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The Speaker
(The Reader Trilogy #2)
by
Having barely escaped the clutches of the Guard, Sefia and Archer are back on the run, slipping into the safety of the forest to tend to their wounds and plan their next move. Haunted by painful memories, Archer struggles to overcome the trauma of his past with the impressors, whose cruelty plagues him whenever he closes his eyes. But when Sefia and Archer happen upon a cr
...more
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Hardcover, 487 pages
Published
November 7th 2017
by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
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Cecilia
17 or 18. It says so right in the book.
Community Reviews
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Start your review of The Speaker (Sea of Ink and Gold, #2)
The girl is back. The boy is back. The book is back. The magic is back.
*I have to add that these two books in this series are freaking gorgeous in person and have the deckle edges. I love to pet them =)
*I have to add that these two books in this series are freaking gorgeous in person and have the deckle edges. I love to pet them =)
Argo flipped him onto his back, straddled his chest, and raised a hand to strike....more
In that moment, the nameless boy understood: This was the end. He was going to die.
He would cease to breathe. Cease to be. Cease to hurt. It would be easy.
But he didn't want to die.
And knowing that, knowing he
If you loved THE READER, you won't be disappointed with the next installment of the SEA OF INK AND GOLD trilogy. I was delighted to return to the land of Kelanna with Sefia and Archer and experience all their new adventures. Archer's character arc in particular was so fascinating, and I loved the way Sefia grew more confident in her abilities and goals. There are some familiar characters who return in this book, as well as some new (and now favorite) ones as well. And the MAGIC! The magic is so
...more
i was lucky enough to read an early draft of this and it. blew. me. away. you guys are going to LOVE THIS!
March 2020 update: This book is still as magical and amazing and I'm in love. Now I'm scared to continue with The Storyteller though, IT'S GOING TO WRECK ME!!!!!
First read, May 2018:
Holy shit.
HOLY SHIT.
THIS BOOK MADE ME QUESTION MY OWN DAMN NAME!!!!!
I loved The Reader but The Speaker blew me away. The way it's woven in with events that happen in the first book, answering some questions but raising EVEN MORE QUESTIONS. It's also much darker, a lot more fast paced and all around BETTER. Every even ...more
First read, May 2018:
Holy shit.
HOLY SHIT.
THIS BOOK MADE ME QUESTION MY OWN DAMN NAME!!!!!
I loved The Reader but The Speaker blew me away. The way it's woven in with events that happen in the first book, answering some questions but raising EVEN MORE QUESTIONS. It's also much darker, a lot more fast paced and all around BETTER. Every even ...more
This trilogy is so fantastic, I highly recommend them to all lovers of YA fantasy! I know they're not very well renowned, so I'll avoid spoilers, but there are so many feels!
If you loved The Reader, you won't be disappointed in this next installment! Sefia and Archer are back in the magical land of Kelanna, along with plenty of new characters for you to fall in love with and give your soul to. I won't describe them (even if I did I wouldn't be able do do them justice), but they are all unique an ...more
If you loved The Reader, you won't be disappointed in this next installment! Sefia and Archer are back in the magical land of Kelanna, along with plenty of new characters for you to fall in love with and give your soul to. I won't describe them (even if I did I wouldn't be able do do them justice), but they are all unique an ...more
tfw a book/series is full of people and events that are all interrelated but you don't see the casuality and connections linearly and so you're just like omg wtf with every new twist and discovery and then you lie there wondering what kind of genius it takes to make all of that work
sorry I'm incoherent but I loved this book.
Sefia and Archer are probably my ultimate OTP of recent YA. *cries*
p.s. there are multiple queer supporting characters/couples, including a trans girl, and I am happy that th ...more
sorry I'm incoherent but I loved this book.
Sefia and Archer are probably my ultimate OTP of recent YA. *cries*
p.s. there are multiple queer supporting characters/couples, including a trans girl, and I am happy that th ...more
TRACI HOW.
Update:
Oct 7, 2017
My ARC has arrived! Thank you Penguin Random House!
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Full Review on my blog: http://wp.me/p6917X-X1
Oct 19, 2017
This book was everything. Exceptionally well-written with a story which will live on through the readers. ...more
Oct 7, 2017
My ARC has arrived! Thank you Penguin Random House!
-
Full Review on my blog: http://wp.me/p6917X-X1
Oct 19, 2017
This book was everything. Exceptionally well-written with a story which will live on through the readers. ...more
An enthralling sequel to THE READER. Sefia and Archer are on the run and fall in with a band of kids just like Archer: forced killers with a score to settle. As the group embarks on a quest of retribution, Archer's in danger of losing himself to his own dark impulses. The writing is mouth-watering, the world endlessly inventive, the emotion real. Sefia and Archer's romance picks up steam, and there is, of course, more of my favorite, Captain Reed. I love everything about this series, and I think
...more
Trust Traci Chee.
If you are young, she will show you what it's like to have power. If you are old, she will remind you of what it was like to have adventure.
She will fold you up in her world and make you gape at life and flinch at violence and not so much believe in magic as point out that the proof is all around you.
I cannot wait to read the next one. ...more
If you are young, she will show you what it's like to have power. If you are old, she will remind you of what it was like to have adventure.
She will fold you up in her world and make you gape at life and flinch at violence and not so much believe in magic as point out that the proof is all around you.
I cannot wait to read the next one. ...more
Things that made me happy about The Speaker:
*The merry band of brotherhood - Peter Pan vibes for days, these lost boys (and girls) are rescued and then left with no direction, so Archer gives them a direction, and a purpose, and compassion. He gives them a reason to keep going and to move on from what happened. It's not always happy, nor is it easy, but I loved the bonds they all formed with each other. ALL THE FEELS.
*The normalization of boys feeling emotions - society pretends boys can't and s ...more
*The merry band of brotherhood - Peter Pan vibes for days, these lost boys (and girls) are rescued and then left with no direction, so Archer gives them a direction, and a purpose, and compassion. He gives them a reason to keep going and to move on from what happened. It's not always happy, nor is it easy, but I loved the bonds they all formed with each other. ALL THE FEELS.
*The normalization of boys feeling emotions - society pretends boys can't and s ...more
just as amazing as the first!!! this is a really incredible series that i would absolutely mention in the same breath as six of crows in terms of great, genre-saving ya
4.5 ~ Baaaaah all my feels are all over the place. I carrrrre. I care about these people so much. I want them to be happy but there's so much hardness and darkness will it ever be possible?
Also, that side story about the King and his Assassin who fall in love had me in pieces. I NEED A WHOLE TRILOGY ABOUT THOSE BOYS. ...more
Also, that side story about the King and his Assassin who fall in love had me in pieces. I NEED A WHOLE TRILOGY ABOUT THOSE BOYS. ...more
Honestly, this book is too smart for a dummy like me to fully appreciate. I’m blown away.
“Wanting the world to be a better place than it is? That doesn’t make you weak. That makes you the kind of person this world needs.”
CW’s: Violence, Death/Murder, Trauma, Suicide(Attempts), Self-Harm
Actual Rating: 4.75 Stars
Yes hello I would like to report that I’m shocked by how much better this was than the first book. Like how??? The Reader was a pretty decent book, but my main issues when I read it was with how little I could connect to any of the characters and how it didn’t seem to leav ...more
Folks, another five glittering stars for this superb and gloriously designed series by Traci Chee!!!
After reading "The Reader" I was hooked from the first page on, and wanted to learn more about Sefia and Archer...
Well, the characters have more deep and contour…
Also, the story unravels faster and a much richer complexity…
Now I'm very much looking forwards to the next installment!!!
"Sea of Ink and Gold" is a fantasy series which displays dystopian features, science fiction, and on top is decorate ...more
After reading "The Reader" I was hooked from the first page on, and wanted to learn more about Sefia and Archer...
Well, the characters have more deep and contour…
Also, the story unravels faster and a much richer complexity…
Now I'm very much looking forwards to the next installment!!!
"Sea of Ink and Gold" is a fantasy series which displays dystopian features, science fiction, and on top is decorate ...more
It's not fair how amazing the writing is!
...more
WHAT. A. STORY.
Traci Chee does it again with her clever writing, multifaceted characters, and heart-aching storyline(s). The Speaker starts from where The Reader leaves off, but everything is much more intense: Sefia’s feelings towards her family’s past; Archer’s lust for blood after being surrounded by violence for so long; and the politics that they become embroiled in. Chee is so talented in writing multiple storylines that all come together in the end. While I found myself more interested in ...more
Traci Chee does it again with her clever writing, multifaceted characters, and heart-aching storyline(s). The Speaker starts from where The Reader leaves off, but everything is much more intense: Sefia’s feelings towards her family’s past; Archer’s lust for blood after being surrounded by violence for so long; and the politics that they become embroiled in. Chee is so talented in writing multiple storylines that all come together in the end. While I found myself more interested in ...more
Oct 17, 2017
Cassie James
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
beautiful-cover,
mystery,
great-read,
young-adult,
arc,
action,
fiction,
ya-fantasy,
ya-romance,
fantasy
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.
The lush and complexly beautiful world introduced in The Reader was an absolute delight to get back into with The Speaker. Traci Chee became one of my favorite authors with her debut book and she has amazed me once more. The Speaker is just as good if not better than The Reader. The Speaker begins with Sefia and Archer still on the run from The Guard, she has been ...more
The lush and complexly beautiful world introduced in The Reader was an absolute delight to get back into with The Speaker. Traci Chee became one of my favorite authors with her debut book and she has amazed me once more. The Speaker is just as good if not better than The Reader. The Speaker begins with Sefia and Archer still on the run from The Guard, she has been ...more
You gUYS THIS BOOK,
I should probably stop rating and reviewing books right after I read them, but when they're this good I can't help it.
If you loved the first book, you're going to love this one. The writing is still absolutely gorgeous, the characters are well rounded AND THAT WORLD AND THAT MAGIC SYSTEM, PERFECTION. I'm afraid if i let myself rant about it I'll start gushing spoilers, but considering I read an ARC and the book's not out yet, that wouldn't be fair.
All I have to saw is you guys ...more
I should probably stop rating and reviewing books right after I read them, but when they're this good I can't help it.
If you loved the first book, you're going to love this one. The writing is still absolutely gorgeous, the characters are well rounded AND THAT WORLD AND THAT MAGIC SYSTEM, PERFECTION. I'm afraid if i let myself rant about it I'll start gushing spoilers, but considering I read an ARC and the book's not out yet, that wouldn't be fair.
All I have to saw is you guys ...more
Reread Oct-Nov 2018 -- still really love this book and can't wait to start book 3!!
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4.5 stars
review of the ARC -- I won this from a fanart contest held by Traci!
HELLO YES, I DIED.
I don't know if I like this or the first book more. They're very different, but also still the same. This one reminded me a lot of when I first read DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor. IT WAS SO SAD, but it ended on hope. (There's also not a cliffhanger for this book. YAY)
I'm going to buy the finished copy i ...more
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4.5 stars
review of the ARC -- I won this from a fanart contest held by Traci!
HELLO YES, I DIED.
I don't know if I like this or the first book more. They're very different, but also still the same. This one reminded me a lot of when I first read DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor. IT WAS SO SAD, but it ended on hope. (There's also not a cliffhanger for this book. YAY)
I'm going to buy the finished copy i ...more
YES YES YES! 100000000000000x YES!
I can't put into words how much I enjoyed this sequel. You will just have to wait for the review.
Full review to come! ...more
I can't put into words how much I enjoyed this sequel. You will just have to wait for the review.
Full review to come! ...more
Wow, maybe it's the post-festive spirit speaking, but the sequel to The Reader is much, much better. Offering story within a story, this book intertwines the past, the present and the future and provides a perfect mix of adventure, love and magic. Well-thought character development, superb writing and courage to sacrifice characters to make the narration feel real - Traci Chee has made me happy.
...more
This series is just so well written and intriguing and there are just so many layers to it all, the world, the characters, the stories, the History itself. I love it and can't wait to read the last book.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bloglovin'
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My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bloglovin'
...more
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This book, and this series, are so so good. The entire world and plot are so detailed and layered and I can't wrap my mind around how amazing this is. Traci Chee is a genius. And every single character is so amazing as well?
...more
This is one of the best YA fantasy series I’ve read. It’s smart with great writing and really envelopes the reader into the story with unique uses of typeface, hidden messages and a feeling of not quite knowing what’s real. This second installment wasn’t quite as meta as the first, but it was still a great read. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Last year I was introduced to the world of The Reader and was amazed by how unique it was and the numerous layers to the story. So of course I was dying to jump into The Speaker as soon as possible. I really liked The Reader, but I absolutely LOVED The Speaker. This book blew me away and I fell in love with this world even more.
I’ve always loved Sefia and I came to love her even more in this one. She is so strong and smart and I love how far she is willing to go for those she loves. And of cours ...more
I’ve always loved Sefia and I came to love her even more in this one. She is so strong and smart and I love how far she is willing to go for those she loves. And of cours ...more
This book was heavy. Heavier than the first. When I was reading it, I almost felt like I couldn't breathe. There was so much going on. So much to take in. This is so much more improved than the first. The world is far more intricate, and there are storylines that are starting to come together, make sense, and give so much depth to the story. The little excerpts from the Book were more compact and made more sense (as Sefia understood it better). The characters were fleshed out more.
The only thin ...more
The only thin ...more
I had trouble remembering the first book well enough to understand who was whom in this book. Then the story kept jumping to other characters I didn't remember, then they introduced the possibility of time changes, and even a willingness to just float along and stop trying to make sense of it never returned a positive result.
Maybe if I listened to the first and second book back-to-back, or if I read them instead of listening to them, they would make more sense. ...more
Maybe if I listened to the first and second book back-to-back, or if I read them instead of listening to them, they would make more sense. ...more
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Traci Chee is a New York Times best-selling author and National Book Award Finalist. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at bonsai gardening, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco
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Other books in the series
The Reader Trilogy
(3 books)
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“Wanting the world to be a better place than it is? That doesn’t make you weak. That makes you the kind of person this world needs.”
—
15 likes
“There were three ways to kill a king:
You could face him with all the force of your military might, and in the end one of you would fall.
You could stab him from behind like a coward, cringing in the shadows.
Or you could kill him slowly, from the inside out, so he wouldn't even know until it was too late. If you did your job right, he might even thank you for it.
These were the differences between Soldiers, Assassins, and Politicians.
Only Politicians did it with a certain flair.”
—
6 likes
More quotes…
You could face him with all the force of your military might, and in the end one of you would fall.
You could stab him from behind like a coward, cringing in the shadows.
Or you could kill him slowly, from the inside out, so he wouldn't even know until it was too late. If you did your job right, he might even thank you for it.
These were the differences between Soldiers, Assassins, and Politicians.
Only Politicians did it with a certain flair.”
