Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2)
Our Dark Duet by V.E. Schwab
Rating: 4/5
August and Kate are back again stronger and better (debatable) than ever! LOOK AWAY if you haven’t read This Savage Song. You will surely be spoiled since this picks up a couple of months after the events in TSS! If you haven’t read my review for TSS, go ahead and check that out as well (if you want, no biggie).
So as you know, Kate’s dad is dead, Kate left Verity, and August continues to help the FTF. At the end of the first book, we have an ominous final chapter revealing that Sloan (ugh—the WORST—I love it) is alive and another monster rises from the crimes that Kate committed to stain her soul red. So, obviously, Sloan continues to wreak havoc on Verity and has recruited humans as well as monsters to be a part of his team (like… those humans are crazy).
We start off with Kate. She’s hunting monsters (Buffy style—she’s amazing) and she even has a group of friends that she didn’t ask for. She’s living her life. And then a new monster comes to town. It’s a creepier, stealthier, more confusing monster. And Kate is going to hunt it down… all the way back to Verity (ha! And she thought she’d never go back. Yeah, right!).
Meanwhile, August has realized he has a bigger role to play. He’s given up his want to be human and embraced his monster side. He’s all grown up *sniffs and wipes tears away* and honestly really needs a hug because he hates what he has to do but knows he has to do it. If you have a soft spot for guys that look tough but honestly just need a hug then you’ll love August! And if you love tough girls that also need hugs, you’ll love Kate!
Obviously, the characters collide once more (for better or worse) and they have to find this new monster before everybody dies.
NOW… we already know how much I love these characters. And THEY GET BETTER. I love the character development. I love their interactions. I love the conflict and the philosophy. I love the way V.E. Schwab forces us to contemplate the grey area in between good and bad.
I do wish we had more time in Prosperity (where Kate is in the beginning). I really enjoyed the gang that pulled Kate in and I was sad to move on from them so quickly. I thought it was really interesting the way Schwab showed the new monster. The poetry (well… at least it felt like poetry.) was rapid and tense and made me feel like I was experiencing the anxiety and terror the same way the character was.
The plot progressed quickly. I couldn’t put the book down and couldn’t stop screaming. THAT ENDING. KILLED ME. (It’s been maybe a week and I’m still not fully recovered)
This was a stunning sequel to an equally as stunning first book (I can’t choose a favorite) and I would recommend this to anyone that loves Schwab, loved the first book, likes to think about morally grey stuff, and likes creepy monsters and excellent bad guys.
Star is All Booked Up 