This has been by far, one of the most riveting reads of 2020 for me. It’s dark, it’s romantic, rife with tension, and it builds to this incredible crescendo. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect because sequels can sometimes be a let down, but I was rooted to my seat from start to finish and afterwards, I filled the void left by this book with The Fever King webtoon drawn by SaraDeek, which if you haven’t checked out, you totally should. *Ahem* Now that I’m finished fangirling, I do want to say that this book deals with some very heavy themes, particularly of child sexual abuse and traumatic situations. If you find these particularly triggering, I would suggest avoiding this book. I do want to applaud the publisher and author for the use of Content Warnings within the book, because I feel like it will definitely help people make the decision that is best for them.
Also, before you read this review, there are spoilers for The Fever King in this review. Read at your own peril.
The Electric Heir takes place just six months after Noam Alvaro helped overthrow the despotic government of Carolina. Now, Atlantians have gained citizenship and Lehrer is the chancellor. However, despite the chancellor’s image, Noam has remembered that Lehrer is responsible for the deadly magic infection that ravaged Carolinia. With his memory back, he’s determined to help bring Lehrer down for good, but if he realises that Noam is no longer under his control and plotting against him Noam’s dead. Meanwhile, Dara Shirazi has returned to Carolinia stripped of magic by the vaccine that ultimately saved his life, but after several failed attempts to ally with Noam, Dara realises that their methods for taking Lehrer down are very different. Dara fears that Noam has tangled himself in a web that he won’t be able to easily extract himself from. Someone will be paying with their life, and it might just be Noam.
Where do I even begin with this review…let’s revisit Noam and Dara. After the way The Fever King ended, I was so worried for what was going to happen with both of these boys. Without spoiling things too much, it almost feels as though Noam and Dara have flipped roles a little bit in this book. They’ve still got their same destructive personality traits, however, with the stakes even higher, there’s an added recklessness that definitely put me at the edge of my seat. Noam in particular is taking on a bit of the emotional and physical abuse in this book, which was hard to read for me in some parts because my heart was breaking for him. Dara is partially in the process of recovering from the horrors he’s suffering, and it’s fascinating to see his character development as the book progresses.
The world of Carolinia is so well constructed in my opinion, I can tell how lovingly Victoria has crafted this dystopian world, and I LOVED that we got to see some skirmishes between Carolinia and Texas. There was more exploration of the territory in this book, which definitely made me happy. I also liked the political intrigue that’s going on within the story, the talk of military strategy and war. It’s interwoven in such a way that isn’t too much for the reader to go though, but also not so little that you feel lost. I could go on into specifics, but I don’t want to spoil the book.
With our characters being so reckless, the romance in the sequel changes quite a bit. There’s also a mountain of trauma to work through on both sides, so it makes the growth of their relationship a more deeply personal experience for them. Something that I felt I didn’t get enough of in the previous book was vulnerability, particularly from Dara, but there’s so much of it in this book. Having his perspective really helped me understand him more and also connect with him on a deeper level. I’ll say it again, I really got into this book, the characters, and this world. Victoria Lee, you’re phenomenal.
I’ll reiterate here, this story deals with some themes that will be deeply triggering for some. There is sexual abuse of a minor, an assault, physical violence, and a great many other things. Again, I appreciate that this book contained content warnings for this, and encourage other readers to look through it. My list is not exhaustive, but if you think you can, please read this book. Add it to your TBR, because it also deals with surviving abuse, and how people can take the control from their abusers.
With as riveting as this story is, it’s got to be a 10/10 for me. I’m delighted to know how this story ends, and I’m excited to see what other worlds Victoria Lee will craft for us.
The Electric Heir is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In the sequel to The Fever King, Noam Álvaro seeks to end tyranny before he becomes a tyrant himself.
Six months after Noam Álvaro helped overthrow the despotic government of Carolinia, the Atlantians have gained citizenship, and Lehrer is chancellor. But despite Lehrer’s image as a progressive humanitarian leader, Noam has finally remembered the truth that Lehrer forced him to forget—that Lehrer is responsible for the deadly magic infection that ravaged Carolinia.
Now that Noam remembers the full extent of Lehrer’s crimes, he’s determined to use his influence with Lehrer to bring him down for good. If Lehrer realizes Noam has evaded his control—and that Noam is plotting against him—Noam’s dead. So he must keep playing the role of Lehrer’s protégé until he can steal enough vaccine to stop the virus.
Meanwhile Dara Shirazi returns to Carolinia, his magic stripped by the same vaccine that saved his life. But Dara’s attempts to ally himself with Noam prove that their methods for defeating Lehrer are violently misaligned. Dara fears Noam has only gotten himself more deeply entangled in Lehrer’s web. Sooner or later, playing double agent might cost Noam his life.
