The Infinite by Lori M. Lee
Skyscape
Book Two in the Gates of Thread and Stone series
YA, Fantasy
Published March 10, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Why I picked up this book:
I really enjoyed the first one, and I love the cover.
Blurb:
The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.
Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.
To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.
In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.
My thoughts:
When I finished reading Gates of Thread and Stone, I had so many questions. The Infinite addresses some of those questions, raises a few new ones, and generally satisfied my desire for solid fantasy. I would definitely recommend reading Gates first rather than The Infinite as a standalone. I think it's possible to read it by itself, but that the emotional weight of the relationships will be much reduced.
I continue to enjoy Kai's voice quite a bit. I like after being hyper-focused in the first book on rescuing her 'brother' Reev, that she's a little bit lost in The Infinite. Between trying to figure out what kind of relationship she can form with the new Avan, feeling a bit of distance between herself and Reev because she's matured so much in his absence, and then being sent off on this sudden diplomatic adventure, Kai has a lot on her plate.
Really, the only problem I had with The Infinite is that I didn't feel that there was a particularly good reason to make Kai the ambassador, as it were, to a foreign land. Though she may have some pretty spectacular lineage, I don't think that in and of itself qualified her for any kind of diplomatic or investigative work. And she certainly hasn't had an upbringing that suggests she'd excel in the field - yes, she's tough and determined.
There are some great twists and turns in this book, and I loved the way it all came together. I wanted to hug Kai several times because, damn, her life gets rough!
On the romantic front, I loved how the novel handles Mason. Though I'm not a fan of the typical YA love triangle, I think that the treatment of it in this book is very mature (and really, kind of not love triangle-y). I think Mason's a sweetheart, and is pretty darned insightful. I want good things for him. Also, I want to see Reev gobsmacked by love. Truly, I just want all these characters who have been put through the wringer to end up ridiculously happy. I know the novel's a success because I *care* about their fates!
Loved the way the book ends, and I really want a third in the series *now.* I was spoiled by being able to read the first two back-to-back.
Bottom line:
Definitely pick up The Infinite, but also get Gates of Thread and Stone because if you don't read them together, you're doing yourself a disservice.
5 stars
For fans of fantasy, heartbreak, tough women
But don't just take my word for it! I grabbed a few links to other blog reviews of The Infinite:
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