* This post contains spoilers. *
* Read the reviews for the whole series here. *
The White Rose (The Lone City #2)
Amy Ewing
YA - Fantasy, Dystopia
308 Pages
So if you remember, back in October I read The Jewel by Amy Ewing, book one in the Lone City trilogy. Boy did I rave about that book, and frankly, still do. The White Rose though, not full marks, but a four out of five stars for me. The White Rose gave some more insight to what Violet and the other surrogates are capable of, and how twisted the nobility of the Lone City are, but I felt like it was just a companion piece to the story. I know that sounds really bad, but I don't mean it to be. This book was mainly about escaping the Duchess of the Lake and keeping Ash from being caught, but frankly, I enjoyed the last chapters, when Violet, Raven and Ash were living with Sil at the White Rose best.
The White Rose takes place after Violet and Ash are caught in bed together in the Duchess of the Lake's manor. A companion and a surrogate, *tsk tsk tsk* Ash is beaten in front of Violet and then taken to the Dungeon, then the Duchess brings Annabelle, Violet's mute, innocent, lady in waiting, and slits her throat and tells Violet that she killed her. Of course, Lucien is MIA and Garnet is supposed to be Violet's rescuer. Violet is supposed to wake up in the morgue "dead" in a few hours, but she gave the serum to Raven, her best friend instead, to save her from the abuse and the pregnancy that will kill her. Raven does miscarry and die after arriving at the White Rose, but Violet revives her using her powers correctly. More on that in a bit.
Garnet manages to get Violet, and Ash (because we all knew that she wasn't leaving without him), out of the manor and to the morgue. From there, Violet has to use the auguries (powers) to manipulate the incinerator, the only way out of the morgue where no one will find them out. She, Ash, and Raven travel through the sewage system following a map that Lucien gave them when Raven (who apparently has a new ability) takes them right to where the exit they've been looking for. Ash is seen, and Violet gets separated, but in the end, they make it to the safe house separately after a night apart.
The journey from there goes from a companion house disguised as a man and his prostitutes to hiding in a storage compartment in a train, to being stored in shipping containers until finally, they make it to Lucien and Garnet. From there, Violet has to "trust her instincts" and lead them to where they need to be. That's how they end up at the White Rose.
Okay, now my favorite part! Sil, a sassy, no nonsense, maternal, former surrogate built up this place, The White Rose, a safe haven for herself and other surrogates, to learn the real use of their abilities. The auguries are not the powers that surrogates are born with, the nobility twisted and corrupted the girls' ancestral connection with the elements when their people (the nobility's) took the island and murdered the natives. The girls who are confirmed "surrogates" are actually great-great-great-great (continues?) grandchildren of the native people of the island that had a connection with the elements. They were one with the elements and the elements were with them. Sil teaches Violet this, and Violet teaches Sienna (the lioness from the auction), and two other girls when brought to her.
The story takes a dramatic turn when Violet finds out that the Duchess of the Lake has quickly and quietly found a replacement surrogate (who becomes quickly pregnant) after Violet escapes. This surrogate turns out to be Violet's younger sister, the girl that Violet is trying to start a revolution to save.
Like I said, this book isn't as great as the first, but I'm looking forward to delving into The Black Key (Book #3).
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