Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2)

by Rachel Hawkins

[celinenyx]

3.5 Stars

In this sequel to Hex Hall, Sophia must learn to deal with what happened at Hecate Hall, a reform school for Prodigium. Her long estranged father makes an appearance, and he decides a change of decorum is necessary: Sophia is coming to the United Kingdom with him for a few months. However, a certain someone Sophia isn't ready to see has also been spotted overseas...

The second book in a series can often feel like more of the same. Demonglass avoids this common problem by taking the main characters, and forcing them to find their way in an unknown environment. They suddenly have to navigate other people they don't know if they can trust, and it creates a lot of new venues for the plot to go. Demonglass never feels too "same-y" like Hex Hall.

In Demonglass we're introduced to a rather lame love-triangle. I felt it was rather unnecessary - again we're treated to the stereotype that a girl and a boy can't be in the same room together without there being some romantic tension. What made this one even worse for me was that I felt like this love triangle was added for the benefit of the reader, instead of it being the characters true feelings.

Where I found Sophia to be a bit shallow in the first book, she gains more depth in this one. Even though she can be a bit obnoxious and stupid, I thought that she showed more insight into her own feelings, which make her more interesting to read. Her interactions and growing bond between her and her father was very well done, and the strain on her and Jenna's friendship was realistic and genuine. As long as it's not concerning boys, Ms Hawkins actually does characters well.

While I was looking for something like Harry Potter when I started this series, I think the Hex Hall books are actually a lot more like The Mortal Instruments series. It doesn't give me the magical world I was looking for, but it does deliver on an engaging plot navigating a world of different factions and magical beasties.