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Book One:
While struggling over where to start, I decided the first book is probably, the best place. Coming into this series, the remnants of the teenage girl inside me had very high hopes. I don’t think a single one of those hopes were let down.
The entire premise intrigued me ~ multidimensional universes and the concept of inter-dimensional communication ~ SIGN. ME. UP. A murder, and the idea that their research was successful, and I was hooked. Although, I was probably hooked on the idea without the need of a plot at this point. As the story progressed, so did the plot, and so did my fascination with WHERE this novel was going. AND THEN!!! Ok, and then, there enters a conspiracy… Is there any better way for the story to go? Okay this next bit, aka. the introduction of Imperial Princess Marguerite, was literal icing on the cake. It also laid the path for an interesting future for poor Princess Marguerite. It’s important to note, at this point the Princess if my favourite version of Marguerite. It also processed beautifully to provide the finalised foundation for the entire plot and the conclusion of said plot. (( can you tell I am trying to word this as spoiler free as possible? )) I am BEYOND glad, that the tingle of a love-triangle that was forming, did in fact NOT form. I suppose it was needed, really… how else would the story have progressed so beautifully!
Sure, the novel has a ~ few ~ imperfections, but REALLY it doesn’t detract from the overall plot at all. I’d 100% recommend this with a 9/10 on the “readable” scale. Plus, the cover art is a bonus!
Book Two:
Ten Thousand Skies above you, the second book in this saga. Ok, so obviously the second book in any series (no matter who the author is, or how experienced they are) is the most tantalising, and yet, the entire series dangles on a thread with this one. In a trilogy, its most noticeable. But this book, was just as good, if not better than the first. As the others, the world building in this one is phenomenal, with the dimensional travel just managing to hit the mark (which is a rare thing indeed). It’s hard sometimes, with some books being so scientifically based that its simply too scientifically based, and you zone out. What does it all mean? Yet, with Claudia Grey and her wonderful construction of worlds, we never quite reach that stage, its just enough to get the premise across, but not too much that we get lost in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, I’m trying to leave the review as vague as possible while accurately conveying my thoughts – no one really likes spoilers that much. But, its hard to summarise your views of a book without mentioning direct parts, so I’ll enter this here **spoiler alert**.
Each of the worlds in the book was slightly different, but also the same – crazy right. Different enough that you could tell, but familiar enough that you were able to relate to the characters in each world just the same. Showing the dynamics of the characters in such a way made them wholly more relateable, while you may not relate or sympathise with one version of Marguerite, another one, you mesh with on an innate level.
As a whole, this book was more fast paced, it had me intrigued and hooked somehow MORE than the last, which is a feat on its own. It followed its own plot devices while linking enough to the last book to make it in fact, a series.
Book Three:
This book is the culmination of the series (duh!) concluding the tale of Marguerite (and somehow keeping it on my mind in the months passed since reading it). Based on the idea that even the most minute of choice can drastically alter parallel realities, this final instalment, is the perfect bonding between the different places – perhaps, Claudia’s way of showing that they’re all still the same people?
Just a recap, before now Marguerite discovered her parents invented a device capable of travelling through parallel dimensions ~ or rather INTO the bodies of the people that exist in that dimension (creepy right?) ~ HERE ENTERS THE CONSPIRACY… The Triad Corporation, header by Wyatt Conley, who is D E S P E R A T E to take control of said tech. * insert evil, life-destroying, aka. annihilate of hundreds of worlds plot * and lo-and-behold, Marguerite is obviously the heroine needed to save the day (yay women)! Oh, here is where’d you’d also insert the LOVE from her 2 friends… I have got to give Claudia Gray credit, the way the worlds have been created, the people too, to be so so similar yet so different is diabolically impressive. Each jump is a new world, and each new world sucks you in just like the last.
Of course, where would be without an evil doppelgänger? Nowhere of course. So, here enters Wicked. (REDACTED TO AVOID SPOLIERS) – ok, no actual redaction but your girl gotta keep you guessing on some fronts.
I think that’s enough spoilers for now, but basically, what proceeds is E P I C. The only thing to seemingly let the book down is Marguerite and her insecurity over her love for Paul – although it IS probably an accurate representation of some teenagers these days * relateable *
I suppose the biggest issue is the book doesn’t bring any ~ new ~ ideas, but at the same time, I rather enjoyed the way it concluded without making the reader agonise over any new material!