Finished Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan. I received a copy of this from the publisher. There are spoilers for Glow (the first book in the series) in this review.
Summary from Goodreads:
“Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancé? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her?
In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end…”
I absolutely loved Glow and Spark was even better. It’s told from the perspectives of Seth, Kieran and Waverly and it’s interesting to see (a) how each character is getting increasingly paranoid about the motivations of the others and (b) how each is able to justify their own actions. I minored in sociology and this is an absolutely fascinating study in how things fall apart in society. Obviously everyone thinks they’re right (because if you didn’t, you’d obviously be acting differently) but really, everyone is at least 25% wrong.
While each character is interesting and easy to empathize with (although some characters are easier than others), I found myself especially drawn to Waverly. The fact that she had to kill someone in Glow has obviously changed her and made her a lot darker in this book. I love that Amy Kathleen Ryan decided to explore that (as Veronica Roth did in Insurgent) because I don’t understand how killing someone—however necessary or justifiable—wouldn’t affect you if you are any kind of a decent human being.
I absolutely cannot wait for the third book, which is out next summer. This is an amazing series and I highly recommend it.
