The Demon's Covenant (The Demon's Lexicon, #2) by Sarah Rees Brennan

Feb 12, 2011 Janina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, on-my-shelf, read-in-2011, beware-love-triangle, cliffhanger, urban-fantasy, lgbt, series-finished

I made it!

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Sorry, but I’ve always wanted to find one of those pics to accompany my review. Isn’t he cute? You totally want to forget he could attack you and high five him, don’t you?

Honestly, I really don’t know exactly what happened here. I was so excited to read The Demon’s Covenant after finishing The Demon’s Lexicon, but somehow I had a hard time getting through it. The beginning drew me in immediately, but then there was this looong, dragging middle part that almost made me give up. I’m glad...more I made it!

description

Sorry, but I’ve always wanted to find one of those pics to accompany my review. Isn’t he cute? You totally want to forget he could attack you and high five him, don’t you?

Honestly, I really don’t know exactly what happened here. I was so excited to read The Demon’s Covenant after finishing The Demon’s Lexicon, but somehow I had a hard time getting through it. The beginning drew me in immediately, but then there was this looong, dragging middle part that almost made me give up. I’m glad I didn’t because again, the ending was fantastic and has me waiting impatiently for the third book now. Of course, it didn’t really live up to the ending of book one, but seriously, what could? Nevertheless, I have to admit that I’m a little disappointed. I mean, I love it when an ending takes me by surprise, but actually the whole book should be able to keep me interested and glued to the pages. And that certainly wasn’t the case here.
Somehow (and I never ever thought I would say that) reading from Nick’s point of view was more interesting than reading from Mae’s. Her narration was rather … dull sometimes. Maybe that’s because Nick is unlike any other character I encountered before ? I really appreciate that Sarah Rees Brennan didn’t change his ways for the sake of a sappy love story. He doesn’t really care about others, he doesn’t pretend, but (view spoiler). (I’m warning you, if you haven’t read book one (and plan to do so), DON’T YOU DARE click on this spoiler tag. It’ll ruin everything!)

And then, all the amorous complications. Honestly, what was the point? Basically we have this situation: A has this thing for C, but thinks it is better to give the relationship with E a chance because it’s easier that way. But there is also B, who is actually a really good kisser and has a serious crush on A. Later on, it is revealed that E is actually in love with D, who on the other side has feelings for F and although C seems to not really care, there are sparks flying between him and A … You are confused? You feel like you’re watching a soap opera? Yes, me too. This is actually a love square mixed with a love triangle.

That aside, I will definitely read book three because the ending here couldn’t be more open. Also, some scenes in The Demon’s Covenant really touched me - while others made me laugh hysterically. Now I really want to know how the story ends and what happens to its characters. The fact that the next book is told from Sin’s point of view doesn’t really bother me, but I’m not sure how it’ll work out because she was definitely only a minor character in the first two instalments.
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Jan 04, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-faves, 05-literary-crush-worthy, 07-freakin-hilarious

This was freaking awesome! I loved the first book, the Demon's Lexicon and wasn't all too happy at first when I found out that the second book, The Demon's Covenant would be told from Mae's POV, but as it turned out, I loved it even more.

Mae is the girl Alan and Nick helped in the first book when her baby brother Jamie got marked by a demon and they came to the Ryves brothers for help. I'm trying to keep this spoiler-free, at least the first part of my review, so I won't go into detail.

Just like...more

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Jul 01, 2010 Kris rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Final Verdict First:

I would’ve liked this book much more if I didn’t go into it with expectations that didn’t end up being met.

The Full Review:

I read The Demon’s Lexicon almost a year ago, and although I’ve forgotten the details, what I do remember is really enjoying it. I especially loved Sarah’s characterization, the love between both sets of siblings, and the ending. I liked it enough that The Demon’s Covenant was one of my most anticipated releases of 2010.

A few months ago, there were severa...more Final Verdict First:

I would’ve liked this book much more if I didn’t go into it with expectations that didn’t end up being met.

The Full Review:

I read The Demon’s Lexicon almost a year ago, and although I’ve forgotten the details, what I do remember is really enjoying it. I especially loved Sarah’s characterization, the love between both sets of siblings, and the ending. I liked it enough that The Demon’s Covenant was one of my most anticipated releases of 2010.

A few months ago, there were several posts going around the book blogosphere about the unhealthy romances that have become very popular in YA these days. A couple of these posts indicated alternatives to the weak, passive, walk-all-over-me-I-don’t-care-because-you’re-hot female protagonists of these “bad” romances. The one example that stuck out to me was Mae from The Demon’s Lexicon.

Here’s the thing. I actually don’t even remember Mae that much, besides that she had pink hair, would do anything for her brother, and had a serious thing going on for Nick. She didn’t stand out to me the way the male characters did. But with the posts I mentioned above talking about her like she was in the same league as Kristin Cashore’s protagonists, I set myself up to read The Demon’s Covenant (which is told from Mae’s point of view) with expectations of enjoying some good ole girl power moments.

That’s not what happened. I’d have to go back and reread TDL, but the entire time I was reading TDC, I was thinking, “Did Mae change? Is she going to stand up to Nick this time? How about the next time? Umm, the time after that? What is going on here?!” You see, Mae is not some strong, independent, 21st century, don’t mess with me, anti-everygirl protagonist. She’s the typical piner, drooling over the wrong guy — the one who is every bit the typical tall, dark (as in hair and eyes; Nick is as white as they come), uber hot, mysterious, brooding, dangerous, (did I say uber hot already?) supernatural love interest.

Which I get, to an extent. Let’s be honest. A guy described as looking the way Nick does and being all good with weapons and able to defend his woman against the biggest, baddest forces of evil and all that is the epitome of the attractive alpha male. Most girls like this. I sure do.

But in some ways, Nick is worse than most YA supernatural alpha male love interests. The majority of them, even while wanting to suck your blood or eat your brains or whatever, are still nice to you. They may warn you away from them at the beginning, but they can’t fight their attraction to you and they can’t help but want to kiss you and hold your hand and love you. None of which applies to Nick.

Which is another problem of mine with TDC, because I remember being Nick’s numero uno fan and actually empathizing with him in TDL — but in TDC he’s watered down to this unoriginal bad boy who yells at Mae, talks down to her, puts her down, and is generally rude to her. He also physically bullies Mae, getting into her personal space and crowding her, choking her, getting on top of her and pressing his weight on her, all while yelling or baring his teeth, taunting her, and trying to scare her away from him, “for her own good.” At one point, he even invades her — at her request!! She was frightened by some magicians and wanted someone to protect her; she could’ve called Alan, the Goblin Market, whatever, but nooo, she immediately called Nick into her bedroom, and he choked her and BRANDED her, letting all other bad boys and girls know that he basically owns her now (but she asked for it and it was all for her own protection, so it’s okay).

I could go on, even give examples straight from the text (there’s plenty), but meh. Let’s just say all the aggressive, dangerous, abusive things Nick inflicts on Mae are explained away as symptoms that he’s struggling with and ultimately can’t control because of what he is (which I won’t say, in case you haven’t read TDL yet). As for Mae, she makes these comments several times like she’s strong and won’t take any crap from Nick, but that’s a big fat lie, because all she does the entire book is make excuses for him (the biggest one: he loves his brother sooo much — so he can’t be that bad!), because let’s face it — he’s the hottest guy she knows and she’s blinded by how extremely sexually attracted she is to him. She even leads two other guys on because Nick’s not giving in to her, but in the end it’s all made to seem okay because they both have huge secrets that they lie to Mae about and have their own ulterior motives for wanting to be with her.

So anyway, I still think Sarah is a talented writer; she knows how to make characters multi-faceted and nuanced (I love Alan, Jamie, Sin, and Annabel), she’s great at creating familial love, and her sense of humor makes me laugh out loud. I’m not crazy about the world building in this series, but as I’m a fan of character-driven novels first and foremost, that’s not a big deal to me. I just hope in the next book that Nick is given a chance at being more well-rounded and less of a walking stereotype, and that he gives Mae actual reasons to pine for him other than he’s super hot. I didn’t dislike TDC; I just had expectations for Mae and Nick going into it that weren’t met, and I feel like Sarah has the ability to be a standout author in YA, but at this point TDC is in the same pile with the majority of the supernatural YA that is pumped out every year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the third book and I’m still looking forward to reading it.(less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

A month ago, Mae thought she was happy with a normal life. Then she and her brother, Jamie, stumbled into the lives of Nick and Alan Ryves, and she discovered a world of magic she can't forget. She longs to return to the charms and dancing of the Goblin Market even as she tries to adjust to coming back home.

Unfortunately for Mae, there's a darker side to the magic, where demons lurk and magicians offer the lives of others to gain power. One of the most r...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Isabel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD. I completely fell in love with the story, the characters... and whereas I hated Nick before I am completely in love with him now!!! I don't know how Sarah Rees Brennan got this good. I can't wait for book three!!!!!

...WHATT??? I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JUNE FOURTEENTH???? NOOO!!!! *hyperventilates*

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Oct 02, 2010 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mae Crawford's always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she's even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse? Jamie hasn't told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to s...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Wendy Palmer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fiction, ya

I put off reading the first book in this trilogy because I thought I would like it and didn't want to be disappointed, but then I ended up adoring it. Then I rushed out to get the second one but avoided actually reading it for ages because I feared it wouldn't be as good as the first. But as soon as I finally picked it up, the trepidation of being disappointed faded away.

The plot doesn't hold together quite as well as the first [actually, this is unfair; it holds together perfectly well as long...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Carmen Belgium rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-edition, 2010-read, first-uk-edition

WOW, amazing read, again!

It captured me from beginning to end. I loved the fact that this one was written in Mae's POV, she's quite an interesting character. I loved her in the 1st book and I deffo loved her in this one too!

Nick... Can't help myself, but OMG!!! I can totally relate to Mae on this one. Why are brooding, dark, dangerous guys with an edge to them (read: a big edge where Nick is concerned whaha) so attractive? What makes you go for them? I don't know, but I just know this: I want...more

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Dec 31, 2010 JoLee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, childrens-young-adult

Sarah Rees Brennan's sequel to The Demon's Lexicon is seriously good. I have to admit that I had a hard time with The Demon's Lexicon and here's why: Lexicon is written in third person singular and it follows the movements of Nick Ryves. Nick is so cold, so unemotional, and I had a really difficult time connecting with him or even really caring about him. By the time I got to the end of the book I had realized that my reaction to Nick was really just evidence of Ms. Brennan's brilliance. And I'...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, books-i-own-print, for-review-read

The Demon's Covenant continues the story a few weeks after the ending of The Demon's Lexicon. Nick and Alan are still on the run from the magicians but Mae and Jamie have returned home to continue their lives as normal. Mae is very worried when she discovers that the new leader of the Obsidian Circle has been secretly meeting her brother trying to convince him to join the magicians. The only people she can think of to help her are Alan and Nick so she turns to them for advice. What she doesn't e...more The Demon's Covenant continues the story a few weeks after the ending of The Demon's Lexicon. Nick and Alan are still on the run from the magicians but Mae and Jamie have returned home to continue their lives as normal. Mae is very worried when she discovers that the new leader of the Obsidian Circle has been secretly meeting her brother trying to convince him to join the magicians. The only people she can think of to help her are Alan and Nick so she turns to them for advice. What she doesn't expect is for the magicians to convince Alan to betray Nick and it seems like she is the only person who can stop it from happening. She has no choice but to ask for help from the Goblin Market but will they be able to stop Alan in time?

I really enjoyed The Demon's Lexicon which I thought was a fab debut novel but The Demon's Covenant was even better and I can't wait to see what Sarah Rees Brennan has in store for us in the final book of the trilogy. I've found before that the second book in a series doesn't always match up to the first but that was definitely not the case this time - The Demon's Covenant was everything I loved about The Demon's Lexicon and then some. I enjoyed hearing the story from Mae's perspective - she has a great voice and is completely different from Nick who was the narrator in the last book.

After the shocking twist at the end of the first book I was on the look out for hints at similar revelations in this book but I still didn't spot most of them coming so I was really kept on my toes again. I loved Nick in the first book but the more you get to see of him the more I love him and the same goes for Alan, Mae and Jamie too. It is unusual to read a book where you have such strong feelings for all 4 of the main characters but the way this series is written it is impossible not to like them all.

I love a book that can make me laugh out loud one minute and then have me fearful of what the future holds in the next. I feel really invested in the story and don't know how I'm going to survive the wait for book 3 to come out. If you've not already started this series then I'd highly recommend going out and getting a copy of The Demon's Lexicon. If you have read and enjoyed it then The Demon's Covenant is a must read book!(less)

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Nov 18, 2010 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, ebook, read-in-2010

I wish I read this book sooner, I enjoyed this a lot. I even laughed out loud a few times. Maybe I have an odd sense of humor but quotes like this one crack me up.

"Mae’s first impulse was to die of shame, but she realized after a hot, stomach-clenching moment that this was probably impractical."

Seriously. XD

Mae's voice is interesting, she's smart, funny and I want to know where the hell she buys those awesome shirt of hers. Can't say I liked this slightly more slutty side of her (she got more li...more

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May 24, 2010 Carla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Sarah's first book The Demon's Lexicon will go down in history as one of the greatest young adult urban fantasy books to ever hit the shelves. I was mesmorised and compelled with how she structured this magical story into something that seemed to come to life on the pages. She managed to create a world within the world we all know, create characters that you can root for regardless of their motives. For me, when an author has an exceptionally amazing debut novel, the second book in the series al...more Sarah's first book The Demon's Lexicon will go down in history as one of the greatest young adult urban fantasy books to ever hit the shelves. I was mesmorised and compelled with how she structured this magical story into something that seemed to come to life on the pages. She managed to create a world within the world we all know, create characters that you can root for regardless of their motives. For me, when an author has an exceptionally amazing debut novel, the second book in the series always has to be striking, it has to stand out and shine on it's own as well as complimenting the first book. I never had any doubts this book would be all that and more.

Honestly, I expected to feel more distant from this book, because of the change in our protagonists voice, which has switched from the cold hard insight we got into Nick's mind, to the caring and fiesty mind of the one and only Mavis aka Mae. This was one of those moments that makes you understand how much time and planning must have gone into this story, because Mae's voice is so drastically different from Nicks, they are at opposite ends of the specturm. Where Nicks voice was cold, unfeeling and distant, not understanding the nature of humans, Mae's voice was full of warmth and emotion and love. For me, this only further proved how much of an unreliable narrator Nick had been, because after the bombshell at the end of the book, I started to question his observations of those around him, because he was seeing them in a totally different light than that what would be expected. In the same breath, I found Mae to be unrealiable, because she has the emotion and is invested in the outcome of the events that unfold, and like her brother Jamie, she is trusting, even when her trust should be doled out in small measures.

Mae is like a shing star, she burns bright. She is snarky and kooky and unafraid. But mostly she seems to be the most perceptive of the bunch. Her observations of her friends behaviour, of the differences between Nick and Alan, of the strange tension between them, were startingly accurate. Same with her reluctance to accept her brothers new found friends. My favourite character trait is her ability to see the good in people that others may overlook, even if it means her having to struggle to control her own emotions. Could she ever love someone who may not or could not love her back, can she have what she wants without the gift coming with a thorn in it to hurt her whilst she's not looking.

I can't finish this review without mentioning the dialogue, which may well be my favourite quality of Sarah's immense talent. Her ability to create these conversations and interactions with her characters in a way that makes them beleivable, even if they are talking about magic and demons, is just beautiful. Mae, Jamie, Nick, Alan and all the other secondary characters all have voices so distinct and precise, I could pluck them off the page and know who was talking. The dialogue is quick and snappy and most of all, its hilarious. She can have me in stiches struggling for breath, then breathless with emotion. Do, I know where this story is going to end? No, I don't know, but I know the journey with these extraordinary characters is one that I would take time and time again. Amazing doesn't quite cover it on this occasion. (less)

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Jan 23, 2011 Roxane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, speculative-fiction, young-adult, agency-author

Once again, I shall not even pretend to be the least objective about Sarah Rees Brennan's work. I was hard pressed not to squeal like a shameless fangirl when copies of the French edition of book 1 came in at the agency I used to work at. I think my colleagues noticed my enthusiasm nevertheless, perhaps the frantic hugging of the book tipped them off, or maybe they're just particularly receptive. Who knows?

The first title of the Demons trilogy, written from Nick's point of view was a pure treat....more

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May 11, 2010 J. rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was really tremendously fun, interesting, surprising, &c. I liked it quite a bit more than The Demon's Lexicon, I think - fewer segments of awkward writing, and I prefer Mae as the POV. Twisty, unpredictable, satisfying plot and some wonderful, likable, non-standard characters, too. Not a five star book because there were some overly foreshadowed bits, the magic systems occasionally seem a bit handwavey, and it just didn't have the weight for me that five star books do - but man, this w...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Reading Vacation's Mom rated it 5 of 5 stars

REVIEW
Remember my first book signing when I met Sarah Rees Brennan and she signed The Demon’s Covenant for me? Well, I finally snagged The Demon’s Lexicon at the library and I read both books this week. After a string of middle grade girlie books, I was ready for some demons and magicians.
The first book was told from the point-of-view of Nick. I did not much care for Nick. For the most part, he was dark and cruel. His only redeeming quality was that he cared for his brother, Alan. The second boo...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Li rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, read-in-2010, series, young-adult, urban-fantasy

Let’s get it straight, I didn’t not like Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Demon's Lexicon – it’s just that I didn’t love it as much as I’d expected I would, having read all the glowing reviews. There were some bits that appealed very much too me – the British feel, that twist at the end, but all in all, I didn’t fall in love with it. Which is why I didn’t rush out to get this book when it was released earlier this year.

Fast-forward a couple of months, I was browsing in Foyles and irrationally pleased t...more Let’s get it straight, I didn’t not like Sarah Rees Brennan’s The Demon's Lexicon – it’s just that I didn’t love it as much as I’d expected I would, having read all the glowing reviews. There were some bits that appealed very much too me – the British feel, that twist at the end, but all in all, I didn’t fall in love with it. Which is why I didn’t rush out to get this book when it was released earlier this year.

Fast-forward a couple of months, I was browsing in Foyles and irrationally pleased to see Megan Whalen Turner’s books featured in a display case right in the middle of the YA section – I mean, I’ve never ever seen her books in a UK bookstore before, much less spotlighted. Why, they even had a hardcover of A Conspiracy of Kings. Looking a little closer, I realised it was in honour of Sarah Rees Brennan’s recent visit to the store and her picks. So how could I not buy The Demon’s Covenant after that?

So I did, and wow, was I pleasantly surprised. This was a complete page-turner for me, and trust me, the book wasn’t far from my side throughout the entire day, that’s how much I wanted to know what was going to happen.

The Demon’s Covenant picks up the story pretty much after the events of the previous book, but with a POV switch to that of Mae. Mae is trying to put her life back together, except she can’t. Magic exists. Her life has changed irrevocably, and as much as she’s trying to ignore it, she can’t. So she’s almost relieved to have a reason to have to call on Alan and Nick for help when she finds out that her brother Jamie is once again dabbling with magic and the dark magician Circles are trying to lure him away. But Alan and Nick have issues of their own, and Mae finds herself entangled in a wider web of intrigue and power struggles. Oh, and there’s also her attraction to both of the boys, for very different reasons…

It all builds up to an an exhilarating climax, and I was left slightly misty-eyed at the end of it. The ending was one of those when you have to flip back and re-read a passage and you think “no, that can’t have happened”, but it did. Several times. And sets things up very nicely for the third and final book.

I’m thinking part of the reason I liked this better was because of the change in narrator. In hindsight, it made sense that Nick, because of who and what he is, was somewhat detached from the world, and that possibly carried through to me as a reader. I also didn’t quite grasp Mae’s character in the previous book – okay, if I’m totally honest, she was borderline irritating for me. Maybe because she was to Nick, and it was his POV. Job done. Whereas in this book, the story is from Mae’s viewpoint, I understood where she was coming from, and empathised with her more.

This book just wasn’t about the plot, it was very much about relationships. The main ones obviously being the sibling relationships – Mae/Jamie and Nick/Alan – which were very strongly drawn. And so many other complicated relationships in the book: Mae and Jamie and their mother, Nick and Alan and Sin, Mae and Nick, Mae and Alan, Jamie and Gerald… the list goes on and on. Characters make or break a book for me, and they certainly made this one.

There were some bits in this book that jarred on my ears slightly, such as overuse of certain adjectives when it came to describing some things, but the positives easily outweigh the negatives. Oh, and something which amused me greatly: I occasionally read Ms Rees Brennan’s livejournal because she is hilarious. And Jamie’s voice in the book is exactly the same as her livejournal voice. Whether that is intentional or not, I have no idea.

Sometimes, the middle book of a trilogy feels somewhat lacking as it doesn’t have the novelty of the first nor the climax of the third – to me, The Demon’s Covenant had the wow factor that the first was missing and was a very satisfying story in itself. I am now dying to know what happens next and how Ms Rees Brennan is going to wrap up this excellent story.

Finally, and somewhat irrelevantly, but curious minds want to know – why is Sin featured on the US cover, when it is Mae who is the narrator and has a much bigger part? Unless that is Mae, but surely she has pink hair?

*A version originally published on my blog: http://bookdaze.wordpress.com/2010/07...(less)

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Dec 01, 2012 KT Malec rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sarah-rees-brennan

If anything, the sequel was better than the first one.

Switching to Mae's POV, we begin to see things differently. Jamie is getting into trouble and is growing apart from Mae. Nick is being....well, Nick. And Alan...

He's about to make what could be the biggest mistake of his life.

And Mae doesn't know how to stop him.

******************************************************

I prefer Nick as a character, but seeing the story through Mae's eyes was refreshing. You see a lot of character development thro...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: british, absolute-favorites, dark, demons, lgbt, strong-heroines, ya

An amazing sequel to the Demon's Lexicon. Loved it, possibly even more than the first book, because of how close knit the group is. Nick remains one of the most fascinating characters I've encountered -- reminds me quite a bit of Cassel Sharpe from Holly Black's White Cat series. There's something about characters who are dangerous and incredibly powerful, with dubious morals, who choose to find on the side of good, that I love. The dialogue is legitimately funny -- Jamie is a wonderful wisecrac...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-august

This series was great to start with, and it just keeps getting better; enough so that I kind of want to go back and raise my rating of DEMON'S LEXICON to 5 stars, because the more I think about it, the better I like it. But anyway, DEMON'S COVENANT...

This book follows Mae, and her concerns about Jamie, and his troubles with magicians. It starts a little slowly, because she has decided to get over Nick and Alan by getting involved with a "normal" boy, Zeb, who is an artist, as well as Mae's favor...more

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May 17, 2012 Grace rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, for-review, paranormal, young-adult

Summary

The Demon's Covenant is second in a series, the first book being The Demon's Lexicon. It is fairly decent as a stand alone as well since the story for this book doesn't depend on the previous book having been read, though some might find it useful.

That being said, book two, the Demon's Covenant is about magicians, demons, humans and “The Market People” vying to make their way in the world. There are two magicians circles that are vying for power, using any and all that get in their path...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Liyana rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really dislike the second book phase. This is where I usually get disappointed with the characters, their motivations and the series in general, and thus impacts my feelings for the final book.

The Demon's Covenant is different because while it does the the things in the Book 2 phase well, it's also a story that can stand on its own without the reader having to read The Demon's Lexicon beforehand. Re-reading this will be such a pleasure, with little details popping out and giving different mean...more I really dislike the second book phase. This is where I usually get disappointed with the characters, their motivations and the series in general, and thus impacts my feelings for the final book.

The Demon's Covenant is different because while it does the the things in the Book 2 phase well, it's also a story that can stand on its own without the reader having to read The Demon's Lexicon beforehand. Re-reading this will be such a pleasure, with little details popping out and giving different meaning to the storyline.

Readers are treated to a gentler version of the dark humour in TDL. Told from Mae's point of view, it continues from the events in TDL in a warmer, human tone. Brennan truly excels in enhancing the importance of family dynamics and the role it plays in the motivations of the main characters. Mae's relationship with her brother is the focus here, with the relationship with their mother on the fringes. It draws parallels between Nick's life and her own, but while Olivia loves Alan half as much as she hates Nick, Annabel is the doting absent mother trying to make up for her workaholic ways.

Mae and Jamie grew on me. Where once I thought of them as secondary characters, they now play a big part in my TDL trilogy psyche. The series truly will not be the same without them. At times I would get frustrated with how reliable Mae was as a narrator, but not as a participant of what was happening in the book. It was as if all the focus was on the world, and not Mae's internal concerns and angst. But there it is: in that world, there's not a lot of time for fretting and worrying about what ifs. They're all too busy trying to stay alive. She was reactive for the first half, reminiscent of the Mae in TDL. My admiration for her surfaced when she started being more pro-active in the seconf half. While I don't like the 'girl between brothers' plot arc, I thought it was executed well. Mae's comeuppance? Well played and deserved.

Nick would approve. He and Alan are coping with the after effects of TDL, dealing with Olivia and Black Arthur's deaths and their exile from the Goblin Market. Having read TDL just before TDC, it is painfully obvious how it would affect Nick, who loves the market. And yet it is unsaid. It doesn't need to be said, because with every carefully worded sentence, Brennan delves deep into the characters and show the readers their lives, love, fears. I love how every little nuance let the reader care so much about these characters and follow them on their painstakingly vivid journey with anxiety and excitement. These are smart, horribly human characters indeed, and they deserve every bit of your attention. The makeout scenes deserve more than a passing mention, because wowzers, fans of Mae+Alan and Mae+Nick given a treat.(less)

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Sep 07, 2011 Cari rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Better than the first!
I had my doubts about this sequel because:
1. It was in Mae's point of view and
2. Second books in trilogies usually suck real hard.
I was pleasantly surprised. To my joy, the brother's were still the center of the story and Mae actually grew on me. Out of the core four in The Demon's Lexicon, Mae and Jamie were my least favorites, Mae slightly worse. (I know I'm in the minority) But Jamie had a bigger part in this book with his kick ass magic and his banter with Nick. Nick an...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Josie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 02, 2011 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, urban-fantasy

It’s been a couple of weeks since they were nearly killed by magicians and Mae and her brother Jamie are trying to get back into the routine of their ordinary Exeter life. Spunky, resourceful Mae is busy with school and going out with her friends, who include normal, boyfriend material Seb. Comic but gentle Jamie is back to doing what he knows best: being tormented by the local bullies. What concerns Mae more than the bullying though is his secret contact with the magician Gerald, whom she thoug...more It’s been a couple of weeks since they were nearly killed by magicians and Mae and her brother Jamie are trying to get back into the routine of their ordinary Exeter life. Spunky, resourceful Mae is busy with school and going out with her friends, who include normal, boyfriend material Seb. Comic but gentle Jamie is back to doing what he knows best: being tormented by the local bullies. What concerns Mae more than the bullying though is his secret contact with the magician Gerald, whom she thought was their shared enemy. Forced to surrender even the appearance of normalcy, Mae again turns to brothers Nick and Alan to sway Jamie away from the lure of magic. But something happened to drive a wedge between them, and Nick is as cold and indecipherable as ever while Alan, though kind, remains a master at lying. It’s up to Mae to discover what has driven them apart and in turn knock some sense into her brother before they are at the mercy of both the magicians and the demons they call.

Normally this would be the space where I’d confess my concerns for the second installment in The Demon’s Lexicon series but admittedly, there were none. Without taking the plethora of glowing reader and professional reviews into consideration the mind-blowing experience of reading The Demon’s Lexicon left me completely confident in Sarah Rees Brennan’s abilities in future installments. And frankly I think her second book may be even better than her first. There are few YA series (a number which can probably be counted on one hand) that meet such high standards for each installment.

First, can I say something about these characters (while I surrender to completely subjective book gushing)? Just when you think you have one pigeon-holed or written off as one note – BAM! – you’re completely overtaken by their depth. I mean, the flawed and beloved pair of Nick and Alan would be enough, but then Brennan has to go and be an overachiever and make both Mae and Jamie just as complex and surprising. Really, way to make reader and aspiring writer alike feel inferior. ;) I love Mae and especially Jamie in this one, who is extremely witty in both the clever and laugh-out-loud ways (insert one of several one-liners here). I liked Mae and Nick’s interactions and always looked forward with bated breath towards the reading of the journal passages. The flashbacks therein are extremely heartbreaking yet hopeful. Surprisingly enough, one of my favorite characters was Mae and Jamie’s prim and proper mother. Again, as a reader you think you may have it all (well, considering your track record with the series probably just one or two plot lines or character motivations) figured out when you’re slapped in the face with the unexpected, never-would-have-imagined-in-a-thousand-years truth. As you can imagine this makes for one exhilarating reading experience. Before I become less vague and more gushing in my review of THE DEMON'S COVENANT please give this series a shot if you haven’t already! I love the direction it’s taking and will put everything on hold this coming June when my copy of THE DEMON'S SURRENDER arrives.(less)

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Feb 11, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

PLEASE NOTE: This novel is the second in a series. While I will try not to spoil anything from Book 1, The Demon's Lexicon, if you're really concerned you might want to avoid reading this review until you've read the first book.

I must admit, there are times that I don't really know what to make of these books.It somehow feels like Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising series got smushed together with Holly Black's Tithe, yet the series is completely original. All I know is, my first reaction upon fi...more PLEASE NOTE: This novel is the second in a series. While I will try not to spoil anything from Book 1, The Demon's Lexicon, if you're really concerned you might want to avoid reading this review until you've read the first book.

I must admit, there are times that I don't really know what to make of these books.It somehow feels like Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising series got smushed together with Holly Black's Tithe, yet the series is completely original. All I know is, my first reaction upon finishing The Demon's Covenant was immediately wanting to reread both books in the series, and that's a very good thing. Partly that's due to Brennan's gift for surprising the reader (particularly well done in the first book in the series); I want to go back and see exactly what hints she laid when as to how the novel would turn out. But most of it is just the beauty of Brennan's writing--there are scenes that are so heart-wrenching, and so gorgeous that I just can't wait to experience them again.

The Demon's Lexicon first introduced us to the Ryves brothers, Nick and Alan, and to the siblings Mae and Jamie, who sought their help when Jamie was demon-marked. The Demon's Lexicon introduced a fascinating secret world of magic hovering just beneath our own, but while the world-building was strong, stronger still to me was the characterization, particularly of the viewpoint character, Nick. It's difficult to write a character who is sympathetic while not being especially nice, and that Brennan managed to do so while telling the story through Nick's eyes was particularly impressive. So when she switched to Mae's perspective for the second book in the series, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had enjoyed her in Lexicon, particularly in scenes featuring the Goblin's Market, but could she carry an entire book? Mae doesn't have an impressive cachet of supernatural powers, nor a great deal of folkloric knowledge to fall back on; you could say she has "heart," which a less skilled author might treat as an informed ability or useless trait.

As it turns out, Mae's completely mundane nature makes her an excellent viewpoint character, not only because she's easier to relate to, but also because her acts of courage seem that much braver with no magic to fall back on. When the novel begins, several weeks have passed since the events that transpired in Lexicon, and Mae is trying to resume her lifestyle: heading back to school, grounded thanks to her two week unexplained absence, and thinking about dating a new guy. She still feels protective of her younger brother Jamie, especially when she notes that a magician of the Obsidian Circle seems to have set his sights on Jamie. Mae needs help, and turns to the Ryves brothers, who come running to her aid. Soon Mae finds herself in the midst of a love quadrangle (I visualize it as a pyramid, really, with Mae at its apex), while Jamie may be turning into his own worst enemy, and Alan finds out just how much he may be willing to do for his brother.

Mae, like The Demon's Covenant as a whole, is not perfect but managed to win me over despite her flaws and sometimes because of them. I liked that she didn't play it safe; that she made mistakes sometimes even with her eyes wide open, although that sometimes made me angry with her as well. For example, one of her romantic prospects, Seb, is a character who, before expressing interest in Mae, has been bullying Jamie at school. Charming as Seb was when it was just the two of them, I couldn't understand why Mae would have anything to do with him--unless she thought she could curtail the bullying by doing so. As for the novel as a whole, it could have lost me with the love triangle aspect--not my favorite plot device, as I've said time and time again. There were definitely times when I felt an eye roll coming on--but I sensed that Brennan was well aware of prevalence of the love triangle in YA fiction, and was having fun with it. Plus the romantic tanglements--and subsequent expressions of YA friendly sensuality--never overwhelmed the rest of the plot, nor was it treated as at all superior to the non-romantic relationships, such as between siblings or parent and child.

The YA fantasy genre is really booming right now, and I think that The Demon's Lexicon has a lot to offer those who are already fond of the genre; a strong heroine, sexy guys (depending whether you prefer the nerdy or bad boy type), and lots of interpersonal drama. But it should also appeal to those not in love with the stereotyped teen romance, paranormal or not, with its solid world-building, touches of humor, and characters to root for. I can't wait to see what Brennan comes up with next!(less)

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Jan 30, 2011 TheBookSmugglers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2010

Original Review HERE

Warning: this review contains spoilers for the FIRST BOOK because I can’t review the second without spoiling the first one. The spoiler completely ruins the experience of reading the first book and if you haven’t yet but still plan to read The Demon’s Lexicon I urge you to avert your eyes NOW. You have been warned!

It was only a few days ago that I talked about how 2010 has been a great reading year for me. The Demon’s Covenant is another addition to an already incredible line...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Kara Hughes rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was actually kind of hard to even find, and I wanted very much to find it. Actually, I searched for months, occasionally rereading the first book to keep me going. So when I received it for Christmas, I was really excited. And it didn't disappoint!

I think one of the best parts of this book was seeing things through Mae's eyes, because she is such an awesome character. Such witty shirts, so suave, so badass. She's not a black hearted demon or awesomely powerful sorcerer; she's a teenage...more

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Nov 24, 2010 Ryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So this one was a quite a bit better than the first in the series! This is the kind of writing I was expecting from SRB in Demon's Lexicon, in which plot, characterization, writing... all seemed a little weak to me.

I love the male characters - all of them. I'm sure I'm joining a crowd when I say that I especially love Jamie. His comments, cowardice, and dawning maturity are easily recognizable to fans of SRB and a delight to read.

I still dislike Mae in a big way, and I hate how she strings guys...more So this one was a quite a bit better than the first in the series! This is the kind of writing I was expecting from SRB in Demon's Lexicon, in which plot, characterization, writing... all seemed a little weak to me.

I love the male characters - all of them. I'm sure I'm joining a crowd when I say that I especially love Jamie. His comments, cowardice, and dawning maturity are easily recognizable to fans of SRB and a delight to read.

I still dislike Mae in a big way, and I hate how she strings guys along, whether knowingly or unknowingly. I find her quite fake and one-dimensional, and I'm sure that I would have enjoyed the book more if it was in the pov of one of the male characters. She is given responsibilities and special attention for no apparent reason, and any 'ability' she has seems to be in running about and fussing over people, especially Jamie. I totally did not understand her leadership in the end of the book as it seemed a forced and random effort to make her more involved. Annabel, however, was an unexpected, complex, and enjoyable character. Sin was more involved in this book and I don't like her much, either. She is the stereotypical badass leader-wannabe, and too perfect to believe.

I think I like the male characters more because they are so much more flawed and struggling with their flaws. Alan, even though I don't get to peer into his psyche anywhere near as much as I'd like, is so complex! He is happy and sweet, and yet he lies and manipulates like he was born for it. Nick... Ah, Nick. I think he is flawed as well, and I love reading about him, but I think he kind of puts his 'demon-ness' aside for Mae, or when he wants to. But I adore his fierce need for and protectiveness of Alan. Seb's secret,too, was so interesting! I really want to hear more about him.

One thing I definitely don't like about the male characters, however, is that they all seem so beautiful. It's a little boring to read how perfect they are, frankly. The only thing 'wrong' about them seems to be that they are pale, Jamie is skinny, and Alan has a limp. Actually, all the characters (including Sin) have this trait of wild, perfect beauty. I'm not sure if it's a YA thing...? The only YA book I can remember offhand that shows physical flaws in a main character is Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series (although I haven't read past the 2nd book yet, so she may have changed that character into a model of epic proportions in the later books).

Dear Authors,
Please note: some people are ugly. It happens. Quite often, actually.
Thanks,
Ugly People of the World

All in all, I am much more eager to read the third book than I was to read the second. I can only hope that her writing continues to improve. (less)

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Nov 09, 2010 Janet Jin rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was ok with the Demon's Lexicon. Not particularly in love because none of the characters felt enticing or real to me, but I do enjoy SRB's writing and wit and was willing to give Covenant a try. It definitely didn't win me over much. The plot seems more intricate and the characters slightly more richly portrayed than the first novel, but I hated the narrative.

Mae is someone that the author tries so hard to make admirable, appealing, and original that she ends up coming across as contrived, se...more I was ok with the Demon's Lexicon. Not particularly in love because none of the characters felt enticing or real to me, but I do enjoy SRB's writing and wit and was willing to give Covenant a try. It definitely didn't win me over much. The plot seems more intricate and the characters slightly more richly portrayed than the first novel, but I hated the narrative.

Mae is someone that the author tries so hard to make admirable, appealing, and original that she ends up coming across as contrived, selfish, and boring. She's terribly dull as a character with no personality qualities or special abilities except a repeated obsession with raves and dancing (literally every page has some mention of her past/present/future engaged in these pursuits) and some strange appeal to the men in this story. I'm still not clear why either Nick or Alan like her, maybe because she talks like a smartass (but then so does everyone). Her pink hair sounds awful (how often must she dye the roots?) and although she seems skilled at making out, I'm not sure that qualifies as something more than a superficial attractive quality.

And seriously, I started thinking towards the end that this girl would be willing to make out with anything and anyone. Hot kiss scenes are fun, but not between boring characters and not when there's one almost every chapter with a different guy.

Strangely, SRB's extra stories online plus the diary entries by Daniel Ryves in this book were awesome. They possess a charm and depth of story and feeling that seems absent from the actual text of the books (probably due to an un-compelling narrator in this case).

I have higher hopes for Demon's Surrender as Sin seems like an actually interesting personality and a true kick-ass female. However, I'm pretty sure there's going to be an Alan/Sin pairing (based on how predictably cliche the couples are in this trilogy) and I'm not keen on that. What's wrong with just having Alan and Nick stay together forever without being torn up by side girl characters? The brother's dynamic is the one aspect of this story I love but which continues to be spoiled by random crushes and all-too-convenient romantic sidelines. Maybe it'd be fun if they were actually convincing and not so obvious, but oh well. I'll probably finish the trilogy just for the heck of it.

BTW, the US covers are pretty ugly imo, at least compared to the UK ones which have lovely art. I mean Sin looks like an anorexic 30-year-old in this picture, and the flames are so cheesy and photoshopped. (less)

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Oct 03, 2010 Yune rated it 4 of 5 stars

In telling you that I stayed up all night reading this, I feel obligated to add that I'm horribly jet-lagged from an overseas trip and so am on a nocturnal schedule anyway. Nevertheless, the sentiment holds. I don't see this as weaker than The Demon's Lexicon, as so many middle-child books are.

It took me a bit to get into it. The beginning still fails to interest me, as this book's told from Mae's perspective. I only vaguely remembered her from the first book, and nothing in the opening scene ma...more

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