Tuesday, March 22, 2016

#Tuesday Review - Broken Crowns by Lauren DeStefano (YA, Science Fiction)

Series: The Internment Chronicles # 3
Format: E-Galley, 272 pages
Release Date: March 22, 2016
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: YA, Science Fiction

War rages everywhere and Morgan is caught in the middle in the haunting conclusion of The Internment Chronicles, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Chemical Garden trilogy.

The city is falling out of the sky…

Morgan always thought it was just a saying. A metaphor. The words of the dying. But as they look up at the floating island that was their home, Pen and Morgan make a horrible discovery—Internment is sinking.  And it’s all Morgan’s fault.

Corrupted from the inside by one terrible king and assailed from the outside for precious resources by another, Internment could be destroyed because Morgan couldn’t keep a secret. As two wars become one, Morgan must find a way to bring her two worlds together to stop the kings that wage them…
Or face the furthest fall yet. 




Broken Crowns is the third and final installment in The Internment Chronicles by author Lauren DeStefano. The story picks up right where Burning Kingdoms left off. The trilogy has been told in the first person narrative by Morgan Stockhour, a resident of the floating city of Internment. Morgan has discovered that sometimes, things aren't necessarily greener on the other side. Internment is supposed to be a utopian society free of mundane things but ruled by a King who rules with an iron claw. 

Over the course of this trilogy, the cover has been blown off what is really happening on Interment and how labeling something a utopian society, isn't factual at all. Morgan has lost more than she has gained, although her friendship with Pen remains strong. Her relationship with her jumper brother remains strained, and hard to believe that anything can fix it. Morgan has seen too much in her six months on the ground. She's seen war, destruction, death, and a maniacal king who would do anything to get a foot hold on a new fuel source that may be the answer to defeating his enemies from Daster. 

But, that soon changes after Pen discovers that Internment is sinking, and Morgan and Basil fly home to hopefully set in motion things that will save the city of Internment before it is too late. Things on Internment are in disarray as Internment's King is now powerless over his own people. Internment is slowly being torn apart at the seem, and the people are being forced into doing another kings bidding. Can Morgan, Basil, Pen, Nimble, and Celeste stop their home from being destroyed?

One could read the synopsis and believe that everything that has happened to this point is entirely on Morgan Stockhour's shoulders. From jumping into a flying machine with her brother, best friend, and betrothed, to landing in the ground kingdom of Havalais, to kissing the wrong boy, to opening up her mouth about a powerful fuel source that is only found on Internment. While she does hold her fair share of responsibility, she's not the only one to have set into motion things that will surely bring a war to the floating city called Internment.

While there were plenty of opportunities for action, the story is more or less slowly churning in the ocean until a major storm gathers enough strength to make things rather interesting. One expects that characters will grow and show adult aspects as we get around to the third installment. One expects that Morgan will stand up and take responsibilities for her actions, and try to make things right so that those she loves do not end up in harms way. Morgan who was once an optimist about almost everything, has now seen the other side of the tracks and it's not all that great. 

I am happy that the author resolved the love triangle aspects that I came to hate in the previous book. I am happy that Morgan and Basil have worked out her mistake and moved on in a positive way. I am satisfied that DeStefano enlightened readers about Pen's father. It really does explain her character very well. I am not at all happy by the ending, but as I said before, it could no doubt have been a whole lot worse than it was.  



2 comments:

  1. It's rare that I read the first two books of a trilogy and have zero interest in picking up the finale. Because why wouldn't you? It could end spectacularly and make up for the mediocre... but eh, I quit this series with the last book and have no interest in seeing how it all pans out. Could be worse, as you say, but it could be better. Great review. :)

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