Title: THE THIRTEENTH WORLD
Author: A.N. WillisSeries: The Corridor #2
Publisher: Alloy Entertainment
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Rating: 3.5-4/5 stars.
Summary:
Time is running out for Stel Alaster. The Corridor, the only portal between First and Second Earth, is failing and the barriers between all twelve worlds are thinning. Using her unique ability to travel through the multiverse, Stel sets out to save the Corridor . . . and ends up discovering a mysterious new world.
In the sequel to The Corridor, will the thirteenth world hold the key to the Corridor’s secrets? Or will the portal implode and take every last universe down with it?
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This one left me a tad conflicted. I enjoyed that there was more action in it than in the first novel, but I felt like there was something missing. And after careful consideration (aka thinking it over for a couple hours while driving), I have finally realized what it is: there was no dealing with the fallout.
Stel is imprisoned and tortured for weeks and when she finally escapes, she doesn't really show any signs of wear and tear -- except that she can't access her portal. Yes she pushes people away (Cohl especially) but then quickly comes back around. And her and Cohl argue and "break up" because they live on opposite worlds, but then he says "nah it's chill I'll follow you wherever you go" but ?? that doesn't really solve anything. It just seemed like all the characters got to take an easy way out to be able to get their happy ending. I'm not sure that I wanted that. I wanted there to be more fallout, more struggle, more SOMETHING other than more Cohl and Stel making moon eyes at one another and doing whatever they wanted with no consequences.
I also thought the whole Corridor problem wrapped up a bit too nicely. I want to know more about Ethan and the Wanderers and everything else that was just briefly touched upon, but by the Epilogue, I'm assuming that was it. And I feel unsatisfied.
But I did like Stel taking charge even if she made a lot of stupid decisions. And I did like that she figured out a way to solve the problem without relying on someone else. I thought that the conclusion was well done and this book was better than the first. I just thought there was too much neatly wrapped packages for me to rate this one any higher than a four. I would definitely suggest reading this series because it is something different and unique and I enjoyed reading it. But this sequel (conclusion?) left a bit much to be desired. I wanted something more for Stel because she deserved more. And I felt like she didn't get that.
I hate it when books feel too easy. Like you, I prefer my reads to have more difficulty in achieving their dreams and goals, because isn't it supposed to be that way? If everything is handed to you on a silver platter, how else will you learn? How will the readers be emotionally involved if they can't feel the urgency or emotion of your journey? It's what attracts us to them in the first place - the difficulties in reaching these things that mirror our own trials and tribulations. Add to that the fact the unsatisfying way of tying the knots (or the ending and/or loose ends), I don't think I'd be able to invest time in this series if the conclusion is a let down D:
ReplyDeleteFaye at the Social Potato
I agree with this SO MUCH. Like at first it was kind of like "okay maybe there will be some consequences or something will happen to make life more difficult" but that didn't happen??? I still think my best example of consequences for actions during novels is The Hunger Games, although the Air Awakens series seems like it will also deliver on this front!
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