now after the attack by the Malchai monster Sloan.

Sloan was almost dead - stabbed by Leo in the first book, but he was rescued by another Malchai, Alice. Sloan is now head of the North, with Alice his second. They have a force of “Fangs” working for them. These are humans who swore allegiance to the Malchai, because they “worshipped the monsters like gods, or simply decided they’d rather submit than flee.” Fangs committed most of the daylight crimes, and ushered new monsters into the world with every sin.

The Harker regime thus lives on: Sloan was born of Callum’s crimes and Alice was born of Kate’s. Sloan has the Fangs bring him girls who look like Kate for him to kill and eat. “He didn’t hate Katherine, he simply loved the thought of killing her. And he resented her for taking the one life that should have been his: her father’s.”

Meanwhile, a new sort of monster is born in Prosperity - a “chaos eater.” It turns humans against each other, and then feeds on their violence. Its influence spreads like a virus. After Kate chased it, part of it entered her. Ironically, she is indeed becoming a monster like she always thought she wanted. She is not quite there yet. But the Chaos Eater can see into her head, and she can see into it’s head. And she sees it is heading for Verity.

Kate comes back to Verity to warn August. To her horror, she discovers Alice, who looks and acts like a very twisted version of Kate. She also gets cornered by Soro, who is about to reap her soul when she gets rescued by August. She is taken to the Flynn compound, where she warns them about the new monster.

Kate sees right away the change in August. She asks him, “What happened to the August who wanted to feel human? The one who would rather burn alive than let himself go dark?” August replied: “I’m willing to walk in darkness if it keeps humans in the light.”

Kate snorts and accuses him of parroting Leo, and also of lying to himself.

August explains, “I just got tired of losing. It’s easier this way.” “Of course it’s easier,” said Kate. “That doesn’t mean it’s right.”

August counters:

“I miss it every day, Kate, but there’s not place for that August anymore. …. this world doesn’t need that August. It needs someone else. . . . I can’t protect this world and care about it. That’s the only way to do it. Because it hurts too much. Every day, every loss, it hurts.”

Kate understands. August marvels that Kate saw him, the real him, and stuck by him all the same. They try to kiss, but as they get more passionate, they discover that lovemaking is like music - it causes Kate’s essence to rise out of her, and August almost reaps her by accident. That avenue is therefore not open to them. Nevertheless, as the story comes to a tense denouement, they find another way to be together, one that meets both of their needs in a way they never expected.

Evaluation: This bittersweet saga is full of unusual plot elements that give the reader a great deal to ponder. The author is crazily creative. I would have rated it higher had I not previously read the author’s next, even-better saga, the “Shades of Magic” series.

Note: This is not really a standalone. show less

Schwab is one of the only authors that can make me cry. This sequel to Savage Song never stops. You’re pulled in instantly and the action never stops. August is one of my favorite fictional characters and I loved to see his evolution while figuring out who he is. He breaks my heart and it’s never redundant to read his turmoil.
This whole entire world that this book lives in is incredible. The creatures and ideas are unique and brutal. The formation of our sins can come literally to life and wreck havoc. It’s speaks volumes of consequences for our actions.
I always appreciate Schwabs representation and Soro was a great addition. They were a neutral addition to the Sunai which I loved. I always found it interesting how they all show more interpreted sin differently.
This book is fast paced, action that is fabulously written with no holding back, gut wrenching at times and heartbreaking. show less

I am SO not okay right now. I'm not even close to okay! I just about broke down sobbing in the middle of a crowded theatre today, because someone said something about a solo, and that led my brain to duets, and then my brain went to Our Dark Duet, and I'm not even kidding, there were tears in my eyes, and it took all of my efforts to not break down full out crying. I'm not exaggerating. I don't think I will ever be okay again.

I really wish I could say I was kidding, or at least exaggerating, but I'm really not. It was amazing though. Really, really amazing!

I don't think I'm even semi-capable of writing a coherent review, but I'll give it a go!

- This was dark. I read This Savage Song, and was actually sort of surprised, because I thought show more it would be way darker than it was. Then it turned out to not be that dark... So I assumed this one wouldn't be that dark either. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! This one was a LOT darker.

- I loved the new monsters they brought in! Although the creepy heart eating ones weren't in it that much, they were sort of cool. Also creepy and gross. But cool. I don't at all have questionable tastes in what's cool. Not at all.
And then there was the Chaos Eater. Wow, that thing was creepy! But also really cool. And I mean, it wasn't creepy enough to give me nightmares, so it wasn't that bad. Yeah, no, okay, I just have really questionable tastes in what's cool.

- The characters are SO amazing! I love them all! August is lovely. Except for when he's eating people's souls. But you know, other than that he's lovely. Kate continues to be snarky and badass, and absolutely excellent! Ilsa is so sweet and sad, and she is such a beautiful character! And there's so many more amazing characters, but I currently can't remember any more names, so...

- I love the relationship August has with his family. Henry and Em are such great parents, and Ilsa and him have such a loving relationship. It's amazing! They have their problems of course (Every family does, and I can't imagine the kids being monsters makes anything easy.), and Leo was awful, but... I really felt the family cared about each other, and their relationship was really strong in this book.

- That ending though! It was amazing, and beautiful, but so heartbreaking! I am NEVER going to be okay again!
DO NOT LOOK IN THE SPOILER TAG IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS!!
I mean it. Trust me you do NOT want to read this if you haven't read the book!
OH MY GOSH, I CANNOT BELIEVE SHE KILLED KATE!!! THAT WAS SO AWFUL, AND MEAN, AND VICTORIA SCHWAB IS TERRIBLY MEAN. I am simultaneously furious and sobbing, and also wowed, because that ending was actually really beautiful! Also Ilsa! Ilsa and Kate were my two favourites! AND SHE KILLED BOTH OF THEM!!!! Victoria Schwab I hate you. But also I'm now completely in love, and want to read everything she's ever written!

So that was my rambly all over the place review... This book was so good, but it was also SO painful! I can't decide whether to scream at everyone to read it, or warn everyone to stay away from it. It was so awful, and sososo amazing, and ADKAHJSKDGAKJFHGKHFJGHKFKGF I CAN'T EVEN SORT OUT MY FEELINGS!!! It was truly spectacular though! show less

I mentioned in my previous review that This Savage Song was a creepy fun read and hoped the same for this book too. Ohh was I wrong!!! “Fun” is not the right word to describe this book. It’s deep, dark, violent, monstrous, horrifying and gut wrenching. Mind you, this is not a negative review. The writing is brilliant and I have to give a hats off to the author for this amazingly thought out plot. And the characters are just WOW!!!! No other words that I can think of to describe my feelings towards them.

Kate has fled to Prosperity and become a monster hunter. August has become the leader of the task force and given up his pursuit of trying to live in exchange for the protection of everyone who needs him. And there are new monsters show more in town – Soro is a new Sunai who doesn’t think like August but believes that all sinners deserve their punishment, irrespective of their intent, everything is just black or white; Alice a Malchai is born out of Kate’s sin and is ruthless, baiting and trying to kill August and waiting for the day when she can destroy her maker; and a new shadow monster who feeds on chaos and turns everyone into killing each other. Kate’s encounter with this Chaos Monster forces her to come back to Verity, to August. The book is full of deaths, each side killing the other, monsters and humans fighting each other and themselves and the ultimate fight that everyone is waiting for – Alice vs Kate, August vs Sloan.

I just love Kate and August. She is a warrior through and through and will fight any obstacles to defeat her enemy. August has changed, he is not the shy boy from the first book, he is a leader now, but doesn’t mean he has started to enjoy the reaping. Finally when they both meet, I realized why they should be together. Because he makes Kate think of someone other than herself, and she makes August think of himself rather than all of South City. They bring out the best of each other and I just love the implicit trust and friendship that they share. They are the pillars of this book and the character development through just two books is astounding. The ending is bittersweet, heartbreaking but still hopeful. The monsters still linger, but hopefully they can be defeated. show less

When I first read [b:This Savage Song|23299512|This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)|Victoria Schwab|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1445529989s/23299512.jpg|42855493] I kept wondering how it'd feel like to have your soul reaped by a Sunai, your heart snatched up and eaten by a Malchai or your body devoured by a Corsai
Now I know.

It's exactly how it feels to read the ending of this book.

Victoria Schwab successfully broke my heart, my soul and every limb in my body beyond repair.

I must admit when I started this book, I was going through a horrible reading slump, and by the time I reached 30% of the book I knew that if I forced myself to read any more I'd end up hating this masterpiece, so I put it in the "No I'm not DNFing you, I show more just need some space, I swear we'll get back together soon" shelf.
I'm so glad I did that, because when I picked it up again I dived into it and fell more and more in love with it every time I turned the page.

This book was so beautifully written and so well executed it hurts.

I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this book, every point of view has something interesting in it and I wanted to know everything about everyone.

I loved the idea of the Chaos Eater. It was this terrifying monster that turned humans against each other, yet it was such an interesting thing. I found myself wanting to know more and more about it. Then, the more I knew the more it seemed impossible for them to defeat it.

Which is why the ending made perfect sense...
BUT that doesn't mean it didn't make me weep like a toddler.

So to sum it up, this book was an amazing piece of art that broke me to pieces then left me without picking me back up. It's definitely on my top ten most heartbreaking endings
If you haven't read this book I highly recommend it. show less