The first book I read by Samantha was The Priory of the Orange Tree. I loved it so much that I knew I needed more of her writing and started the Bone Season series which until now was The Bone Season, The Mime Order, and The Song Rising.
I was so excited to read this and I was not disappointed. I finished it last night but needed to sit with it before I wrote this. What a ride!! I am both gutted and excited for the next installment.
Stop here if you haven't read the first three because while I won't spoil this story you will be spoiled about previous books.
You have been warned.
Proceed at your own risk.
Or skip to the ending where I just wrap up my thoughts.
Ok, so if you are here you are either up to date or don't care if you get spoiled. The Mask Falling picks up where The Song Rising ends. Paige has survived her captivity and torture, she is the Underqueen, and she and Warden are arriving in France. Some of the members of her crew are back in London while others are off doing important work to held bring down Scion. Jackson is who knows where and The Rag and Bone Man has slipped away, perhaps to France too if rumors are to be believed.
As in the other books my thoughts from my previous posting hold true
"I know this series was begun in the pre-trump era but it feels so important to the times we are living in. The dire warning about creating hierarchies based on some characteristic used for othering, in this case being a clairvoyant, is parallel to the racial and religious othering trump and his ilk are pushing and which is making the world even more dangerous for people of color, Jews, Muslims, and LGBTQ+ people."
New characters come into the story here. Paige meets with members of a mysterious program called Domino bringing is Ducos and Cordier among others. And there is the Paris version of the syndicate and its prominent members including Léandre and Ignace.
The "government" leader in France is a terrible man named Ménard.
Some familiar faces return. There is death and destruction. And Paige still has her streak of trying to balance justice and mercy.
Samantha writes so beautifully, even if I stumbled over trying to read the French sentences. The pain and the joy and the struggle feel so real. My heart got shattered, but then maybe it was ok, but then wait maybe not...because there are 3 more books coming so cliffhanger.
Samantha is on my list of authors I will read anything they put out without knowing what it is about in advance.
(Finished January 27, 2021)
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