Author: Amy Ewing
Genre: Young Adult/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Publication: HarperTeen
Release Date: October 6th 2015
Pages: 320
Spoilers: Probably not, but be sure to have read The Jewel first!
Special: YABC Staff Review (e-ARC)
First of all: Thank you so much HarperTeen for getting me an e-ARC of The White Rose. I bought The Jewel right afterwards but it took me some time to start on it, but once I started, I was hooked on the series. So I really want to thank you for my newest obsession! You can also read this review through Young Adults Books Central (YABC).
“Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude. But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm. But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?” [goodreads]
Wow, just wow. I finished the book this afternoon, and really felt crushed inside. Like somebody stabbed me with a knife and took out one of my vital organs. This book really hit me hard. Even harder then The Jewel, in some ways. This book is the second book in the series, and I’ve talked about this before, but second books usually have this thing called the “Second Book Syndrome” (SBS). I’m not making this up or anything, it’s just that the second book is usually used as a bridge to the third book. It’s mostly said to be boring. But The White Rose doesn’t have SBS and this book was packed with action from start to finish (more about that later).
The White Rose picks up exactly where The Jewel left us craving for more: Violet, Ash, Raven, Lucien and everybody else in utter chaos. Where should they go? Where should they meet? What the hack just happened? It started in the middle of an awesome action scene and it really sets the mood for the book as a whole. I warn you, readers, this book will cause “FEELS”.
The plot is a bit different from The Jewel, since Violet finds out more about being a surrogate, the dangers of being in the Jewel and the war between the different royal families. The White Rose really knows how to describe the society of the Lone City and shows us a some kind of Utopian/Dystopian setting that all the same feels very realistic. I have to say, this book includes more fantasy elements that The Jewel did, but it feels like a natural development so it still felt realistic.
The Jewel really left us craving for more romance, and The White Rose gives us more – but not much. True, the relation between Violet and Ash develops, but not in an intense way. They learn more about each other and about each other’s past, but it’s not like they’re so in love they just want to get married and fly away from that awful place. It’s more on the background of things, which is probably good, because there’s drama enough. Ash gets a more permanent role in The White Rose, and him being in Violet’s life feels more natural than it did in The Jewel.
The characters are better than in The Jewel, I suppose. Garret is my favorite: his personality isn’t so bad after all, and his sarcasm really makes the book a little lighter. I’m not going to say too much about Lucien, but at some point, he got on my nerves. For real. But you’ll just have to find out about him while reading. Raven has, I think, the best plotline in the book. She, as a character, really sets the tone for whatever is happening during the story. She is the example of how crazy the world of the royals is, but still, she’s the least dramatic person in the story. Also, you’ll meet a lot of new characters which really expands the world and I loved that about The White Rose; it goes beyond the Jewel. We get to see more of the Lone City as a whole.
Over all, I think I like this book better than the first one, which is, in many ways, a first. The ending of the book did get on my nerves, but I will not spoil you on that. It’s just not an ending I expected to happen. It’s so much different from the usual cliffhangers, but a cliffhanger nonetheless.
The White Rose is a thrilling, exciting novel that tells the story of a young girl, trying to break free from the established powers by finding her owns strengths. The book represents the current society, even though it is a pure fictional book, and will have you hooked until the last page.
Amy, congrats & thanks! It’s been a while I fell in love with a series like this and I’m already looking forward to the last book in the trilogy! Let the waiting begin.
