“And it’s as true as most stories are, which is to say that it is and it isn’t.”
As I am sitting here, trying hard to write a coherent review and make some sense out of the jumbled mess in my mind, I am realising that this might be hard to do. Why? Simply because I loved this book so much! I picked up The Devouring Gray last year soon after it came out and I was dying for the sequel as soon as I finished it.
The Deck of Omens is the conclusion to a YA magical realism duology that follows five main characters, all descendants of Founders of their town Four Paths – a town full of dark secrets and monsters. The book was first described as Stranger Things meets The Raven Boys and honestly I can agree with that, especially the Stranger Things part. They have their very own Upside Down called the Gray plus endless dark secrets!
This duology will really steal your heart! The Deck of Omens is a story threaded through with pain, raw love, and realism, and it is wound together into a lyrical masterpiece full of quotable moments and heartstopping twists! Now let’s take a look at our five main protagonists, shall we?
We follow five Founder descendants (Violet, Harper, Isaac, Justin, and May) whose legacy granted them powers and must use these powers to work together to save Four Paths and bring peace to it once and for all. While this book did an admirable job of developing their characters to the fullest, two of these characters stood out for me. Two of them had story arcs interwoven with so much pain and realness that it was hard not to applause them and be basically proud as a soccer mum. Also cry because this is what we do in this house.
One of them was Isaac Sullivan, one of our two main male protagonists, who started in The Devouring Gray as this brooding and dark bad boy whose power always did more good than bad. A sacrifice, not a hero. But with the ending of The Devouring Gray and throughout The Deck of Omens, we really see him grow as he is done running from his ugly past and instead embraces it and grows into his powers. I don’t know about you, but that always makes me super emotional and proud.
“Love had always been painful for him, a weapon held to his throat that his family and friends had used to control him. It was an unanswered question, a constant ache in his chest, the distant echoes of memories he wished he could forget. Yet none of that could quash the hope he carried that, one day, he’d be able to care for the people around him and have it feel like victory instead of surrender. That his emotional bonds would make it easier, not harder, to be human.”
The other character I have to mention for her amazing development is Violet Saunders. Now I was a fan of Violet since book one because she is the cynicism queen and the force of her glare could literally burn a hole through your body, but she really blossoms in The Deck of Omens. No more denial, Violet embraces her powers and shines as the brave goddess she always was!
On another note, The Deck of Omens deals with a lot of heavy topics in between the mysterious disease that is plaguing Four Paths, relationship drama, and magical stand-offs. One that stands out most is life after survival. All five main characters bear scars as they have lost their loved ones, their powers, and respect of the people around them. Throughout this duology, we see them struggle with the consequences of said survival and realise that the scars (literal or figurative) are there to stay, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn to live with them.
This book as a whole could be described as bittersweet. There is no idealism that some authors tend to go for with conclusions to either make fans happy or save their characters the heartache. The Deck of Omens is painfully realistic – there is some sugar, some hurt, some acceptance. One part of the book that really brought tears to my eyes (okay there were many, because I am a pretty emotional reader and I am attached to all these characters) was the epilogue. No spoilers, of course, but there was just something so powerful in the way Herman decided to end her duology.
And in case you’re not convinced yet, here are seven epic reasons why you should most definitely pick up this duology!
- Our three main female protagonists are all so different from one another yet all utter badasses! Violet’s dry humour especially made me laugh out loud countless times!
- Isaac Sullivan. I promise you, you’ll be rearranging your favourite characters list sooner than you can say The Gray after you first meet him! (Also he is an avid reader! Did I mention that?)
- Strong bonds of friendship! This quote describes it best:
“A friendship was its own type of ritual, she realised, one where people bound themselves to one another not with blood but with words. And it had a power all its own, that belonging, that incalculable internal chemistry of choosing to let someone in.”
- Great representation! Two of our five protagonists are bisexual and we even see a few parents who are definitely not straight! Herman said bisexual rights!
- The plot twists! Look, you simply cannot know what is coming next! Herman filled this duology with so many twists and turns, betrayal and sacrifice, it will make your head spin.
- The beautiful writing! There are so many lovely quotes that will make you really think (and maybe make you want to tattoo them on your body).
- Even though this is a book full of magic and supernatural stuff, it is also a stunning story of pain and how we can learn to live despite the hurt and scars, our heads held high and our hearts light.
So now go add this dark and enchanting book to your TBR and enjoy the ride!
The Deck of Omens is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of April 21st 2020.
Will you be picking up The Deck of Omens? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The teenagers of Four Paths must save their home.
Though the Beast is seemingly subdued for now, a new threat looms in Four Paths: a corruption seeping from the Gray into the forest. And with the other Founders preoccupied by their tangled alliances and fraying relationships, only May Hawthorne seems to realize the danger. But saving the town she loves means seeking aid from the person her family despises most–her and Justin’s father.
May’s father isn’t the only newcomer in town–Isaac Sullivan’s older brother has also returned, seeking forgiveness for the role he played in Isaac’s troubled past. But Isaac isn’t ready to let go of his family’s history, especially when that history might hold the key that he and Violet Saunders need to destroy the Gray and the monster within it.
Harper Carlisle isn’t ready to forgive, either. Two devastating betrayals have left her isolated from her family and uncertain who to trust. As the corruption becomes impossible to ignore, Harper must learn to control her newfound powers in order to protect Four Paths. But the only people who can help her do that are the ones who have hurt her the most.
With the veil between the Gray and the town growing ever thinner, all of the Founder descendants must put their grievances with one another aside to stop the corruption and kill the Beast once and for all.
But maybe the monster they truly need to slay has never been the Beast…
