Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
New York : A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2020.
Description
"After spinning an enthralling world in Witchmark, praised as "thoroughly charming and deftly paced" by the New York Times and as a "can't-miss debut" by Booklist, C. L. Polk continues the story in Stormsong. Magical cabals, otherworldly avengers, and impossible love affairs conspire to create a book that refuses to be put down. Dame Grace Hensley helped her brother Miles undo the atrocity that stained her nation, but now she has to deal with the consequences. With the power out in the dead of winter and an uncontrollable sequence of winter storms on the horizon, Aeland faces disaster. Grace has the vision to guide her parents to safety, but a hostile queen and a ring of rogue mages stand in the way of her plans. There's revolution in the air, and any spark could light the powder. What's worse, upstart photojournalist Avia Jessup draws ever closer to secrets that could topple the nation,and closer to Grace's heart. Can Aeland be saved without bloodshed? Or will Kingston die in flames, and Grace along with it?"--… (more)
Language
Original publication date
2020
ISBN
9780765398987
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User reviews
LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
I greatly enjoyed Witchmark last year when I read it as a Nebula finalist. I was quite curious about how the sequel would play out. Polk established a fascinating, original world of powerful magic, devastating storms, and snarled, vicious political power
To my surprise, though, I had a hard time getting into Stormsong. The refreshers about previous events weren't quite enough, leaving me lost for a good while, and the plot cranked up so slowly that I wondered if I should stop completely. The perspective had shifted in this book to Grace, the politically-savvy sister of Miles. I enjoyed her character but things just couldn't get going. Fortunately, I pressed on, and I'm glad I did. Things really picked up halfway through, and the last bit zoomed along, complete with a fantastic ending. As with the first book, the twisty-turny plot is brightened by a deftly-handled romance.
While not as consistently enthralling as the first book, Stormsong absolutely came through in the end.
I greatly enjoyed Witchmark last year when I read it as a Nebula finalist. I was quite curious about how the sequel would play out. Polk established a fascinating, original world of powerful magic, devastating storms, and snarled, vicious political power
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plays. The setting is quite Victorian in inspiration (but not steampunk). The magic, I really loved. Weather magic has been used in other books, but this take feels new. The queer rep is fantastic, too. Diversity shines here.To my surprise, though, I had a hard time getting into Stormsong. The refreshers about previous events weren't quite enough, leaving me lost for a good while, and the plot cranked up so slowly that I wondered if I should stop completely. The perspective had shifted in this book to Grace, the politically-savvy sister of Miles. I enjoyed her character but things just couldn't get going. Fortunately, I pressed on, and I'm glad I did. Things really picked up halfway through, and the last bit zoomed along, complete with a fantastic ending. As with the first book, the twisty-turny plot is brightened by a deftly-handled romance.
While not as consistently enthralling as the first book, Stormsong absolutely came through in the end.
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LibraryThing member twinkley
This novel was from the perspective of Grace, Mile's sister. I had really liked Miles and I was disappointed that only the first book was on him. I didn't like Grace in the first book and while I grew to like her more in this, I still wasn't that crazy about her. Grace was someone who had bought
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into the life of privilege and was somewhat blind to the unfairness of it all. Add to that, she was also loyal to a leader who was not intent on doing what was best for the country. The novel was primarily of her growth. The problem was that I was impatient with her blindness and that affected my enjoyment of the reading. The romance part was weak as well. There was no chemistry between the characters. There is a mystery in this and that was good even if you had suspected who was behind it. My favorite parts of the novel were when Miles and/or Tristan were part of it. I am looking forward to the next one. Show Less
LibraryThing member rivkat
The second book in a series—the first book involved a lot of politics and magic; at the beginning of this one, alt-England’s magic power system has been destroyed just as winter storms come with even greater force, threatening the crops and lives of many citizens. Grace, now appointed the
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Queen’s chancellor, has to navigate palace intrigue, intrigue among the storm-fighting magicians, pressures for democratic reform, captives from the foreign power that tried to use necromancy against them, and an intriguingly sexy reporter who is about to reveal Grace’s secrets and the secrets of the realm—among other things. If you like whirlwind political fantasy, you might like this. Show Less
LibraryThing member fiverivers
Polk continues her interesting trilogy in this second novel, this time changing character focus, although certainly the world she's created descends deeper into chaos, subterfuge, political machinations, and outright horrors against humanity. All of that sounds as though the novel would be a slog
While Polk crafted a vulnerable, powerful and fascinating character in Tristan, in Grace the flavour changes from one of empathy to one of superficiality. Grace quite often seems more focused on fashion, societal standing, and avoiding controversy than in championing the real cause of empowering the witches who have for generations fed the power-mongers of Aeland, and who now, though freed from bondage, exist in penury and pain.
Altogether a disappointing continuation of what started out to be a fascinating story.
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to read, which it is, but not because of those factors. Certainly Polk had already built a fascinating world. However, with the shift from the lead character Tristan, in Book 1, to his sister, Grace, in book 2, the entire flavour changes, unfortunately not for the better. While Polk crafted a vulnerable, powerful and fascinating character in Tristan, in Grace the flavour changes from one of empathy to one of superficiality. Grace quite often seems more focused on fashion, societal standing, and avoiding controversy than in championing the real cause of empowering the witches who have for generations fed the power-mongers of Aeland, and who now, though freed from bondage, exist in penury and pain.
Altogether a disappointing continuation of what started out to be a fascinating story.
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LibraryThing member tornadox
Good and engaging sequel to Witchmark
LibraryThing member lyrrael
God damnit! That's not an ending! That's not even a cliffhanger! That's throwing all the loose ends up in the air and screaming "WOOOO!" at them! Rrrgh! Four stars because the book was great and it made me anxious with tension but that ending is AGH NO WHAT DON'T STOP WAI--