Gemina ~ Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (The Illuminae Files #2)

★★★★☆

Patience and Silence had one beautiful daughter. And her name was Vengeance.

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I have to admit that I wasn't nearly as into this one than I was with Illuminae. It just didn't click as much, and I found much of the conflict to be convoluted and too conveniently resolved, which makes for crappy tension. I didn't even feel any kind of connection to the main characters until around halfway through, and this book is long. Most of the issue was the sheer obnoxious similarities between Kady Grant and Hanna Donnelly (that are even referenced in-universe, they are so prevalent)--and unfortunately, it took a great deal of murder and sadness to make me like Kady, and nothing on that scale happens to Hanna ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Most of the emotions I felt were more for the shock-value of the situations, not necessarily because I had grown attached to specific characters. After a while, the plot armor was obvious. The only character I found myself genuinely liking was Niklas Malikov, and that's mostly just because he's a riot.

there's this moment

this tiny moment

in between the time you decide to pull a trigger and the time the death arrives

there's just you and it and everything you're about to take away

it's too big. it goes on forever

Another issue I have with this that in retrospect is also a problem with Illuminae is the narrative style. It is wonderful, beautiful and lyrical, but it isn't diverse, and given the nature of the format, that is a problem. I doubt every single person is nearly as good of a writer as they are portrayed to be. It makes the presence of the authors stand out, which in makes me remember I'm reading a book; in other words, it takes me out of the story.

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But! AIDAN came to the rescue and saved this book for me! As usual, his computer charm and slightly poetic ramblings warmed my soul! I would read AIDAN narrate someone going to the store and I would love it.

Overall, this was fun and thrilling but ultimately does not compare to the first book. Perhaps in another universe,Illuminae is less astounding and this book is better in comparison. But alas, this is the universe we live in.