Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity, 2)

"the whole citya book ofmatchesjust waitingto be struck"3.5 STARSTW: death (including death of a loved one), gore, suicide, violence (including gun violence), smokingThe first word that comes to mind thinking about Our Dark Duet is "devastating." At the Columbus stop of her tour for The Near Witch, V mentioned that her editor wanted the ending to be just that: devastating, or else it wouldn't pay off, wouldn't work.And I think she pulled it off.Funny to say that, looking at the rating. 3.5 isn't bad at all, but anything around a middling range rating is such a weird review to write. What it comes down to this time, though, is that the first half of the book was disappointing, and the second half amped up in time to require a road map for navigating the emotional damage it left in its wake. Devastating is an excellent word for it, truly.But I'll get that first half out of the way first. What it boils down to here is that ODD is set six months after the end of TSS, and August and Kate have gone their separate ways. That alone is what brought the first half down for me, because the thing I took the greatest joy in was their interactions, the way they were shaping themselves into something new around one another. I loved that they liked to tease and joke together, and that there wasn't a romance between them. I love that they each saw what the other wanted, and they each wanted the other to stay safe in getting it. TSS was a hit for me because of these two, and seeing them fall into their old ways while apart made the first half drag.The second half, though, while lacking a little in plot (I just found it a bit rushed and loose, crammed into the duology and fleshed out a little too late), returned to the character-focused style of the first book. We get to see more of Kate and August questioning their choices, and making new ones with consequences beyond just their own lives. The stakes raise higher and higher in the later part of ODD, and the losses are enormous. To be expected, honestly, since it's a miracle that anyone survives in a city where ravenous monsters prowl every corner, and protection is bought rather than freely given.And the tension of parallels returned, too! That was what most interested me. A new monster reared its head, opposite in so many ways to August and his Sunai brethren, terrifying as a result. It was almost everything Kate once teetered on the edge of trying to become, an equally unsettling prospect, and it was certainly a question given shape: who are the real monsters after all?And in addition to the monster, we see August revisit the figures that have shaped him, as well as ones he wanted to avoid being shaped by. And we see Kate confront the darkest parts of herself given form. It's a story about mirrors, in a sense, about reflection, and about how to deal with the parts of our reflections that disgust us or make us afraid.On top of this wonderful return to questions of character, V did two more things that I really loved. For starters, there were snippets of verse, artfully placed within the novel. Turns out she has a poetry background, and she's put it to work well here, giving beautiful form to the words of a monstrous thing, another glorious tension.She's also included queer characters in this book! Less than ten pages in, we learn a side character is queer (he has a boyfriend, and yes, they both survive), and later on, a prominent nonbinary character comes into play, taking their place as a relatively key secondary character whom I would ABSOLUTELY read more about, since they have some growing to do yet that would be fascinating to see. It's a grim world, but it's nice to see queer characters carving out their mark all the same. I certainly wish they were more central, sure, but it's nice to have them (and to have them alive and with agency) all the same.Overall, Our Dark Duet was fantastic. It truly was. It just took a little too long to get to that point, to reach the conclusion it was turning toward, and that caused me enough frustration to lower the rating, as did a couple of loose ends (I have my theories about where the monster originated, for one, but it's not really even hinted at, which I think could have been a powerful hint, one that created closure). But on the whole, it was worth the read, and the heartache that it became. I'd absolutely read it again, even if the first half is slower than I'd like. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Rating: 4.5/5 StarsTitle: Our Dark DuetAuthor: Victoria SchwabSynopsis:Kate Harker is a girl who isn’t afraid of the dark. She’s a girl who hunts monsters. And she’s good at it. August Flynn is a monster who can never be human. No matter how much he once yearned for it. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.Nearly six months after Kate and August were first thrown together, the war between the monsters and the humans is a terrifying reality. In Verity, August has become the leader he never wished to be, and in Prosperity, Kate has become the ruthless hunter she knew she could be. When a new monster emerges from the shadows—one who feeds on chaos and brings out its victim’s inner demons—it lures Kate home, where she finds more than she bargained for. She’ll face a monster she thought she killed, a boy she thought she knew, and a demon all her own.Initial thoughts:After reading the first book in this series, I hurried and picked up a copy of the second book. I was really excited to see how Verity was going to hold up after everything that had happened and the cliffhanger that was left at the end of book 1. I was also very excited to see how the characters had changed after six months. The cover of the book is stunning (I love both the US and UK versions so of course I had to get a copy of both). Again this series really pulled me because of the author as well as the concept and now the concept had changed to the monsters within our own heads and I loved the change.Plot:What I liked:The characters were really dynamic and there was a lot of action throughout the entire book. I really liked how every time the new monster (the Chaos Eater) came into play, the style of writing changed to that of a free verse poem. The execution of the work was well played and worked hand in hand with what we had learned in the previous book. I still love the dynamic between Kate and August, and the questions that came along with them. The instruments were weapons and that was so cool, but it made me wonder how much more difficult it would be to actually play them after battling monsters all day.What I didn't like:Something that I wish Victoria would have done with this book was explain more about the actual phenomena that caused monsters to be created in Verity and not in other regions of the world. I also found myself rereading the same phrases over and over again. I feel like this was done for a stylistic effect, but it still had me feeling as though I had read the lines more than once.Characters:Kate Harker: Still a kick butt girl who has a very strong will and was able to fight back against her own human urges to keep moving.August Flynn: This kid needed a break, but never wanted to take one. He was very conflicted through the entire book until Kate showed up.Ilsa Flynn: I love her to death and I just wanted to see her happy throughout the entire book after everything that happened from the last book.Soro Flynn: They made me want to cosplay them so badly. Seriously I am getting my flute together and I am going to do this. But in all seriousness, I really enjoyed Soro’s character. They were a lot like Leo, but they were more willing to listen and work with others.Alpha Team: Even after being pushed away by August they were very supportive and a good team.Alice: I loved her. She was a fantastic villain and I thought it was interesting in the way that she worked a lot like Kate, but wasn’t her at the same time.Sloan: Still thought he was very cunning and calculating much like in the first book. I loved being able to read things more from his POV.Overall:I would highly recommend this series to just about everyone who is over the age of 15. It is a little darker for younger audiences and has its fair share of violence and gore in it. I did lower my rating on this book though due to the fact that there were some plot holes from both books that hadn’t been addressed, but if Victoria ever wanted to write a third book for this series focusing on my two favorite Sunai I wouldn’t complain at all.

🖤 Monsters🎻 Music🧡 Fast Paced Plot💔 Broken Boys🔪 Violent GirlsThis series screams for an adaptation. Something about it flows the way a TV show and I think I'd prefer to see it that way. Book wise, this one fell a little flat for me. Out of nowhere we came to the end of Kate and August and I didn't have as emotional of a tie to them by then.It's worth a read if you love the first book. Also worth a read if you just need to read a quick/fun book.

VE Schwabb has become one of my top 5 authors in an incredibly short time. I cannot recommend her books enough. For that reason, once I had made my way through her adult-leaning catalogue, I wanted to check out her YA novels.The story of this duet of novels is both curious and compelling; the characters that get a lot of focus are very well fleshed out, and have nuance. My main disappointment comes from the fact that I know how much better VE Schwabb's writing is, than what is provided here.One of the first things I know will turn off experienced slush-pile readers is describing the character through a convenient reflection, as they assess themselves in the mirror. These novels are full of tropes like that, that I *know* are not used in her adult works. For that reason, I cannot recommend these books, because I have always firmly believes that just because a book is aimed at younger readers, it shouldn't be of lower quality.VE Shwabb is truly exceptional; a defining voice in the genre.These books are not that. They're great, don't get me wrong; I enjoyed them thoroughly - but if you're going to be introduced to Schwabb's work? Wait. Read the [Shades of Magic] series, or [The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue]. I promise you won't regret it.

I've never been one for duologies. Two books in a series just sounds weird to me plus there is never enough in two books. I always need more. Three is a much better number...a trilogy. I was surprised when I heard that Monster's of Verity was only going to be two books. For me, a fantasy world this amazing deserved a trilogy and I was really worried that I was going to get to the end feeling very unsatisfied.Well, I can happily say that I was wrong!"I know it hurts," she said. "So make it worth the pain."Kate and August have got to be one of my favourite set of characters in YA. Mostly because they don't follow the typical arc that most other YA fantasy characters do. There is this wonderful kind of tension between the two of them and there's always that "will they? wont they?" in regards to a potential romance between them. At the end of my review for This Savage Song I mentioned that I didn't mind which way it went and felt the same in this book but still found myself waiting for it. Did it eventually happen? I'm not going to tell you, but the way that it did end between them was just PERFECT!"Every weakness is a place to slide a knife."The book picks up 6 months after the events of TSS. We find August in Verity reaping the souls of anyone who has committed a violent act, meanwhile Kate is in Prosperity kicking ass and killing monsters. But August is struggling between his duty and what he believes is the right thing to do and Kate is battling the monsters not just in the world but the ones in her head too.Schwab's world of monsters was just as awe inspiring as it had been in TSS and I couldn't get enough of all the little details we were gifted about the history and mythology of both the world and it's monsters. We get some interesting new characters in this book, Soro especially is one to check out, and the story is told from multiple POVs which gives us a full view of all sides of the war. Schwab controls the flow of the boo perfectly and we get this delicious build up through the first half of the book and then the story just explodes into a fast paced, action filled dramatic conclusion that left me breathless and just about destroyed me!"I’m willing to walk in darkness if it keeps humans in the light."I was lucky enough to be at YALC when I finished reading this book and so actually got to speak to Schwab the following day whilst still in maybe hangover mode. I had big thoughts about the way Schwab had ended the book and it was so cool to be able to discuss all my thoughts and feelings about it with the author rather than my usual rambling word vomit style phone call with my bookish friends."There were two kinds of monsters, the kind that hunted the streets and the kind that lived in your head. She could fight the first, but the second was more dangerous. It was always, always, always a step ahead."One thing I especially loved (and we chatted about) was that this book only gives us a small glimpse into this world and the war that is taking place. It's so typical nowadays for book like this to have a conclusion; they win the war/loose the war, they all live happily ever after/they all die. Look at the Hunger Games, Divergent, the Lunar Chronicles. They all end with the war ending. But we don't get that this one. This book is about one battle that takes place in the middle of a war and when we get to the end of that battle the characters remaining have to continue to fight. And that's what I loved. That feeling that even though the series is over, the characters story goes on. How cool is that!"People were messy. They were defined not only by what they'd done, but by what they would have done, under different circumstances, molded as much by their regrets as their actions, choices they stood by and those they wished they could undo. Of course, there was no going back - time only moved forward - but people could change.For worse. And for better."

I was excited to get back to world of August and Kate. It was more the writing style I was excited about, I can remember loving the first book because of it and this one has been no different.(Side note: Please could authors consider doing a ‘previously in…..’ feature like they do with TV shows???)I’m going to start with the end. At 85% I thought to myself that there was too much left to happen, that there was going to be unanswered questions. At 90% I wasn’t sure how the book was going to end. At 95%? That last 5% was the most tense ending of a book I have read in a long, long time. I’m heartbroken, I’m in shock, I’m just… Psht. I’m not even going to find the word for it. It’s such a shame that there isn’t a third book. Not that I know how the author can follow on from this masterpiece.I love Kate and August as characters. There is no romance (well barely), there is just respect, admiration, and a level of trust. The chemistry between them is real and it makes a change that there is no romantic connection between them.Now back to the beginning. I thought this book was going to drag but it actually didn’t. The chapters were a decent length, there was no unnecessary filling to them. They were direct, straight to the point and didn’t leave anything out. I liked the constant switching between August, Kate and Sloan.The section where Kate wasn’t in Verity actually worked well for me. I was intrigued by The Wardens and would love more on them, especially after everything that happens in Verity. Do they find out who Kate was? Do they meet August? Do they venture to Verity?? Questions after questions!!!Overall, this book was spectacular. I’m definitely on the path of looking for more books by the author, I know that they are out there. 5 humongous stars.

Ah this story has been something else. An incredible, white knuckle ride of feelings and emotions that I wasn't prepared to feel so intensely. I wasn't prepared to love this story as hard as I did and now as I disembark from this crazy ride, I'm left wondering where the heck I go from here?!Our Dark Duet takes place a number of months after This Savage Song and things have changed alot.V.E Schwab is a truly amazing writer, getting under your skin and sucking you into her words - no song needed here!Secretly I was hoping for a bit of romance and although there was the tiniest little hint to something more, it wasn't meant to be.In fact my poor heart was broken, shattered into a million tiny pieces. This author really knows how to play with the readers emotions. My were all over the place trying to anticipate the author's next move but she was always one step ahead. She's probably an evil genius really. It certainly felt like it at times.So sad that there is only 2 books to this series and both of those books are now over and I am left to pick up those pieces of my broken heart.If you have already read This Savage Song, one click Our Dark Duet immediately. You are going to want to dive in immediately and if you haven't started this duet yet......WHHAAATT? Do it now, you are seriously missing out.

Oh. My. Life. How did I wait months to read this?! Our Dark Duet is the second (and final) book in the Monsters of Verity duology and it was a brilliant finale to a brilliant series. I can't wait to read more of Victoria' Schwab's work because this was just fantastic!THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.KATE HARKER isn't afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she's good at it.AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.THE WAR HAS BEGUN.THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims' inner demons.Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face or the monsters within?I'm guessing that if you're reading this review, you've read the perfection that is This Savage Song. It pains me so much to say this but honestly? I don't think Our Dark Duet was as good as the first one, but it was still good enough to earn five stars so it's all good! Don't come at me with your pitchforks! Our Dark Duet had more badass fighting from Kate which made me so proud because she just wanted to make her city a safe place. We were also introduced to a new monster that's like a shadow, but when it feeds on chaos, it starts to become more and more solid. This new monster is scary. I know that the Malachai are vicious and bloodthirsty, but this new monster is pure fear. I was scared of it just by reading about it.“People were messy. They were defined not only by what they'd done, but by what they would have done, under different circumstances, moulded as much by their regrets as their actions, choices they stood by and those they wished they could undo. Of course, there was no going back - time only moved forward - but people could change.For worse.And for better.It wasn't easy. The world was complicated. Life was hard. And so often, living hurt.So make it worth the pain.”― Victoria Schwab, Our Dark DuetThe let down of this book? Again, it absolutely kills me to say this... August. I love him. I really do. He was amazing and my little smol bean in the first book, but in Our Dark Duet, I didn't even recognise him. He could have been a completely different character. If was hard-faced and NOTHING LIKE OUR AUGUST AT ALL... You saw glimpses of him now and then again (mainly towards the end), but it just wasn't enough. Even Kate was getting angry, yelling at him for being so blank about everything. GO KATE!I can't talk about this book without mentioning how amazing V.E Schwab's writing style is. She's got it bang on. Every word just flowed into the other with perfection and I was hooked... I couldn't bring myself to stop reading so I ended up reading it in a couple of hours. I was absolutely addicted to the writing, the description, the dialogue, the poetry... Everything.AND THAT ENDING! <---- that's all I can say about the ending because of spoilers, but just know that it was worth putting it at the end in capital letters because OH MY GOD!Overall, this was a brilliant finale to the Monsters of Verity duology, and I would happily read the series over and over and over again. Even though the character of August slightly let this book down for me, it was still an amazing read and has a storyline that I will never forget.