Book Review: The White Rose
Book: The White Rose
Author: Amy Ewing
Summary: Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude. But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised - a mysterious house in the Farm. But there's a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known? With twists and turns that will have readers on the edges of their seats, The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel, and fans won't be able to put it down until the final shocking moments. -Harper Teen, 2015.
I'm going to say this right out of the gate. You can't read this without reading The Jewel first. Ewing picks up right where she left off from the previous book. While there are references and brief explanations of events, as well as the rules of the world Violet and the others live in, there is no overarching recap of what happened in the previous book. I like that - it gives more time to the plot and more time for the characters to develop.
After being caught with her lover, Violet is quickly smuggled out of the palace and brought outside of the Jewel. In her new safe place, hidden away from the eyes of those who would make her suffer, Violet learns the truth of what she really is and begins to set the plans of the rebellion in motion.
I have to say that Ewing continues to build her world in ways that are interesting without bogging down the plot or making things overly complicated. While the fruits of the rebellion itself have yet to be seen (it's all being saved for the final book, I assume), Ewing doesn't drag out the plot or make character arcs stall for too long. We get to see some changes for most of the main cast, so the reader gets to know them a little better.
I think it's a good sequel - not super nail biting-worthy nor unexciting, but good. A lot could have gone wrong and I think Ewing did a good job avoiding the pit falls where they were.
Is it yet another "special person becomes the leader of the rebellion in the dystopian world" story? Yes, but if you read The Jewel, you already knew that going into it. If this is your type of story, you'll enjoy it. If you had enough after reading The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, or the Divergent series, then you won't like this series either.
Overall, I give The White Rose a B+.
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