Review: The Mime Order

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Prior to entering this series, I was tentative. I love a good young adult dystopian fantasy, yet I fear there is a lot of repetition out there. Unless a book really grabs me, I’m not overly eager to work my way through the series.

Fortunately, The Bone Season series is proving to be worth the read.

Upon finishing the first book, I knew I would need to carry on with the series. I needed answers. I needed to see where things would go. All in all, I was ready for the series.

Unfortunately, it took me a while to get my hands on the second one. I knew it ended on a cliff-hanged, thus I was holding out until book three was on the market. This changed when I found a hardback copy going cheap in the university’s second-hand bookstore. I couldn’t say no and the book ended up coming home with me. I then told myself not to read it straight away, to hold off for a while, but that didn’t work. I was too curious to see what happened next, which left me picking up the book and reading it.

Now I’m desperately awaiting the third book.

Honestly, the ending. It leaves you more than ready for what comes next. I have no idea where the series will go, yet the ending has left me more than eager to find out. I’ll admit that some of the details relating to the ending were obvious. Characters and actions pointed towards certain things playing out, yet this did nothing to remove the emotions it brings about. Such excitement. It really was a great way to end the book, even if it does leave fans ripping their hair out as they await answers.

I’ll admit when I started reading this one, I wasn’t pulled in instantly. The book got better as it progressed. It carried on where the last one left off, and I feel as though I should have reminded myself of specific details. I could remember the main things, yet there were little bit and pieces I had to remind myself of. The way the world worked, for example, only came back to me slowly. I feel as though this played a part in why it took me so long to get into the book, yet at the same time I do feel as though it was rather slow.

Despite carrying on where the last book left off, the pacing at the start of this book is much slower than I had anticipated. A lot is happening, yet there wasn’t much by way of action. I feel as though a lot of information was being thrown at us again. It was great to watch the world come to life, to find out more specific details about the world, but it left the book lagging at certain points. I was left wanting more, waiting for the book to speed up.

As with the first book, though, once the action starts it is a lot of fun. A lot is going on in this one, leaving you unsure as to where everything is going to lead. You cross your fingers for certain things to play out, only to groan when things do not go your way. Throughout the book, your emotions are constantly played with as new notions arise.

Overall, it was slower than I had anticipated but it was a lot of fun. I’m more than ready for the third book in the series.

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