The Unfailing Light (Katerina Trilogy , #2)

by Robin Bridges

Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, wants to forget that she ever used her special powers and pursue her dream of attending medical school but is under imperial orders to remain at finishing school where she can be kept safe from Russia's arch nemesis, until the protection spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school.

• ISBN10: 038590830X
• ISBN13: 9780385908306
• Publish Date: 9 October 2012
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 30 June 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Delacorte Press
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 309
• Language: English

Reviews

[Chelsea]

What I Loved

I think I liked this book more than the first. It was easier to follow (thankfully) and I was starting to remember a few more characters. There’s still a lot going on that I don’t understand and I’m still confused since there’s still a lot of characters but I found myself more entertained by this book.

I’m really liking the main characters. In this book especially I wasn’t sure who to trust. Some characters who I thought were doing ok weren’t and the opposite for others. I have serious trust issues after reading this. I am really happy with how the romance is going in this book (so far). It’s kind of adorable and I love reading sweet romances like this one. There’s even a little romance with people other than our main character which I’m just as excited for.

What I Didn't Love

The plot is still confusing. There’s too many things and too many people and I can’t keep track of who is what. This book wasn’t as bad as the first but there’s still a lot of work that could have been done. It feels like the author is trying to cram in as much as she possible can and it’s not working out for me.

Who I'd Recommend To

The best part about this book is the setting. I loved reading about historical Russia. If you are easily confused by too many characters and paranormal creatures then this probably isn't the book for you.

[Angie]

Instead of returning us to the wonderful and terrible Russia full of sparkle and the supernatural, The Unfailing Light brings us to Greece, where Katiya is vacationing with her family before she heads off to medical school in Zurich. It took me a little while to get reacquainted with this world and the characters, since it's been nearly a year since I read the first book, but the author does a good job of reminding us what has happened and setting up the new conflict.

Of course, plans change, and Katiya is thrust back to St. Petersburg (yay!). The tsar is afraid that an old nemesis will return and he cannot keep Katiya safe outside of their own country, much to her dismay. However, she's not completely safe inside the walls of her school either. It's even more important now that Katiya learn to harness and control her powers if she wants to keep herself, her friends and family alive. Unfortunately, the spell cast on the school to protect the girls nulls Katiya's necromancer abilities. She can't access even her most basic powers, let alone develop them. I was very disappointment by this aspect of the story, since I was excited to see her come into her powers.

In addition to the possible return of Konstantin, there's also a ghost at the school. This plot thread seemed very random, and wasn't very interesting, even after the big reveal at the end. The ghost barely got any attention at all, until about two-thirds in, and even then, there's nothing Katiya can do about her, since her powers are suppressed. It seems like all of the important events happened away from Katiya, which bothered me. There's also an added mystery about Princess Alix, which I enjoyed and didn't see coming at all! I hope we get more of her in the next book.

I think this was a case of Middle Book Syndrome, but The Unfailing Light wasn't as sparkly or exciting as The Gathering Storm. Yes, some interesting things happened, but I don't feel like the plot moved forward that much. I'm definitely eager for the final book though, since I can't think of a way for any of Katiya's problems to be solved. I'm sure the author has something awesome up her sleeve for the finale!

[ladygrey]

This whole review will toss spoilers in indiscriminately and I probably won't warn you. Except for this. This is your warning.

In some ways I liked this better than The Gathering Storm because Katiya knew, mostly, what was going on and also because she and George were open about their affection for one another. So even without as many balls there was considerably more romance. And I always enjoy the way he can read her mind and Robin Bridges works that in so fluidly.

But I knew about Alix since the end if the last book so that was a bit annoying. The writing is pretty blunt, for the most part nut strangely it didn't really bother me. But the story logic did at times. I mean this tsar has this necromancer who he acknowledges is important to hold his power. And there are the Light and Dark fairy courts who know about her. And the best idea anyone has is to hide her away in a school. Not train her at all. Or help her explore and strengthen her power. Just tuck her safely away and essentially ignore her. What kind of sense does that make?

But, even with wayward ghost story lines, this is a pretty interesting trilogy. I'm a bit terrified for George and can't wait to see what happens with the striga and finally it looks like Katiya will learn a thing or two about her powers. Miechen is a fantastic character and Nicholas is about to get himself in a world of trouble. So, obviously, I like the characters and the world quite a bit. Some of the mythology is half formed (I mean, really what's up with George's fae power and what does it mean when their eyes turn silver and what can Nicholas do?). And a lot of the pivotal plot happens off screen. But it's unlike most of the YA that I've read and maybe I just really like the Russian aristocracy and this blend of a gothic supernatural world imbued with naive and unfaltering hope.

Also, I learned a new word. That should almost be worth an extra half star.