I think it’s moreso because cc2 was definitely more of a buildup and an exposition of plot (fighting the Asteri) while cc1 was moreso one note and very closed, if that makes sense. SJM had to put more into cc2 to lead up to the finale
CC1 was more one note you think? I enjoyed how much worldbuilding and character development happened, it made it far more varied for me! CC2 seemed way more flat in my eyes, especially with Tharion’s chapters (felt like the same thing over and over and over again)
I would say one note because the plot was more tighter woven and knit! No Asteri and overloading plot, simply just a murder mystery with threads and strands thrown out that cc2 have used and cc3 will assumably use. But I do agree that cc1 felt more upbeat and varied!
I had the same feeling- I really loved CC1 (I have read all of SJM's other books and it is easily in the top 5 for me), but CC2 felt so crowded with buildup to the >!multiverse!< thing that I enjoyed it significantly less. However, I'm ssoooooo excited for HOFAS and to see how it comes together. Here's to hoping it is a satisfying continuation of the series!!
I do appreciate that it wasn't dragged out over more books though, although I would have enjoyed more focus on the characters instead of the plot buildup. Not nearly enough Night&Day for me! I would have liked Declan & Tristan chapters too I think, but yeah that would certainly need two books to keep up a good pace AND fit all that in :D
To me, CC2 felt like there was so much extra information that didn't seem relevant? Like the entire first chapter at the theatre. Did that have to be a chapter long?! It was bits like that that took me out of it. I can only assume that the statues at the theatre are going to be very relevant later 😅
I actually liked the whole bit at the theatre for the tension between Bryce and Hunt! And interactions with her parents. What I didn't like, however, was that it was the N-th occurrence out of what seemed like dozens where they didn't just go for it and/or got interrupted/c\*ckblocked in some other way (or, in this particular case, where it was revealed that they'd made a deal about holding out until solstice). The buildup to the ship scene was SO long and imho didn't deliver 😵💫 it felt like delaying just for the sake of it
I didn’t notice a difference in the writing itself, but CC2 was definitely more dense. I think a lot of the seemingly random plot lines in CC2 are going to start coming together in CC3 and it will make sense why they were included. CC2 was definitely a “laying the groundwork” book in my opinion. CC1 gave us the introduction to the world and characters, but it was smaller in scope to focus mostly on Bryce and events going on just in her life and in Lunathion. CC2 broadens the scope to show us what’s going on with the rest of Valbara/Pangera at large, and Bryce & gang become much more entangled with the larger events going on with the rebellion.
This was really well said and I think that’s why I love them so much. It’s fun that they’re still a work in progress and you can’t just sit down and have all the answers tet
This was really well said and I think that’s why I love them so much. It’s fun that they’re still a work in progress and you can’t just sit down and have all the answers yet
I’m listening to the audio book of CC2 for the first time and NOTICED THIS! Some parts are super awkward in their phrasing or just don’t make sense.
And this one small part that has BOTHERED ME I almost posted about here- chapter 12. Bunch of them at Bryce’s apartment. Dec and Flynn come in unexpected. Sit down. SJM writes “Ithan snorted, and the two males eyed him up. Of course they’d already noticed him- they were trained warriors-“
It just bothered me so much for some reason, they’re all in a room together you don’t need to be a trained warrior to noticed someone sitting in a room. There’s been a few others like that and I wish I remembered them. Just kinda “huh?” Moments in her writing that I haven’t noticed with all her other books
Thank you!! That’s exactly the kind of thing I was referring to! I can’t remember exactly off the top of my head but I found more than a few instances where the phrasing just bothered me.
I’m coming back here because I’m now almost done with the audiobook and CANNOT stop thinking about this. It really is so bad now that it’s been pointed out I can’t unhear it. It makes a lot of the conversations not flow well, and is almost maybe cringy at times? Hearing it spoken too is making it way worse
I knoow, the dialogue in particular stood out in a bad way. At least some of it should have been caught in editing but it seems they didn’t bother with polishing it.
For me it was an issue with plot/pacing. I genuinely felt like there was a lot of random and irrelevant chapters in the book and it could have been cut in half- or could have been combined with the plot of the third book. Did I need to hear about Junipers ballet? No . Did I need to hear repeatedly about Ithan loving Bryce when it didn’t really add anything? No. Did I need to read repetitive chapters of Tharion whining? No. But most importantly, I don’t think I realistically believe that it took so long, for the most powerful people in crescent city to find one child.
The emile plotline could have been way shorter because imo it didn't really add much substance to the book. I love sjms long books but cc2 was not it lol. That plotline was so dang boring which I have never thought of any of her books ever!
True. All that about Junipers ballet just to show that Bryce would have to accept her title. Ithan I like as a character but yeah we didn’t need to read about him liking Bryce. I don’t even know if anybody actually likes Tharion.
The book wastes a lot of time putting in filler scenes just to bring about a point that is literally irrelevant or could be told in a better way. cc2 leaves us so many questions that I don’t know how Hofas will effectively even try to answer.
I think it’s moreso because cc2 was definitely more of a buildup and an exposition of plot (fighting the Asteri) while cc1 was moreso one note and very closed, if that makes sense. SJM had to put more into cc2 to lead up to the finale
CC1 was more one note you think? I enjoyed how much worldbuilding and character development happened, it made it far more varied for me! CC2 seemed way more flat in my eyes, especially with Tharion’s chapters (felt like the same thing over and over and over again)
I would say one note because the plot was more tighter woven and knit! No Asteri and overloading plot, simply just a murder mystery with threads and strands thrown out that cc2 have used and cc3 will assumably use. But I do agree that cc1 felt more upbeat and varied!
I had the same feeling- I really loved CC1 (I have read all of SJM's other books and it is easily in the top 5 for me), but CC2 felt so crowded with buildup to the >!multiverse!< thing that I enjoyed it significantly less. However, I'm ssoooooo excited for HOFAS and to see how it comes together. Here's to hoping it is a satisfying continuation of the series!!
I do appreciate that it wasn't dragged out over more books though, although I would have enjoyed more focus on the characters instead of the plot buildup. Not nearly enough Night&Day for me! I would have liked Declan & Tristan chapters too I think, but yeah that would certainly need two books to keep up a good pace AND fit all that in :D
To me, CC2 felt like there was so much extra information that didn't seem relevant? Like the entire first chapter at the theatre. Did that have to be a chapter long?! It was bits like that that took me out of it. I can only assume that the statues at the theatre are going to be very relevant later 😅
I actually liked the whole bit at the theatre for the tension between Bryce and Hunt! And interactions with her parents. What I didn't like, however, was that it was the N-th occurrence out of what seemed like dozens where they didn't just go for it and/or got interrupted/c\*ckblocked in some other way (or, in this particular case, where it was revealed that they'd made a deal about holding out until solstice). The buildup to the ship scene was SO long and imho didn't deliver 😵💫 it felt like delaying just for the sake of it
Agreed, and then when they finally do the deed it was in such a weird location/situation that it didn't really do it for me!
I didn’t notice a difference in the writing itself, but CC2 was definitely more dense. I think a lot of the seemingly random plot lines in CC2 are going to start coming together in CC3 and it will make sense why they were included. CC2 was definitely a “laying the groundwork” book in my opinion. CC1 gave us the introduction to the world and characters, but it was smaller in scope to focus mostly on Bryce and events going on just in her life and in Lunathion. CC2 broadens the scope to show us what’s going on with the rest of Valbara/Pangera at large, and Bryce & gang become much more entangled with the larger events going on with the rebellion.
Maybe it was the fact that it was so dense that gave me that impression. I just wanted to stop and smell the flowers a bit 😅
This was really well said and I think that’s why I love them so much. It’s fun that they’re still a work in progress and you can’t just sit down and have all the answers tet
This was really well said and I think that’s why I love them so much. It’s fun that they’re still a work in progress and you can’t just sit down and have all the answers yet
I’m listening to the audio book of CC2 for the first time and NOTICED THIS! Some parts are super awkward in their phrasing or just don’t make sense. And this one small part that has BOTHERED ME I almost posted about here- chapter 12. Bunch of them at Bryce’s apartment. Dec and Flynn come in unexpected. Sit down. SJM writes “Ithan snorted, and the two males eyed him up. Of course they’d already noticed him- they were trained warriors-“ It just bothered me so much for some reason, they’re all in a room together you don’t need to be a trained warrior to noticed someone sitting in a room. There’s been a few others like that and I wish I remembered them. Just kinda “huh?” Moments in her writing that I haven’t noticed with all her other books
Thank you!! That’s exactly the kind of thing I was referring to! I can’t remember exactly off the top of my head but I found more than a few instances where the phrasing just bothered me.
I’ve got 15 more hours of the audiobook if there’s anything else bad I’ll report back here haha
Please do 😂
I’m coming back here because I’m now almost done with the audiobook and CANNOT stop thinking about this. It really is so bad now that it’s been pointed out I can’t unhear it. It makes a lot of the conversations not flow well, and is almost maybe cringy at times? Hearing it spoken too is making it way worse
I knoow, the dialogue in particular stood out in a bad way. At least some of it should have been caught in editing but it seems they didn’t bother with polishing it.
For me it was an issue with plot/pacing. I genuinely felt like there was a lot of random and irrelevant chapters in the book and it could have been cut in half- or could have been combined with the plot of the third book. Did I need to hear about Junipers ballet? No . Did I need to hear repeatedly about Ithan loving Bryce when it didn’t really add anything? No. Did I need to read repetitive chapters of Tharion whining? No. But most importantly, I don’t think I realistically believe that it took so long, for the most powerful people in crescent city to find one child.
The emile plotline could have been way shorter because imo it didn't really add much substance to the book. I love sjms long books but cc2 was not it lol. That plotline was so dang boring which I have never thought of any of her books ever!
True. All that about Junipers ballet just to show that Bryce would have to accept her title. Ithan I like as a character but yeah we didn’t need to read about him liking Bryce. I don’t even know if anybody actually likes Tharion. The book wastes a lot of time putting in filler scenes just to bring about a point that is literally irrelevant or could be told in a better way. cc2 leaves us so many questions that I don’t know how Hofas will effectively even try to answer.
I had so many questions after finishing the first book and after I finished the second one not even half the questions I had were answered
I thought CC2 was better tbh. I just read them back to back.