The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

The Song Rising
by Samantha Shannon

Read: March 7-9, 2017
Published: March 7, 2017
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London's criminal population.

But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilizing the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging.

Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it... (Amazon)






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Why did you read this book?
I have read both The Bone Season and The Mime Order  and this is the third in the series. I have been waiting for this book to be published since about March 2015 and I pre-ordered it in January 2016. It is one of my favorite series to date and there was no way I could just not read it.

What did you like about this book?
Oh, where to start? This book was just fantastic and well worth the wait. I'll start with the protagonist, Paige. She goes through so much over the course of the first three books and my heart hurts for everything that she will have to go through in the next four books. Paige is a character that has become very precious to me, not because she's a 'strong, female character', but because she's very human. She struggles, she fails, and she is broken. Despite that, she has a fierce love and loyalty to her friends. Her vulnerability and uncertainty with Warden is a breath of fresh air from other romances. I love their connection and the almost inseparable bond that they share. I'm very excited (and nervous) to see how their relationship will progress. I was also very pleased with the character development we saw with Nick and Eliza. I'm glad they had more page time than they did in previous books. I also liked reading about other minor characters, like Tom and Maria. Especially Tom and Maria. Another thing I liked was that this book started right where the last one left off. The whole series has been like that so far and I really appreciate that. The writing in this book also seems to be a notch above the first two. It's beautifully written and there is one scene in particular (near the end) that was written so well it just broke my heart. It was just so good. I liked the end of this book more than the other two. The first two books felt like they ended in the middle of the action, whereas this end felt almost like a beginning. The main focus of the book had been resolved and now the characters are going forth to continue with the overarching story.

What didn't you like about this book?
There were very few things that I didn't like, the first being that it started rather slow. As excited as I was to read it, it took me a long time to actually get into it. I also wish the Rephaite had featured a little more in this book. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for the page space given to Warden, but I would have liked to read more about Alsafi and Terebell and even Nashira. The Rephaite fascinate me and I'm eager to know more about them. I also felt like the absence of Zeke and Nadine was told rather than felt. They felt a little like an afterthought. I don't particularly care about Nadine, but I want to know what happened to Zeke, for Nick's sake. Also, I wouldn't have complained if the book was longer...

Bottom-Line:
I was really impressed with this one. I fell in love with the clairvoyant world when I read The Bone Season and it just keeps getting better. Paige and Warden are some of my favorite characters of all time. I would wholeheartedly suggest this series. Please, everyone read it so it can get the love and attention it deserves.


"'You have risen from the ashes before. The only way to survive,' he said, 'is to believe you always will.'" -The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon