YA book review: False Covenant (Widdershins Adventures #2) by Ari Marmell
False Covenant (Widdershins Adventures #2) by Ari Marmell
YA fantasy, Hardcover/eBook, 281 pages
Published June 26th 2012 by Pyr (first published June 5th 2012)
The Church is finally lifting its interdictions and the city has begun to recover, but much of the populace-angry at the clergy-has turned away from the Church hierarchy, choosing private worship or small, independent shrines. And the new bishop, concerned for his new position and angry at the people of Davillon, plans to do something about it. Through a combination of trickery and real magic, the bishop fakes the appearance of a supernatural threat, stalking the nighttime streets-something just frightening and just unnatural enough that it should drive the people to turn back to the Church for protection. It's a hoax that might have worked, had it not provided cover for a true creature of the other world to infiltrate the seedier streets of Davillon, to intertwine its tendrils through the lower echelons of society. Davillon faces not only a new political upheaval if the truth comes out, but a true supernatural threat to its citizenry. The local representatives of the Church are paralyzed by infighting and their own complicity. The Guard are in over their heads.
The storytelling doesn't jump back and forth as it did in the first book, it is linear and clearer now, hence my increased love. Davillon is reeling from the murder of the visiting Archbishop and has closed off the town. Widdershins is now running Genevieve's bar when she's not out trying to solve the town's latest predicament. Another creature is lurking in the town, preying on residents, and she has her own terrifying episode with it. Horribly injured, Widdershins awakens to find herself in the care of City Guard Boniard. Their scenes always resonate with me, I laugh, I feel, I enjoy these two. The pacing isn't as quick as the first book and I liked this slower pace. It enabled me to grasp more quicker while painting a complete picture.
Epic. I'm so glad I was able to read both books back-to-back. So much goes on in this second installment and I don't want to share. Widdershin's world turns more complex as more is revealed, a new creature takes center stage, and the Guild sees some changes. Widdershins and Bouniard have some great scenes and I honestly couldn't stop reading no matter what else needed to be done. My mere words do not do this story justice. My copy is filled with Post-It flags, marking the passages I enjoyed (and there are MANY). I laughed, I cried, I forgot the real world and became a citizen of Davillon. Thank you, Ari Marmell, for such an incredible journey and experience. Please hurry up and publish the third Widdershins Advenures, please!
Rating: 5
Cover comment:
Again, is with the first, excellent.
Book source:
Purchased.
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