writehollydavis
Written on Jan 28, 2022
The mesmerising sequel to the NYT bestselling Girls of Paper and Fire
The Girls of Paper and Fire did the impossible.
They escaped.
But out in the unforgiving wild, hunted like prey, Lei and Wren learn that the most terrifying prisons have no walls.
'Full of appealing new characters, wild twists and heartbreaking sacrifices, it's a novel that's difficult to put down once you start it' Culturess
Lei, the naive country girl who became a royal courtesan, is now known as the Moonchosen, the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. But slaying the cruel Demon King wasn't the end of the plan - it's just the beginning. Now Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. The journey is made even more treacherous thanks to a heavy bounty on Lei's head, as well as insidious doubts that threaten to tear Lei and Wren apart from within.
Meanwhile, an evil plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy and protect her love for Wren, or will she fall victim to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her?
- ISBN10 1529342597
- ISBN13 9781529342598
- Publish Date 5 November 2019
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 10 December 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Hodder & Stoughton
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 416
- Language English
Reviews
alindstadtcorbeax
Written on Sep 18, 2020
I liked this less than the first, but it kind of broke my heart
Jo
Written on Dec 2, 2019
Trigger and content warnings under spoiler tag simply becayse there are a lot of them.
Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features vague sex scenes, inuendo, blood, vomit, discussion of rape and sexual assault, kidnap, death, murder, dead bodies - including burnt dead bodies, aftermath of a village burned to the ground, funerals, war and battles.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan was one of my favourite books of last year; I absolutely adored it! So it's no surprise that I was incredibly excited to read the sequel, Girls of Storm and Shadow. And it didn't disappoint, it was brilliant!
Lei believes she has killed the king, and war is stirring. She and Wren have joined a rag-tag group of humans and demons, warriors and shamans, to go on a mission for Lord Hanno, Wren's adoptive father, to gain the allegiance of certain demon clans. They have a long way to travel, and very little time before the Ikharan officials and military mobilise and war begins. But Lei has misgivings about about Lord Hanno and his plans, and it seems she doesn't know Wren as well as she thought she did. With time and the Ikharan army nipping at their heels, Lei must push her doubts aside if she wants to survive. But she might have just got herself into more than she bargained for.
Girls of Storm and Shadow is in some ways quite difference from the first book in the series. There is a plan, there is a war to plan for, their is hope. It almost feels like a story in two parts; the first involving the travelling and meeting new clans, alliances made and strategic manoeuvres, Lei and the readers getting to know the new characters in her group and those she meets. It's similar to the high fantasy books I read when I was growing up - the quests that sending the characters across the country. The second part is where things get far more serious, and my god, is there a lot of action! It's fast-paced and terrible, frightening and overwhelming, but also bloody brilliant!
But this book is also as completely heartbreaking as the first. There's so little that I can say without spoiling things, but with this book, Ngan really punched me in the gut. There are twists I didn't see coming, things that happened that were "necessary" that are so very difficult to bear. Let me tell you, there are some characters in this book who I had a complete 180 on - characters I loved that I now loathe. There are betrayals, things that are absolutely unforgivable, and I am raging. If there is an overarching theme to this book, it's the question of what is acceptable and unacceptable when it comes to war? Is there even such a thing as unacceptable when you're fighting for freedom? How far are you willing to go to win? What is the cost? The lines between good and evil blur in this book, and Ngan does a fantastic job of throwing an emotional spanner in the works. Lei is in turmoil, but so am I. This book knocked me for six in a way I can't explain, and I am not ok, and I cannot forgive.
The ending! Girls of Storm and Shadow ends on such a cliffhanger! A terrible, awful cliffhanger! My heart is in shreds, but to be honest, I really don't think there's any good way this book could end. I am completely devastated, several times over. I have absolutely no idea where this story will go next, and I'm absolutely desperate to know! I do have a feeling, however, that something will happen to change our feelings towards certain characters, to make us feel positively towards them again, but I honestly don't think that's possible for me. To be fair, Ngan is a master storyteller, because everything is just so complicated now, including my feelings for certain characters, and it's not like she's decided to have characters do things completely out of character. I get it. I get what's happening here. But knowing what's going on doesn't excuse things, and I'm just so devastated, because, for me, everything has gone up in flames.
Girls of Storm and Shadow is just as incredible and just as heartbreaking as the first book, if in different ways. My heart has been battered, and I'm really, really not ok. And I think things are just going to get worse before they get better. But I kind of love it, at the same time. It's just fantastic! I am so excited for the third and final book in this trilogy!
Quirky Cat
Written on Oct 20, 2019
Girls of Storm and Shadow is the second novel in the massive hit series, Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. The first novel was an emotional and powerful read and thus was obviously an instant hit.
Once again we're back with Lei and Wren. They survived their ordeals in the first novel, but that doesn't mean that they're free. Lei has become known as the Moonchosen, thanks to her part in killing the Demon King. Only...she didn't actually kill him, did she? It turns out that demon kings are a lot harder to kill than you might expect.
Now Lei and her allies are trying to move forward in their plans. They want to stage a revolution. Otherwise killing the Demon King (or so they believe) will have served no purpose. The cycle of pain and suffering will continue, until they find a more permanent way to end it.
“Yet like most lies people tell themselves, it came apart in the shadow and quiet of the night.”
Warnings: If you've read Girls of Paper and Fire, then you've already got a good idea of how dark this series can get. This novel will touch upon concerns such as slavery, rape, and sexual assault, torture and murder, and PTSD.
Girls of Storm and Shadow had a lot to live up to, thanks to how dynamic and powerful Girls of Paper and Fire is. But I am very pleased to say that it lived up to it, and perhaps exceeded it in some ways.
As it's predecessor, this was a powerful novel. Watching Lei try and take ownership of what had been done to her was tough, and as such, it was extremely emotional. But it was also inspiring. And we can't ignore the fact that she came above it all, and she did what she had to in order to make a positive change in her life.
This whole novel was heavily focused on what comes after the deposing of a monarch – though we all know that the king isn't actually dead (the conclusion of the last novel made that clear). That means forming alliances, making plots, and doing everything possible to try and make some actual changes within a society. Which is easier said than done.
As such, we got to see a whole lot more of the world this time around. And honestly? I'm already anxious to see some more. I'm fascinated by this world. More than that, I'm looking forward to seeing the changes that Lei could bring with her.
It was wonderful to see Lei and Wren again. It's been fascinating seeing where their relationship has gone, and how they both handled their trauma in such different ways. It's a poignant reminder about how we're all different – and how these two girls came from very different backgrounds.
And of course, I'm going to be very interested to see where their plots go in the future. Both as individuals, and as a couple. Further proof that Natasha Ngan is a superb writer.
There were a plethora of new secondary characters, and it didn't take any time at all for me to find myself emotionally attached to them. Ngan has a way of writing these amazing and wonderful characters. They're in stark contrast to the villains of the series, who are so easy to hate and despise.
On that note, there was a constant sense of foreboding in this novel. Perhaps it is because we know the truth, while Lei and her allies had to discover it for themselves. Seeing things from the enemies' side from time to time only served to increase this tension.
While I'm sad that Girls of Storm and Shadow has ended, I have to admit that the ending was oddly appropriate for the story Ngan is telling. It fits perfectly, and honestly, as much as I'm anxious to see more, I think that was the right point to end this novel. Though I will be curious to see if others agree with that sentiment.
Now I'm just going to have to settle in and wait for news on the next novel, which doesn't currently have a title (that I'm aware of). But that's okay, I'm patient. Or at least, I can pretend to be.