In this riveting sequel to New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's acclaimed novel Menagerie, Delilah Marlow will discover that there is no crueler cage than the confines of the human mind…
When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.
But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light.
I received this eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
If you haven't already figured it out, Rachel Vincent is one of my all-time favorite authors! Ever since I picked up her first book, Stray, I've been hooked! Her newest series, Menagerie, is quite fascinating! it will really change the way you look at supernatural beings and humans. Spectacle is the second book of the trilogy and it will hold you captivated until its very end!
Delilah and the Metzger's Menagerie have been running things on their own for a few weeks now and they're just barely making ends meet. They've been rescuing other supernaturals from captivity by buying them when they're able. Its put a strain on their financial situation, but Delilah and her friends aren't going to quit it just yet. But that's when Fate takes action into her own hands. Delilah and her friends are essentially kidnapped by Willem Vandekamp, owner and proprietor of the Savage Spectacle. And if they thought that Metzger was a beast, they're about to learn that Vandekamp and his wife out-trump him by a mile.
The Savage Spectacle is a different kind of show entirely than what Metzger's Menagerie was. Instead of just putting on a show and paying to gawk at the "creatures", here the very, very wealthy pay for interactions. From gladiator style battles to one-on-one situations, the Savage Spectacle in nothing short of a nightmare. Vandekamp has outfitted the supernaturals with collars that basically control them, and are fitted to their species. Not knowing what Delilah is exactly presents a challenge for him. But it's not long before she is collared properly too.
The action in this story truly picks up--not to say that it was dull before, because in some ways it was like when Delilah was first thrust into the Menagerie, except this is a whole new kind of circus-hell, so don't think that things aren't enticing prior to part two--in part two when Delilah has no recollection to what's happened to her. She still knows she's a prisoner and all that, but her new cell and suddenly healthy meals are causing her worry. And what she learns is even more terrifying than she could ever suspect!
Much like its predecessor, Spectacle will change the way you see humanity. In these books, I've been quite appalled at our fellow man. The supernatural folks who are deemed "inhuman" are more humane than the actual humans. It's quite the head-turner. But I think that's part of its allure! Plus after spending time with Delilah, Gallagher, and their friends, you really start to care for them and you want to see them tear off their enemies' heads!
Spectacle is a very character driven kind of novel, and I truly enjoyed that. While there's not bouts of action, there's plenty of tension, drama, suspense, and dicey moments.The action comes as needed and trust me, the buildup is worth it!
There still isn't very much romance in this one. That may or may not change somewhere down the line. Who knows? Besides Rachel that is! I kind of recall thinking there was some tension between Delilah and Gallagher that could possibly lead to the romantic kind. Is there evidence of seeing that in this one? Well...you'll just have to read and see for yourself! It's truly up for interpretation, I'd say! LOL!
While we sometimes fear the second book of a trilogy to read very middle of the road, you don't have to worry about that with this one! Spectacle was full on incredible! True, our heroes are caught in a similar situation as in the first book, but trust me when I say, it's very, VERY different! You won't see a repeat of things that have already come to pass. If you were enthralled with the first book, you'll be hooked into this one right away!
The ending I will say was awesome! And all praise Rachel for avoiding those killer cliffhangers. It ends in a way that you're satisfied with the current events, but anxious to see where our heroes will go next. And that truly is the best kind of ending when it comes to mid-series installments! Spectacle was one amazing kind of read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of paranormal read that will leave you questioning who the real "monsters" are! Though be advised, it is a trilogy and reading Menagerie is kind of necessary in order to understand who our characters are and what they've been through. Besides, binge reading is always highly satisfying...even if you must wait for the final book. You'll be okay, trust me! Spectacle is a must read!
Overall Rating 5/5 stars
Spectacle releases May 30, 2017
I had many of the same thoughts about this book. It was very different than I had thought it would be and I loved every minute of it. My review will be posted later this week. Glad you loved it!
ReplyDelete