Torment (Fallen, #2)

by Lauren Kate

[Angie]

It's been three years since I read Fallen, because I was worried that Torment would be more of the same, but finally I have succumb to the call of the pretty cover. Thankfully, I did like this one better. There are parts that I liked less, like that slow, repetitive, boring beginning, but then there's some really interesting stuff happening, too. It picks up with Daniel delivering Luce to another new school, since she's no longer safe at their former reform school. Now, she's in California at a kind of prep school for Nephilim where she'll be protected while Daniel goes off and does what he does for eighteen days. Luce is left mostly in the dark about the situation, which prompts her to do some research of her own.

My favorite part of Torment was learning more about the shadows (which were mostly really dumb in the first book). They're not just creepy blobs of darkness, but messengers known as Announcers for those in the know. Each one can show a snippet of the past if you know how to summon one (which Luce does) and how to "glimpse." Of course, Luce is special among humans and figures out how to do this complicated task and uses it to explore her past lives. Quite interesting. Then there are hints at time travel! I love time travel, but it's not something I would expect from a Paranormal Romance about angels and demons. But then when you consider the reincarnation bits, it does make sense. Luce has to uncover he past lives somehow, since Daniel refuses to explain.

Most of the first part of Torment is just Luce moping after Daniel. Eighteen days is such an eternity! Wah, wah, wah! However, I could totally understand her frustration over not knowing why he's going to be away and why she had to transfer. But, I did find it annoying when Luce would just leave campus, despite being told not to, just because she claims she didn't know how dangerous it was for her elsewhere since no one will tell her anything. I totally wanted to high five one of her "teachers" when he said they shouldn't have to be so explicit, since it's fairly obvious someone is out to get her! Come on, Luce! Use your brain! Then there's the parts where Luce finally starts to question everything Daniel has told her, which wasn't much. Daniel's word is not gospel! There's something he's hiding, and maybe life and love is possible for Luce without him, even though they've spent centuries losing and finding each other.

In the end, I kind of liked Torment. It didn't annoy me as much as Fallen, since Luce is finally coming out of the Daniel haze and starting to think for herself, even if it does get her in trouble, since she seems to only be able to think about one thing at a time. Mostly I was just excited to see how this time travel aspect works in Passion!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.