"The only thing a boyfriend was good for was a shattered heart." (Nora Grey)
Crescendo follows one of many 'second book in a series' trends, the dreaded couple separation i.e. the break-up. I like this trend when it's done right, for example in Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi. Aria and Perry's separation shows their growth and development as individuals. Alone, they are strong, but together, they are invincible. Unfortunately, Crescendo is the prime example of this trend as a failure.
In the first few pages of Crescendo, Nora and Patch are happy and in love, but the sunshine and rainbows are shattered when Nora tells Patch that she loves him and he doesn't respond. The guy gave up being a human for you. What more do you want him to do? This, along with other petty factors prompts Nora to break-up with Patch. But she's still hung up on him. The back-and-forth between them is so painful in a headache-inducing way. Nora flips back and forth between loving Patch and hating him and from wanting him to wanting to get over him. Nora and Patch also use other people either to "get back" at each other or get over each other. When Nora questions Patch about anything, she rarely gives him a chance to respond and shuts him out. And, when Patch does respond, it's something cryptic and provoking. There is a lack of communication and miscommunication between Nora and Patch, a huge pet peeve of mine. If Patch had told Nora his reasons for being around Marcie from the start, so much Nora and Patch drama could have been avoided.
Nora is an extremely immature character. When Nora breaks-up with Patch, he starts hanging out with Marcie, Nora's mortal enemy. Nora feels extremely jealous. I understand that Nora's still hurt and has feeling towards Patch, but she isn't a part of his life anymore. Who he dates and who he surrounds himself with isn't her business. Patch isn't her boyfriend, but she keeps on questioning him about Marcie. Patch is also to blame for this, because he keeps on giving Nora mixed signal about how he feels about her. They are a broken-up couple who act like they are still in a relationship.
Nora also does so many dangerous and stupid things because she's ruled by her feelings instead of common-sense. I like characters who act on emotion, but when they do so, their reactions must be believable. When Nora acts based on emotions alone, it's unbelievable, because she's portrayed as a smart and grounded character. Although there isn't any evidence to prove that Nora is smart, because she does so many stupid things. I kept on being told that Nora is a smart character, but her actions didn't show it. At some point in Crescendo I started feeling sorry for Patch because he has to deal with Nora's stupidity and Patch is terrible. Nora makes me feel sympathetic towards someone who doesn't deserve my sympathy.
I also hate the way Nora treats her best friend, Vee. When Nora is all lovey-dovey with Patch, she ignores Vee's calls, but when Vee wants to spend time with her boyfriend, Nora becomes jealous and annoyed. Nora is a hypocrite. I also hate the comments that Nora internally makes about Vee's weight and her relationship with food. Towards others, she's quick to defend Vee, but the things that she says in her POV are terrible. And, I actually like Vee in Crescendo. She's a good best friend who's always looking out for Nora and goes along with Nora's crazy plans, and it's upsetting when Nora negatively comments about Vee.
"Right now, Vee was the only person I could count on. She could be obnoxious, annoying and lazy, but she never lied to me." (Nora Grey)
Also, why does Vee end up dating murderous people? First, Jules and now, Rixon. I feel like the Hush, Hush series is going to end with Vee all alone and Nora living a happy life with Patch. Life is unfair.
Then there's Scott, the not-quite human childhood friend/enemy/I don't really know of Nora. I don't know if he was meant to be a potential love interest, or the third point of a love triangle, but it didn't seem that way. He's just a peculiar character who Nora could use when she feels like it and serves to point Nora in the right direction - plot wise.
I do enjoy the action, suspense and mystery. It's not A+ stuff, but it's fun, entertaining and intriguing. I also enjoy learning more about the fallen angels and Nephilim. A battle between the two groups is brewing, and although I didn't see much of it in Crescendo, I hope to see more of it in Silence. I would have probably enjoyed Crescendo if it had focused more on its lore, than it does on the mess that is Nora and Patch.
Maybe it's because I'm close to completing my exams and I'm looking for some thing that's fun and not intense, I really enjoy Crescendo when I'm reading it, but when I look at the book in hindsight, I realise that there are many things that are disagreeable and make me mad.
"Being with you never felt wrong. It's the one thing I did right. You're the one thing I did right." (Patch Cipriano)