Hidden Huntress (The Malediction Trilogy #2)
by Danielle L. Jensen
Angry Robot | June 2, 2015
Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.
Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…
I really liked this installment, but it seems like I'm the only one. It's not as good as the first, but it's still pretty good, which rarely happens with trilogies. However, the reviews I read all agreed that this book suffers from serious second book syndrome.
What I really enjoyed from the first book was: Tristan, Tristan and Cécile's sass, their banter, and the mythology. I found the history, abilities, and organization of Trollus very interesting. I also loved that Jensen incorporates Trolls in her story. I don't know about you, but I haven't read many books with trolls. The only series I can think of is The Kanin Chronicles by Amanda Hocking, which I quite enjoyed. (Fun Fact: I mistakenly requested the third book and read it, but I still understood the whole plot perfectly). It's refreshing to see authors do something new/not overdone.
We learn glimpses of Trollus' history in the end of this installment, but we don't learn anything new throughout the story. We see Cécile come into her powers, but... History is more exciting? I love a really well developed world and history/constantly learning new things, so I was a tad disappointed with the lack of new information. As the other reviewers pointed out, this installment lacks the sass and bite present in the first book. It's still present, but not as prominent or oh gurl, she went there-worthy. It's probably because Tristan and Cécile were separated for most of the book, so their banter can't entertain us. The situation was also rather tense, so I understand why it wasn't as prominent. BUT, JLA always has doomsday in her book while continuing her snarky writing. Playful banter would have lightened the tense ambiance.
This book also isn't as action packed as the first book. The characters were always in danger or getting themselves in danger in Trollus (the first book). They're playing detectives in the real world. It just goes to show that any world, no matter how much danger you're in, is much more exciting and enjoyable than the real world. There were musical numbers, but even that didn't make it more exciting.
What I really enjoyed from the first book was: Tristan, Tristan and Cécile's sass, their banter, and the mythology. I found the history, abilities, and organization of Trollus very interesting. I also loved that Jensen incorporates Trolls in her story. I don't know about you, but I haven't read many books with trolls. The only series I can think of is The Kanin Chronicles by Amanda Hocking, which I quite enjoyed. (Fun Fact: I mistakenly requested the third book and read it, but I still understood the whole plot perfectly). It's refreshing to see authors do something new/not overdone.
This book also isn't as action packed as the first book. The characters were always in danger or getting themselves in danger in Trollus (the first book). They're playing detectives in the real world. It just goes to show that any world, no matter how much danger you're in, is much more exciting and enjoyable than the real world. There were musical numbers, but even that didn't make it more exciting.
What kind of magic spell to use? Slime and Snails, Or puppy dogs' tails.
I'm well aware that we're talking about Trolls and not Goblins.
Many also noted that the plot was predictable and dragged out. I agree with this very much. I never really had an issue with it until I saw the comment. I think back on it, and realize that it was a little long, tame, and that I was right all along. The writing didn't really shine either. It didn't describe the setting a lot and when it did, it wasn't beautifully crafted. It didn't sing or flow. Trollus was more exciting and visually appealing, sometimes. There was more detailed on how it look. I also wish there was more on the time period and the writing style.
I definitely recommend you get started on this series. The first book is great. Many people loved it. My favorite reviewers raved about it and so did my book friends.
I definitely recommend you get started on this series. The first book is great. Many people loved it. My favorite reviewers raved about it and so did my book friends.
Music choice unrelated to the book.
If you follow me on my social media channels, you've probably seen my excitement for BANKS' new release. IT'S SOOOOO GOOD! I can't wait for B2! You should totally listen to BANKS' album Goddess! It's one of my favorite albums OF ALL TIME. I did a Music Mondays about her. Literally perfection.
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