Dark Rise

⭐4.5

Pacat you have done it againThis story is twisty and complex in ways that make it so interesting to read. The main through line is simple though so makes it easy to follow. The book is from multiple points of view but mainly follows Will on his journey in finding out this hodden world on the cusp of war between light and dark and somehow he is in the middle of it. There are secrets uncovered, magic brought anew and legends reborn. All on the outskirts of a very real victorianlondonA big thing that made me love this story is that Pacat seems to be a master at the unreliable narrator. The view Will (and the other characters have) is so specific and sometimes conflicting that you are continuously thinking about what is the REAL truth and how this could all be solved if one person changed how they saw the world. There are also moments where you only truly get to know a charaters through the eyes of another. Each view point also holds its own voice which is something I am personally very picky about so that won points for me.There is also a wide range of character. Some do echo characters Pacat has already written but they I dont mind it as the worlds she made are so vastly different they set themselves apart. The way they hold their own value and drive that home is what fuels a good chunk of the narrative. Will has a determination and cunning to see his own mystery through. Violet is rebuilding herself to the person she always thought she was but in a new light, James is.... well this is getting spoilery.There was so much going on in this story but I never felt like it was getting crowded or like I was overwhelmed with information. And even though it is a series this book could still hold up on its own.  Its not an all things are answered nearly tied up ending but its rounded enough that if it ended they (I am so glad it didn't) that it would not be unsatisfactory. I am of course hungry for more and so intruged to how this world expands and how the truth will actually unfoldOne thing that was a mega bonus is something completely personal to me and that is just how Pacat writes. There is something to it that means I can power through if I so wish but also its easy to read quite leisurely. There are some writers that reading is only always at the same steady pace and I do like it if I am getting really into a story that I just begin to devour it instead. I am completely pulled into their worlds and feel that even though the narrative is out my hand I have control in how I consume that. Its a rather odd one but not one I find with everything I read so thought worth mentioning for why my score is so high. I didn't do 5 as it wasnt completely and utterly world changing for me. I loved reading this and would absolutely re-read it (and do think i would notice a whole new narrative if I did) but it isnt one that I know has completely rewired me (unlike a previous series of Pacats did....) Overall a wonderful read with a fascinating story for me

2 stars The bright star holds, even as the darkness rises.Unpopular opinion... I was so excited for Dark Rise but it was such a disappointment for me. The magic system was interesting and I did like the world building. The character were sort of bland but I did like James the most, even though he appeared in 20 or so pages. I mean I was sort of expecting a bit of romance but there was almost none. I think the romance is going to be built up more in the second instalment. The pacing of the book was extremely slow for me. It only really picked up after page 400 and that didn't even save the book for me. I wasn't a big fan of the different POV's from the characters in each chapter, especially Katherines' POV. The plot twist did take me by surpsise, but it still wasn't enough for me to like it. Will I be reading the second book when it releases? Probably. Are my expectations for the second book lowered? Definitely.