Mae Crawford always thought she was in control. Now she's learned that her little brother Jamie is a magician and Nick, the boy she'd set her heart on, has an even darker secret. Mae's whole world has spun out of control, and it's only going to get worse. When she realises that Jamie has been meeting secretly with the new leader of the Obsidian Circle and that Gerald wants him to join the magicians, she's not sure how to stop Jamie doing just that. Calling in Nick and Alan as reinforcements only leads to a more desperate conflict because Gerald has a plan to bring Nick down - by using Alan to spring a deadly trap. With those around her torn between divided loyalties and Mae herself torn between her feelings for two very different boys, she sees a chance to save them all - but it means approaching the mysterious and dangerous Goblin Market alone...
Review:
Wow, I have to say although I enjoyed The Demons Lexicon (click link for review) the sequel takes it one step further and really, really ups the game.
Whereas The Demons Lexicon developed the action, set the stage for the plot with some terrific twist and turns. The Demons Covenant concentrates on developing the characters while continuing the action. Focalised this time from Mae's point of view we pick up the story a few weeks after the surprise ending of The Demons Lexicon.
Mae tries to resume a 'normal' life after witnessing the existence of magic, demons and a whole other subculture existing at the fringes of everyday life. Mae soon realises that she cannot forget what she has learned of the magical world, nor does she want to. Irresistibly draw to the Goblin Market and the life of a dancer. That I feel is her magic, the way in which she dances. Following the pursuit of her brother, Jamie, by the Obsidian Circle, Nick and Alan are reintroduced to the story. However, things are not as we left them between the brothers.
The introduction of Daniel Ryves diary with its first person narrative added depth and substance to the back story along with the insight into the bond shared by Alan and Nick. Allowing a deeper understanding of both their characters and interactions. As with The Demons Lexicon appearances can be deceptive, who is the real monster someone who intentionally deceives people or someone who is true to his friends and never lies. I have to say I like literary bad boys, Nick's demonic charm has won me over.
I adored how both Mae and Jamie seemed to gain a inner strength from their trials and tribulations. A personal epiphany of sorts. I had never really considered Jamie's sexuality previously it was just a part of his personality. His campness is a shield he uses to protect himself from attack for his homosexuality, yet he is completely comfortable with who he is, good to the core you could say and this endears people to him. His polar opposite, Seb, denies who he is, bullying Jamie as a release for his own frustration as he battles with his own sexuality. The use of relationships and how they can be manipulated gave a greater perception into the interactions of all the characters, giving the plot multi-layers.
There were some really surprising twists and turns within the plot that had me whisking through the pages on a quest for fulfillment. I was not disappointed.
In conclusion, this sequel is AWESOME, taking the story to another level. Adding to it, making better, the characters more rounded and easy to relate to; a realistic and an action packed paging turning plot. In other words Sarah Rees Brennan you have gained another fangirl : D
