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Dark Breaks the Dawn Duology #2
Bright Burns the Night
The conclusion to critically acclaimed author Sara B. Larson's haunting and romantic reimagining of Swan Lake , a YA duology packed with action, betrayal, romance, and twists. Ten years ago, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom Dorjhalon defeated Queen Evelayn and cut her conduit stone from her. Since then, he has kept her trapped in her swan form. With the loss of balance between Dark and Light, winter has descended and the Draíolon of Éadrolan lose more power every day. But once a year, Lorcan transforms her back to her Draíolon form and offers a truce. And every year Evelayn refuses -- for he requires her to Bind herself to him for life.But now, with an Ancient power bearing down upon them, everything may change. Evelayn will learn that the truths she once believed have shattered, and that she may need her enemies even more than her allies. Lorcan and Evelayn become partners in a desperate quest to return the balance of power to Lachalonia. How far will this partnership go? Can friendship -- perhaps even love -- bloom where hatred has taken root?Sara B. Larson delivers a thrillingly romantic and hauntingly satisfying end to this extraordinary duology.
307 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2018
67 people are currently reading
2517 people want to read
About the author
Sara B. Larson
12 books1,900 followersSara B. Larson is the best-selling and critically acclaimed author of multiple YA fantasy books,
including A Promised Vengeance (coming Oct 2025), the Defy trilogy, the Dark Breaks the Dawn duology, and the
Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. Every Beat After will be her adult debut 6.2.26. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband, their four children, and their dogs, Loki the Maltese and Bindi the English Cream Retriever, where she also runs a commercial preschool. When she’s not mothering, preschooling, or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction
She’s online at www.SaraBLarson.com.
including A Promised Vengeance (coming Oct 2025), the Defy trilogy, the Dark Breaks the Dawn duology, and the
Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. Every Beat After will be her adult debut 6.2.26. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband, their four children, and their dogs, Loki the Maltese and Bindi the English Cream Retriever, where she also runs a commercial preschool. When she’s not mothering, preschooling, or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction
She’s online at www.SaraBLarson.com.
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May 18, 2018I got the finished hardcover of this book and HOLY SMOKES it is GORGEOUS. Scholastic really outdid themselves! I can't wait for you all to get your copies in less than two weeks when it comes out!! (may 29th!!!)
I just turned in my copy edits for this book and I can't WAIT to share this conclusion with all of you! I don't know how many of my readers caught it, but there *may or may not* be some unreliable narrators in Dark Breaks the Dawn....*vague author is vague* :D
I just turned in my copy edits for this book and I can't WAIT to share this conclusion with all of you! I don't know how many of my readers caught it, but there *may or may not* be some unreliable narrators in Dark Breaks the Dawn....*vague author is vague* :D
January 22, 2019
Beautiful covers for both books of the duology. This is an okay book and overall an okay duology but honestly, it didn’t keep my attention for most the time and my mind would just wonder to other things. I should let it be known, I am not one of those who are really into things Swan Lake (unfortunately because I think it would be lovely). I do however adore retellings so love that the author did a retelling of Swan Lake in a very interesting way. I believe if you are into Swan Lake and also retellings, give this duology a shot because I bet you will enjoy it more than I did.
My quick and simple overall: fun retelling of Swan Lake but the duology was only okay for me.
My quick and simple overall: fun retelling of Swan Lake but the duology was only okay for me.
November 30, 2017
One word: Lorcan. I couldn't wait to see what happened with his character in this sequel, and I was not disappointed! Swoon!
October 2, 2018
"Perhaps with time, you can learn to see past the monster to the king inside"
1,5 stars.
The content might display some spoilers, but tbh I don't think it matters, because you really should not read this book, it was not very pleasing, to say the least, and I do not recommend it.
This book was everything you do not want. People who should be dead being alive all of a sudden, just because. Characters that die and get brought back to life for no reason apart from just because. Defy Sara B. Larson's other series killed everyone basically and I guess she wanted to do something else in this book, hmmm.
Another thing I really didn't like was the relationship between Evelayn and Lorcan, how can you possibly love a guy within a few hours that ripped your entire life apart and turned you into a swan for the most of 10 years, HOW??????????
Another thing about this book is why the hell do people keep getting hurt, to the point of dying, where they actually should have died and don't. If you want to inflict pain just kill a character, don't half kill everyone?? Also the plot of this book can literally be summed up in a sentence or 3 and you would have missed nothing.
All in all a very underwhelming read and I am just done talking about it...
September 27, 2020
"There is always a choice."
1.5 stars. I really did not like this romance. It was like the author tried to do a Feyre-Rhysand (from ACOMAF) arc and failed to develop the characters, relationship, and overall romance. Lorcan and Evelayn had no chemistry, and their relationship was bordering on abusive. This book completely took away from what happened in the first, turning every positive event into little more than a manipulation. The author did a rather large information dump in the last forty pages, completely altering the world-building a little too late.
The side characters also lost development, and their relationships lacked their previous spark. There was a ten year gap between Dark Breaks the Dawn and Bright Burns the Night, yet the characters did not change very much, despite the terrible things they had experienced. It wasn't quite a one star read because the writing was decent, and the plot moved quickly, even if it was predictable.
1.5 stars. I really did not like this romance. It was like the author tried to do a Feyre-Rhysand (from ACOMAF) arc and failed to develop the characters, relationship, and overall romance. Lorcan and Evelayn had no chemistry, and their relationship was bordering on abusive. This book completely took away from what happened in the first, turning every positive event into little more than a manipulation. The author did a rather large information dump in the last forty pages, completely altering the world-building a little too late.
The side characters also lost development, and their relationships lacked their previous spark. There was a ten year gap between Dark Breaks the Dawn and Bright Burns the Night, yet the characters did not change very much, despite the terrible things they had experienced. It wasn't quite a one star read because the writing was decent, and the plot moved quickly, even if it was predictable.
June 11, 2018
It was...I have so many mixed feelings that I don't even know where to begin. It was an okay conclusion to the duology, but there was so much missing that I wish there were more books and, thus, more depth. The romance between Evalyn and Lorcan (a man that betrayed her and was completely against her in the previous novel) is too rushed and unbelievable; the way he manipulates her and uses her for the entirety of the previous novel and then again for 10 years between novels is too big a hurtle to jump within the time frame Larson employs in this novel. I'm all for redemptive/unlikely love, but only when it's believable and given enough time. Which is another thing: the contents of the novel happen within a few days which seems really ridiculous. So although the world building and plot is interesting enough, the time line and rushed romance did not allow me to suspend my disbelief well enough to truly enjoy the novel.
May 24, 2018
*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
Bright Burns the Night is the second and final installment in author Sara B. Larson's Dark Breaks the Dawn duology. The Dark Breaks the Dawn duology is a reimagining of Swan Lake. Ten years ago, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom Dorjhalon defeated Queen Evelayn of the Light Kingdom of Éadrolan and cut her conduit stone from her. He also used his powers to transform her into a swan. Get it? Swan Lake? Since then, he has kept her trapped in her swan form where nobody can find her. Can't spoil things that have already been spoiled by the synopsis, right?
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
Bright Burns the Night is the second and final installment in author Sara B. Larson's Dark Breaks the Dawn duology. The Dark Breaks the Dawn duology is a reimagining of Swan Lake. Ten years ago, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom Dorjhalon defeated Queen Evelayn of the Light Kingdom of Éadrolan and cut her conduit stone from her. He also used his powers to transform her into a swan. Get it? Swan Lake? Since then, he has kept her trapped in her swan form where nobody can find her. Can't spoil things that have already been spoiled by the synopsis, right?
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
January 19, 2019
This was a super fast read, but as with the first book there were lots of elements that were lack luster. The plot seemed thrown into overdrive from page one, and despite moving so quickly, the overwhelming feeling was off being senselessly rushed. There were also alot of glaring Toiken overtures, the most glaringly of which was the Undead Forest aka Mirkwood Forest, which caused me great annoyance. The conclusion as in the rest of the book concluded in a mere couple pages, and while there was a "happily ever after" vibe, I felt that a rather good story would have begun here.
May 4, 2020
The romance was not believable - Evelayn got over 10 years of abuse WAY too freaking easily and the story only takes place over like 3 days and she's suddenly in love? *side eye*
That girl has been through way too much to forgive him, let alone fall in love with him. I don't care if he's the only one telling her the truth about some stuff - the manipulation he pulled and then TRAPPING HER AS A SWAN FOR 10 FREAKING YEARS. Just no.
That girl has been through way too much to forgive him, let alone fall in love with him. I don't care if he's the only one telling her the truth about some stuff - the manipulation he pulled and then TRAPPING HER AS A SWAN FOR 10 FREAKING YEARS. Just no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2019
This book had so much potential. I mean a swan lake retelling! But sadly it was just... boring AF. I couldn't care enough to keep track of the characters. The writing felt stiff. And they basically skimmed that parts where she was a swan. Also she falls in love with the guy who trapped her as a swan. REALLY???
May 2, 2018
After being defeated by King Lorcan, Evelayn is forced to live in her swan form for ten years. In that time, her kingdom is left without its power and its queen. When Evelayn is turned back into her human form with Athrufar nearing, Lorcan is unable to turn her back into a swan. Instead, he sneaks her into his room in what used to be her home.
All Evelayn wants is for her kingdom to be saved and for her conduit stone to be returned to her. But it isn't as simple as that. Lorcan wants Evelayn to Bound herself to him and only then will he help return her magic. It isn't an easy thing to do since he's the one who killed her former betrothal Tanvir. However, secrets, truths, and betrayals become uncovered and Evelayn doesn't know who to trust. Lorcan may be all she has and her only hope of retrieving her conduit stone.
This was an epic conclusion to the Duology. It was full of so much betrayal, action, and blooming love that I devoured it in one night. I love how everything ends and ties together. I have to say that Lorcan grew on me. He had his reasons for everything he did.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of fantasy, magic, Swan Lake, romance, and kingdoms and royalty. The second was as good as the first and it's one of those books that linger with you even after you've finished it.
All Evelayn wants is for her kingdom to be saved and for her conduit stone to be returned to her. But it isn't as simple as that. Lorcan wants Evelayn to Bound herself to him and only then will he help return her magic. It isn't an easy thing to do since he's the one who killed her former betrothal Tanvir. However, secrets, truths, and betrayals become uncovered and Evelayn doesn't know who to trust. Lorcan may be all she has and her only hope of retrieving her conduit stone.
This was an epic conclusion to the Duology. It was full of so much betrayal, action, and blooming love that I devoured it in one night. I love how everything ends and ties together. I have to say that Lorcan grew on me. He had his reasons for everything he did.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of fantasy, magic, Swan Lake, romance, and kingdoms and royalty. The second was as good as the first and it's one of those books that linger with you even after you've finished it.
January 20, 2019
Rating: 2.5
Much better than book 1 as it at least manages to hold the attention primarily because of Lorcan; it nonetheless again suffers from major flaws.
The world building is basic as is the writing, the plot is pretty thin, the love-dislike of Tanvir seems frivolous and extra (why didn’t he stay dead?), the handful of side characters are depthless and forced into play without adding much value to the story except Lothar, and what is with all the insistent running? More than half of both the books are of them running here there and everywhere. Also, their quest seemed for most of the part, quite aimless and feels to come together by chance giving a distinct possibility that the books weren’t as well thought out as expected.
(Also, is it just me or did someone else also detect distinct influences of Rowan, Rhysand and overall Sarah J Maas’s works in both books?)
Overall, it’s a quick average read which didn’t quite live upto it’s potential.
Much better than book 1 as it at least manages to hold the attention primarily because of Lorcan; it nonetheless again suffers from major flaws.
The world building is basic as is the writing, the plot is pretty thin, the love-dislike of Tanvir seems frivolous and extra (why didn’t he stay dead?), the handful of side characters are depthless and forced into play without adding much value to the story except Lothar, and what is with all the insistent running? More than half of both the books are of them running here there and everywhere. Also, their quest seemed for most of the part, quite aimless and feels to come together by chance giving a distinct possibility that the books weren’t as well thought out as expected.
(Also, is it just me or did someone else also detect distinct influences of Rowan, Rhysand and overall Sarah J Maas’s works in both books?)
Overall, it’s a quick average read which didn’t quite live upto it’s potential.
December 8, 2017
Loved the plot twist in this satisfying conclusion to Dark Breaks the Dawn. This duology was full of romance and adventure! A must read!
February 5, 2018
3.5 Stars
Everything in my 2018 has gone to shit so far. At least BBTN did not for the most part. RTC.
Everything in my 2018 has gone to shit so far. At least BBTN did not for the most part. RTC.
February 10, 2019
While this was certainly better than its predecessor, I still had a lot of trouble investing in the story and characters, and feel like more time could've been taken to tell a better, more fully fleshed out story. This certainly isn't the worst novel I've ever read, but felt very much like a cheap knock-off of Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series. I had high hopes going into this book, but was unfortunately disappointed by its execution.
Bright Burns the Night resumes ten years after the events of Dark Breaks the Dawn, with Evelayn trapped as a swan and Lorcan ruling over both the Light and Dark kingdoms as king. Once a year, Lorcan comes to Evelayn and transforms her back into a Draiolon to ask her to Bind herself to him, and every year she refuses. This year, however, Lorcan is unable to transform Evelayn back into a swan due to his weakening power. After shepherding Evelayn back to her former castle, she learns that not all has been as it seemed in the ten years since she's been gone. Tanvir never really died (and has been hiding dark secrets from her), Ceren has Bonded with Quinlen and had two children, and the sinister Ancient Mathair Damhan has returned to collect Lorcan's half of a deadly bargain made years ago. Desperately trying to save their dying kingdoms, Lorcan and Evelayn must team up to defeat Mathair Damhan and reclaim their power... before it's too late.
This book, while slightly more entertaining, suffered from many of the same problems that the first book fell victim to. The plot was rushed, the world was never fleshed out or fully developed, and the characters felt shallow and one-dimensional. I could tell that Larson was attempting to imitate Sarah J. Maas, as the dynamic between Tanvir, Evelayn, and Lorcan greatly resembles the dynamic between Tamlin, Feyre, and Rhysand in A Court of Thorns and Roses. Tanvir turns out to not only be alive, but hiding the fact that he manipulated Evelayn to help Lorcan seize power for ten years. For some reason, however, Evelayn decides that Lorcan is somehow still the better option after imprisoning her for ten years as a swan and wreaking emotional terror or on her subjects. This made little sense, and wasn't explored enough for it to feel like a genuine plot point.
Also like the first book, Bright Burns the Night shoves many characters into the fold who serve little purpose. Letha, Tanvir's sister, is one such character. Presumed dead in the first book (literally nobody except the bad guys and Evelayn's parents STAY dead in this series), Letha is revealed to be alive near the beginning of the book. She then joins Tanvir in hunting down King Lorcan to murder him, only to botch the attempt and harm Evelayn instead. After this, she serves literally no purpose to the plot other than being an implied love interest to Lorcan's brother Lothar, who serves more of a purpose but still not enough for me to feel invested in him. Evelayn's aunt appears exactly once, further proving she didn't need to exist, and Quinlen is swept under the rug, existing only to be Ceren's housewife/arm candy during the novel.
Another disappointing factor in both of these books is that the world is never explored or fleshed out. The lore is poorly explained, and many of the cities and locations on the map in the front of the book are never mentioned. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Prythian feels vast because the characters spend a lot of time traveling to different locations, spending enough time in each one that we really feel a sense of the scope of the world. In this book, however, the characters go straight from the palace to the Undead Forest where Mathair Damhan lives. The characters progress from point A, to B, to C with little fanfare, as if Larson is checking off plot points in her mind as she goes.
Speaking of Mathair Damhan, I got EXTREMELY tired of the overly complicated and contrived names of each character. It feels like Larson literally used a fantasy name generator to name the people and places in her story, and most of them are ridiculous and hard to pronounce. On top of this, the universe she has created has very little stakes; every character who dies in the story (with the exception of the baddies and Evelayn's mom) is given a Deus Ex Machina and brought back to life as a reward for completing the story, as if Larson couldn't commit to killing off even one of her many pointless characters. Tanvir and Letha are both miraculously alive at the beginning of the story, Lorcan is brought back to life by the Ancients, and even Lothar is nearly killed off TWICE only to be magically brought back by ridiculous means. It got to the point where I stopped worrying about character deaths, because I knew that Larson would likely just find a way to bring them back. This killed all of the suspense, and drastically lowered my investment in the story.
I was also frustrated by the poorly written relationships in this novel, from Tanvir and Evelayn to Evelayn and Lorcan. In fact, the only relationship I even believed was the one between Lorcan and Lothar, which is perhaps the only praise I can give this book. I was genuinely interested to learn more about their history and the abuse they suffered at the hands of their father, but this was often side-lined to focus on annoying things like the forced romance between Evelayn and Lorcan. While it was still more believable than the relationship between Evelayn and Tanvir, I still didn't care who she ended up with.
For all this story rushes to the end of the road, it leaves many questions unanswered. For example, what happens between Lothar and Letha? How do the two leaders begin to rebuild a kingdom without their powers and magic? Does Evelayn ever learn to forgive Tanvir, and does he come to terms with his own role in deceiving her? What the hell happens with Lorcan's mother? Does she accept Evelayn as her son's Mate? Does anyone ever manage to find Evelayn's missing aunt? This book was short enough that it could have easily added an epilogue that skips a few years ahead, but instead leaves us dangling with the meager scraps of a bland romance at the end. We don't know what happens to the two kingdoms; in fact, the entire book treats them as if they don't matter. No, what REALLY matters is playing around in the woods, squabbling over nothing, and trying to convince the readers to invest in a bland romance that feels forced. If this book had slowed down and spent more time developing the world and the lore, I might've enjoyed it a lot more.
This book not only disappoints me because I really wanted to like it, but because it could have easily been a middle grade alternative to Sarah J. Maas. There is no sexual content or excessive cursing, nor is the story particularly violent. Anyone who has read Maas knows that her work is very graphic, and this could've been a great recommendation for younger readers not quite ready for A Court of Thorns and Roses. Instead, this book feels like a cheap knock-off, trying to execute the same plot devices as Sarah J. Maas... but doing so very poorly.
Eveything about this novel just felt lackluster, and I found it hard to invest in any of the characters or anything that was going on in the story. I hate to slam an author's work, as I know how much effort must have gone into this duology, but I've read so many fantasy titles at this point that I've seen all of the tropes in this book done ten times better. Because there is so much fantasy on YA shelves these days, readers can be a lot more picky about what they choose to pick up. This series is, unfortunately, one of the many bland fantasy stories that can easily be skipped in favor of a much better read.
Bright Burns the Night resumes ten years after the events of Dark Breaks the Dawn, with Evelayn trapped as a swan and Lorcan ruling over both the Light and Dark kingdoms as king. Once a year, Lorcan comes to Evelayn and transforms her back into a Draiolon to ask her to Bind herself to him, and every year she refuses. This year, however, Lorcan is unable to transform Evelayn back into a swan due to his weakening power. After shepherding Evelayn back to her former castle, she learns that not all has been as it seemed in the ten years since she's been gone. Tanvir never really died (and has been hiding dark secrets from her), Ceren has Bonded with Quinlen and had two children, and the sinister Ancient Mathair Damhan has returned to collect Lorcan's half of a deadly bargain made years ago. Desperately trying to save their dying kingdoms, Lorcan and Evelayn must team up to defeat Mathair Damhan and reclaim their power... before it's too late.
This book, while slightly more entertaining, suffered from many of the same problems that the first book fell victim to. The plot was rushed, the world was never fleshed out or fully developed, and the characters felt shallow and one-dimensional. I could tell that Larson was attempting to imitate Sarah J. Maas, as the dynamic between Tanvir, Evelayn, and Lorcan greatly resembles the dynamic between Tamlin, Feyre, and Rhysand in A Court of Thorns and Roses. Tanvir turns out to not only be alive, but hiding the fact that he manipulated Evelayn to help Lorcan seize power for ten years. For some reason, however, Evelayn decides that Lorcan is somehow still the better option after imprisoning her for ten years as a swan and wreaking emotional terror or on her subjects. This made little sense, and wasn't explored enough for it to feel like a genuine plot point.
Also like the first book, Bright Burns the Night shoves many characters into the fold who serve little purpose. Letha, Tanvir's sister, is one such character. Presumed dead in the first book (literally nobody except the bad guys and Evelayn's parents STAY dead in this series), Letha is revealed to be alive near the beginning of the book. She then joins Tanvir in hunting down King Lorcan to murder him, only to botch the attempt and harm Evelayn instead. After this, she serves literally no purpose to the plot other than being an implied love interest to Lorcan's brother Lothar, who serves more of a purpose but still not enough for me to feel invested in him. Evelayn's aunt appears exactly once, further proving she didn't need to exist, and Quinlen is swept under the rug, existing only to be Ceren's housewife/arm candy during the novel.
Another disappointing factor in both of these books is that the world is never explored or fleshed out. The lore is poorly explained, and many of the cities and locations on the map in the front of the book are never mentioned. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Prythian feels vast because the characters spend a lot of time traveling to different locations, spending enough time in each one that we really feel a sense of the scope of the world. In this book, however, the characters go straight from the palace to the Undead Forest where Mathair Damhan lives. The characters progress from point A, to B, to C with little fanfare, as if Larson is checking off plot points in her mind as she goes.
Speaking of Mathair Damhan, I got EXTREMELY tired of the overly complicated and contrived names of each character. It feels like Larson literally used a fantasy name generator to name the people and places in her story, and most of them are ridiculous and hard to pronounce. On top of this, the universe she has created has very little stakes; every character who dies in the story (with the exception of the baddies and Evelayn's mom) is given a Deus Ex Machina and brought back to life as a reward for completing the story, as if Larson couldn't commit to killing off even one of her many pointless characters. Tanvir and Letha are both miraculously alive at the beginning of the story, Lorcan is brought back to life by the Ancients, and even Lothar is nearly killed off TWICE only to be magically brought back by ridiculous means. It got to the point where I stopped worrying about character deaths, because I knew that Larson would likely just find a way to bring them back. This killed all of the suspense, and drastically lowered my investment in the story.
I was also frustrated by the poorly written relationships in this novel, from Tanvir and Evelayn to Evelayn and Lorcan. In fact, the only relationship I even believed was the one between Lorcan and Lothar, which is perhaps the only praise I can give this book. I was genuinely interested to learn more about their history and the abuse they suffered at the hands of their father, but this was often side-lined to focus on annoying things like the forced romance between Evelayn and Lorcan. While it was still more believable than the relationship between Evelayn and Tanvir, I still didn't care who she ended up with.
For all this story rushes to the end of the road, it leaves many questions unanswered. For example, what happens between Lothar and Letha? How do the two leaders begin to rebuild a kingdom without their powers and magic? Does Evelayn ever learn to forgive Tanvir, and does he come to terms with his own role in deceiving her? What the hell happens with Lorcan's mother? Does she accept Evelayn as her son's Mate? Does anyone ever manage to find Evelayn's missing aunt? This book was short enough that it could have easily added an epilogue that skips a few years ahead, but instead leaves us dangling with the meager scraps of a bland romance at the end. We don't know what happens to the two kingdoms; in fact, the entire book treats them as if they don't matter. No, what REALLY matters is playing around in the woods, squabbling over nothing, and trying to convince the readers to invest in a bland romance that feels forced. If this book had slowed down and spent more time developing the world and the lore, I might've enjoyed it a lot more.
This book not only disappoints me because I really wanted to like it, but because it could have easily been a middle grade alternative to Sarah J. Maas. There is no sexual content or excessive cursing, nor is the story particularly violent. Anyone who has read Maas knows that her work is very graphic, and this could've been a great recommendation for younger readers not quite ready for A Court of Thorns and Roses. Instead, this book feels like a cheap knock-off, trying to execute the same plot devices as Sarah J. Maas... but doing so very poorly.
Eveything about this novel just felt lackluster, and I found it hard to invest in any of the characters or anything that was going on in the story. I hate to slam an author's work, as I know how much effort must have gone into this duology, but I've read so many fantasy titles at this point that I've seen all of the tropes in this book done ten times better. Because there is so much fantasy on YA shelves these days, readers can be a lot more picky about what they choose to pick up. This series is, unfortunately, one of the many bland fantasy stories that can easily be skipped in favor of a much better read.
Want to read
May 21, 2018
December 26, 2019
I really loved this and Dark Breaks the Dawn. They were great!
March 27, 2019
3.5/5 stars
June 30, 2020
3.5 this felt really rushed, I wish it was at least a trilogy! The world was so complex and lush but I didn’t feel like we got enough time with it.
April 16, 2019
Ok, this book gave me major ACOMAF vibes. Previous loved one betrays main character? Check. Super asshole-y guy ends up being the love interest? Check. Literally no one important actually dies? Uh, check.
This book was really cute and action-packed, but it's not the best YA fantasy novel I've ever read. First of all, the synopsis is a total lie. This is not a Swan Lake retelling at all. Evelyn was a swan for literally the first 10 pages of the book, and then half a page at the very end. The only similarity between this book and Swan Lake was that Evelyn was a swan. Second, all the names are basically the same. There's Lorcan, his brother Lothar, and some character who's honestly not that important called Letha. Like, I just want to read a fun book. Stop making my brain work so hard. Especially if I keep forgetting who the main character is. Also, I really don't like the build-up of the chemistry between Evelyn and Lorcan. What is so appealing about Lorcan? Is it just the fact that he(like Rhysand, wow!) has a really sad backstory? He's not funny, he's not charismatic, he's just fucking mean honestly. Tbh I prefer Rhysand. The entirety of their relationship is just: "'I know you feel something between us," saidRhysand Lothar Lorcan", and Evelyn is constantly swaying between "Maybe she could learn to love him" and "'How could you do this to me???????'" Like, the only thing they find appealing about each other is the fact that they're both really attractive??
And there's this part in the beginning that goes something like:
So...you've been doing this for TEN FUCKING YEARS and you're just now realizing that she's sad????? Fuck you,Lothar Lorcan.
Also, I'm not really feeling the ending. It was too neat. Like, yeah they all almost died but then they won and literally got back everything they lost. I just wanted some important character to die, and the author couldn't even do that???? Ughhhhhhhhhh.
Ngl, I did like this book. But there were some things that were just too cheesy and too overdone and where is the character development? Where is the romance?? Where is the dying??????
This book was really cute and action-packed, but it's not the best YA fantasy novel I've ever read. First of all, the synopsis is a total lie. This is not a Swan Lake retelling at all. Evelyn was a swan for literally the first 10 pages of the book, and then half a page at the very end. The only similarity between this book and Swan Lake was that Evelyn was a swan. Second, all the names are basically the same. There's Lorcan, his brother Lothar, and some character who's honestly not that important called Letha. Like, I just want to read a fun book. Stop making my brain work so hard. Especially if I keep forgetting who the main character is. Also, I really don't like the build-up of the chemistry between Evelyn and Lorcan. What is so appealing about Lorcan? Is it just the fact that he(like Rhysand, wow!) has a really sad backstory? He's not funny, he's not charismatic, he's just fucking mean honestly. Tbh I prefer Rhysand. The entirety of their relationship is just: "'I know you feel something between us," said
And there's this part in the beginning that goes something like:
"Lorcan saw a deep sorrow in Evelyn's eyes and he maybe felt a little guilty."
So...you've been doing this for TEN FUCKING YEARS and you're just now realizing that she's sad????? Fuck you,
Also, I'm not really feeling the ending. It was too neat. Like, yeah they all almost died but then they won and literally got back everything they lost. I just wanted some important character to die, and the author couldn't even do that???? Ughhhhhhhhhh.
Ngl, I did like this book. But there were some things that were just too cheesy and too overdone and where is the character development? Where is the romance?? Where is the dying??????
August 26, 2020
nah I'm mad as hell. i should've completed this book in two days like i did with the first book but it took me 4 because i got real annoyed by the characters. the romance was rushed and wasn't convincing at all. so many plot holes, i didn't even begin to understand the point of what they did and why. there is no reason for the ten years gap between the first book and this one. none. the heroine suffered all that only to fall in love with her oppressor in ONE day? the shitty excuse he offered, his supposed redemption arc, held no logic at all and could've been avoided. y'all know I'm a villian x protagonist stan but this was not wrtitten well. at least the last 60% wasn't. i really liked book 1 tho.
tanvir was ooc AF. who is he and what did you do to him? now he wasn't my favourite in book 1 but i disliked him for different reasons. he took a 180° turn and said I'll show yall how intolerable i can get. tf?
and PLEASE. if you kill someone, let them STAY dead. happy endings can be achieved through other means. please.
tanvir was ooc AF. who is he and what did you do to him? now he wasn't my favourite in book 1 but i disliked him for different reasons. he took a 180° turn and said I'll show yall how intolerable i can get. tf?
and PLEASE. if you kill someone, let them STAY dead. happy endings can be achieved through other means. please.
June 1, 2018
It has been a long time since a book made me want to cry. omg, there was so much emotion going on in this book. and that ending scene...*internal sobs*
I loved this book. Sara B Larson truly outdid herself. If you struggled with the first book. please give this one a try. You will not be disappointed!
I loved this book. Sara B Larson truly outdid herself. If you struggled with the first book. please give this one a try. You will not be disappointed!
June 6, 2018
I'm sad that this is over! I love duologies, but I would gladly take more of these books! ❤ The possibilities for novellas make me comforted a little. Let me crawl over to my corner to swoon or cry or something now that it's finished.
April 16, 2018
Amazing conclusion to Larson's retelling of the tragically beautiful story of Swan Lake! My heart is full!
August 23, 2018
3.5 stars
I had a twist in it that was kind of predictable, but I still liked that twist!! I liked the characters, mostly the brothers, and the story was like was neat.
I had a twist in it that was kind of predictable, but I still liked that twist!! I liked the characters, mostly the brothers, and the story was like was neat.
October 24, 2024
So good!! My heart broke, like, 50 times. ♥️♥️♥️♥️ Loved it!
This is my second review - So good. Which there was an extra chapter, to see what will happen, but...
This is my second review - So good. Which there was an extra chapter, to see what will happen, but...
November 10, 2018
Bright Burns the Night is the sequel of Dark Breaks the Dawn, which should for sure be read first.
Evelayn is a queen without power and without a kingdom, a kingdom without the Light to help its’ earth and forests stay healthy and alive. Stuck in her swan form nearly all year long, she is only allowed the smallest snippet of time as a Draíolon, and that’s when the usurper, that dark king Lorcan who stole the conduit stone from her chest, that’s when he demands that she bond with him.
Um, no thanks.
But on one of these visits, something has changed. Not only is she able to continue to stay a Draíolon after refusing him, but some balance of power has shifted, something deeper and more sinister is at work. Evelayn will have to find a way to trust Lorcan if she wants any answers - trust him and find a way to keep fighting for a time when her land and people can live in harmony again.
At the beginning there were some interesting plot twists. Evelayn is a changed woman - older, wiser, less naive and more world-worn. But her heart is still full of love for her kingdom and as a character she has a solid arc throughout the two books. I like the brothers relationship here and Lorcan is a suitably handsome and brooding love interest. As much as I was engaged in the story, the last quarter of the book felt super full and fast, almost frenzied with new creatures and backstory and so many injuries and healings that after a while I nearly wanted to roll my eyes. I also have to say, and I acknowledge that this is nit picky of me, but the author uses the words “male” and “female” so often when referring to characters we know (or don’t) that it sorta drove me bonkers. It jarred me out of the story every time because it felt so incongruously formal and stiff. That and some pretty large plot holes bogged me down.
Overall, it’s fairly fast paced and the romantic thread kept things fun, I’m not sorry I finished the story, I just found that I had to work too hard to suspend my disbelief for me to love it.
Evelayn is a queen without power and without a kingdom, a kingdom without the Light to help its’ earth and forests stay healthy and alive. Stuck in her swan form nearly all year long, she is only allowed the smallest snippet of time as a Draíolon, and that’s when the usurper, that dark king Lorcan who stole the conduit stone from her chest, that’s when he demands that she bond with him.
Um, no thanks.
But on one of these visits, something has changed. Not only is she able to continue to stay a Draíolon after refusing him, but some balance of power has shifted, something deeper and more sinister is at work. Evelayn will have to find a way to trust Lorcan if she wants any answers - trust him and find a way to keep fighting for a time when her land and people can live in harmony again.
At the beginning there were some interesting plot twists. Evelayn is a changed woman - older, wiser, less naive and more world-worn. But her heart is still full of love for her kingdom and as a character she has a solid arc throughout the two books. I like the brothers relationship here and Lorcan is a suitably handsome and brooding love interest. As much as I was engaged in the story, the last quarter of the book felt super full and fast, almost frenzied with new creatures and backstory and so many injuries and healings that after a while I nearly wanted to roll my eyes. I also have to say, and I acknowledge that this is nit picky of me, but the author uses the words “male” and “female” so often when referring to characters we know (or don’t) that it sorta drove me bonkers. It jarred me out of the story every time because it felt so incongruously formal and stiff. That and some pretty large plot holes bogged me down.
Overall, it’s fairly fast paced and the romantic thread kept things fun, I’m not sorry I finished the story, I just found that I had to work too hard to suspend my disbelief for me to love it.
October 24, 2019
I had so many mixed feelings going into this second book.
I was honestly a bit disappointed with the first book and Swan Lake is one of my all time favourite ballets. So yes the bar was high. But it was reachable. And Dark Breaks the Dawn didn’t reach it for me. So this one went on the back burner.
WELL! Its worth it. Bright Burns the Night is SO much better!! Yes there are improvements to be made and yes it was still a bit unimpressive but I am really happy with the author steps up in this one and how book two wrapped everything up ☺️
In one word: Lorcan 😍 talk about SWOON! How can that white haired wanker (excuse my french) end up having me on his cheerleading team! Ridiculous! But he does redeem himself in a Stockholm syndrome kinda way 🤷🏻♀️
The story was more mature this time around...I mean they have all literally aged a decade so it is expected 😂 but the relationships are deeper and more complex. There is none of this “forgiveness cause hes cute” attitude and on a whole I felt I learned more about the main characters. Evelayn and Lorcan btw...not anyone else. Everyone else is very much background noise. Again 🙈
That being said, those annoying questions I had were answered and I did enjoy the instant love connection that you definitely know is coming. Even though the quickness of the timeline affects the believability, it still works.
I liked the characters but the story was slow and uninteresting by the time you get to the good part. Plus it resembles ACOTAR too much. Don’t read that first if this is on your TBR or you might be put off by the similarities!
I have a love hate relationship with this duology. The second book carries the first but overall its still fairly average. Dark but still average 🤷🏻♀️ 4 stars for Larsons’ ability to wrap up the second half of the story 👍🏻
I was honestly a bit disappointed with the first book and Swan Lake is one of my all time favourite ballets. So yes the bar was high. But it was reachable. And Dark Breaks the Dawn didn’t reach it for me. So this one went on the back burner.
WELL! Its worth it. Bright Burns the Night is SO much better!! Yes there are improvements to be made and yes it was still a bit unimpressive but I am really happy with the author steps up in this one and how book two wrapped everything up ☺️
In one word: Lorcan 😍 talk about SWOON! How can that white haired wanker (excuse my french) end up having me on his cheerleading team! Ridiculous! But he does redeem himself in a Stockholm syndrome kinda way 🤷🏻♀️
The story was more mature this time around...I mean they have all literally aged a decade so it is expected 😂 but the relationships are deeper and more complex. There is none of this “forgiveness cause hes cute” attitude and on a whole I felt I learned more about the main characters. Evelayn and Lorcan btw...not anyone else. Everyone else is very much background noise. Again 🙈
That being said, those annoying questions I had were answered and I did enjoy the instant love connection that you definitely know is coming. Even though the quickness of the timeline affects the believability, it still works.
I liked the characters but the story was slow and uninteresting by the time you get to the good part. Plus it resembles ACOTAR too much. Don’t read that first if this is on your TBR or you might be put off by the similarities!
I have a love hate relationship with this duology. The second book carries the first but overall its still fairly average. Dark but still average 🤷🏻♀️ 4 stars for Larsons’ ability to wrap up the second half of the story 👍🏻
September 28, 2018
4.5 stars
So, glad that I had this one right after finishing the first, especially how the first one ended. This one picks up 10 years after Book 1 ends, but nothing major has happened. I don't think I have ever switched sides as quickly as I did with this book Lots of action, never a dull moment, great characters. Definitely one I will read again. That being said - I hated the ending!!! Not that it ended, just how it ended. I know this is only supposed to be a 2 book series, but I sure hope Larson makes up for that ending somehow, it just ends abruptly..no closure other than that it was brilliant, but that ending...grr! Please give us another book and tie everything up!!!
Moral Note: Violence - fantasy violence with magic, talk of monsters, etc.
So, glad that I had this one right after finishing the first, especially how the first one ended. This one picks up 10 years after Book 1 ends, but nothing major has happened. I don't think I have ever switched sides as quickly as I did with this book Lots of action, never a dull moment, great characters. Definitely one I will read again. That being said - I hated the ending!!! Not that it ended, just how it ended. I know this is only supposed to be a 2 book series, but I sure hope Larson makes up for that ending somehow, it just ends abruptly..no closure other than that it was brilliant, but that ending...grr! Please give us another book and tie everything up!!!
Moral Note: Violence - fantasy violence with magic, talk of monsters, etc.
June 6, 2018
So I am very confused about this book. It was definitely better than the first one. I feel like this book was fast paced and I enjoyed the characters more in this one. Yes this was fat paced, but it felt very rushed. All these things happened so quickly that I didn’t have enough time to really process everything. Her relationship with Lorca’s developed very quickly, in a way that almost cheapens the experience. All in all it was a good book. My least favorite part was the ending though. I feel like it ended very abruptly. The first one seemed to last forever but this one seemed to end just as quickly as it began. I don’t know about this one.
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