Patch Job is the first episode in the second season of ReMade and rather than starting of where the first season ended (without answers on a cliffhanger), this starts something new. A character that was thought to be gone for good is in a sense ReMade all over and dropped into the world again. Also, there is a special connection with the caretakers.

I'm curious to see where this is going.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The End of the Beginning doesn't really provide either an end or a beginning. Instead we are served a cliffhanger and no answers. I hate it when a book or in this case a season cannot stand on its own but instead the reader is forced into continuing just in order to get some of the answers.

Inez's point of view is a bit tiring at this point, as I can't seem to like her. There is also some last minute death that didn't make a lot of sense either. Rather disappointing conclusion from a series that by times was really nice and for the most has been a fun, quick read. I've dedicated to reading the second season, so I hope the story will pick up again.

For me there was some time between reading these episodes and the rest of the first season, but it didn't really form a problem. There is some tension rising as you feel they are nearing the end. Holden is one of the more interesting characters in the series, and he plays a major role in this one. However, at this point, I'm ready for this season to end.

I initially read this story in its original form, when it existed as fanfiction. 

 

Will and Claire are completely different characters compared to the source material. As such, it is not difficult for me to read this as a work of original fiction.

 

On the strength of this story, I have always liked the fake marriage trope. Lady Isadora gets some humourous lines;  displayed some kickass gun shooting skills, and totally deserves a novel of her own.

 

The story flow is good, it is easy light reading, and the cover picture is very pretty. In essence, it's about two (slightly) broken dented characters helping each other heal, letting go of their respective sad pasts to find happiness together. And that is always the sort of story worth reading.

 

In short, I think this series has potential, and I definitely have The Meddling Madame on my waiting list for when it comes out next year.

 

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Now, I am going to nitpick on the historical inaccuracies that bother me. Please feel free to stop reading at this point because whenever I do this to my friends, their eyes glaze over.

 

Disclaimer: I never criticise fanfiction because most fanfic writers devote their free time writing out of love for a fandom, and they tend to find it demotivating to receive (unsolicited) criticisms. That said, published novels are an entirely different game, and I definitely criticise novels when I review them. 

 

Firstly, baron is a rank, not an appellation. In the novel, Will and Claire addressed each other as Mr. & Mrs Knightley. Given that they hold the ranks of baron & baroness, they should be Lord & Lady Knightley. In society, he would have been presented as Lord William Knightley, Baron of _____ . Not Baron William Knightley. 

 

There were hardly any mentions of servants. The lady's maid performs the duties of a butler in addition to her own, Claire doesn't wear mourning colours, she gallivants around London unaccompanied by a maid or footman, there are no footmen in Claire's house, (footmen were supposed to be everywhere!), Baron Knightly has no valet, and they are completely unchaperoned (Lady Isadora, being unmarried herself, cannot be considered a chaperone, even if she is middle-aged, which she is not). They even live in the same house as an unmarried couple. This is the stuff of scandal in those days.

 

 

Third, no patroness launched Claire into society, no presentation to the royal court at the beginning of the season. Underaged, but no appointed guardian (a legal requirement). No mention of fortune hunters. And yes, I know I am getting ridiculous at this point, but we're talking about a time era so ritualistic in nature that non-adherence to the rigid customs caused scandals and led to ostracisation from society, so it stretches my suspension of disbelief just a little too much.

 

And about the 'restoration' of the barony ... I don't think that's how it works, but I don't even want to get into that topic lol. This post is already long enough as it is.

 

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All these, however, do not detract from my enjoyment of the novel (much) and I look forward to future books by this author. :)

Book 9: Whiteout
Star rating - ★★★☆☆
POV – May
Would I read it again – No

** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **

Despite having not read a volume of this for a few months, I remembered where we left off quite clearly. The story is unique enough that you don't easily forget about a bunch of teenagers stuck in a wilderness that may or may not be the future, after having died and been woken up by someone like Umna.

However, I was sad to see that May got yet another POV. She's not, to me, an interesting enough character to offer her own POV so often. Half of this part of the story was shown in flashbacks – which wasn't necessary to begin with – and to make it worse half of it was weather description. Which, in my mind, proves how lacking May is in worthy storytelling POV, because the weather took up at least 50% of her time and the other half was her whining about being stupid, doing stupid things and not being any use. Which she isn't. She also, inexplicable, became very racist in this story (rallying against what she assumed was a racist comment and then saying not to turn her into a “white girl”)

Inez, once again, ruins Holden's moment in the story. I swear to God that I hate this girl with a passion because she is so not right for this story. Yet, again, she and Teddy are the two clueless idiots putting everyone in danger, making stupid decisions and not seeing the bigger picture. Once again trying to diminish Holden's authority and challenging everything out of his mouth, even when it makes sense. I can't help but wonder just WHEN are these kids going to wake up and realise that Holden is the one keeping them alive, as he's done until now, and that without him they would all be dead. If they'd only listened to him in the first at least a dozen other characters would still be alive. It's incomprehensible.

Honestly, at this point, I'm only following the story to find out what happens. It feels like, with every new episode, the essence of the original parts is slipping further and further away.

I'm giving it 3 stars simply because it returned to the original plot of living in the wilderness and tackling this new world in a different way. But I've also taken points off for May being boring and repeating most of what we already knew about her in a POV that would have been better served given to someone else. I want to read about Cole, Loki, Holden and Hyrum. I even wanted to read about Wesley, but since he's dead that's not going to happen.

Sadly, another episode that missed the mark.

~

Favourite Quote

“Holden carried on with his latest rant in progress. Though – he'd been right, hadn't he? About the caretakers, and the danger they'd been in. If they'd only believe him from the start, how many more would be sitting beside them now? Maybe annoying, maybe arguing, but at least they'd be alive.”