2013: The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker

After reading my best friend Daisy's recommendation of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, I felt it necessary to follow-up and read the sequel by the same author Leanna Renee Hieber called The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker. I only wish that I knew more about Greek mythology because I feel as if it could help me with understanding the past of Miss Persephone Parker and how it influences her future. Please click the link in the title of the first book if you wish to read or re-read the review of Hieber's first book.

In reading this sequel I found that it reminded me of the Harry Potter series. Except for the fact it's a historical fantasy romance from 1888 of course ...

It involves shriekers, ghosts, secret chambers, secret passageways, and of course a fair amount of magic. This second novel continues on with an elite group of seven chosen to protect mortals from Darkness ... Darkness being "Hades" if we follow the original mythology. So the real Persephone is Goddess of the Underworld and in this book, Persephone becomes a mortal woman ... Persephone Parker who becomes part of the Guard and is to marry Alexi ... the professor whom she fell in love with in the first book ... and a man who is almost more than twice her age (if I read that correctly).

Instead of a boy with a scar on his forehead (Harry Potter), we have a white, ethereal young woman warned of an impending betrayal who is given a task of entering the Whispering World to fool Darkness, gather a key, and fight in the war between the worlds of the living and the dead.

What I found enchanting about the first book I found tedious and irritating about the second. However, I believe it is still worth a read if you have extra time. Had the awkward relationship and dialogue between Percy (Persephone Parker) and her husband, Alexi, not been such a focal point of the novel, I might have liked it more. The plot overall was decent but the romance was uncomfortable for me. Instead of being turned on I was impatient and frustrated with their blah blah blah dialogue and somewhat violent patriarchal relationship.

This second book is mainly about an unavoidable war between the human world and the spirit one. It is about Darkness seeking revenge for his bride being stolen and about the leader of the Guard, Alexi, fighting to keep his precious new bride (a reincarnation of the Goddess Persephone) safe from harm.  As the impending doom of war grows thicker as the relationship between Percy and Alexi grows more uncertain. Another member of the Guard remarks that "Two people can love each other dearly, but anxiety, fear and silence can keep them apart. Percy and Alexi, of all people, cannot afford distance. None of us can."

The characters in the book try to teach one another to love what they have and stop worrying or they will end up with nothing. Often this is a good concept to live by in our own lives. Love what you have or you'll end up with nothing and do not worry about what you cannot control. In this book a war does commence and Alexi and Percy must learn to fight for each other, for themselves, and for the balance of good vs. evil. It's a good book, particularly if you've read the first, but I wouldn't say it's a must-read. I enjoyed it over break, however, and I do believe that Ms. Leanna Renee Hieber should keep writing.

Until the next review,
Britt