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Persona #2
Icon
A year ago, International Assembly delegate Suyana Sapaki barely survived an attempt on her life. Now she has everything: she’s climbing the social ranks, dating the American Face, and poised for greatness. But the secret that drives her couldn’t stay hidden forever, and as she scrambles to prop up her lies and save herself from a political scandal that could kill her, she has a new enemy: the public eye.
A year ago, Daniel Park was hoping for the story of a lifetime. He got her; he’s been following her for a year. But what do you do when you feel the person has vanished inside the shell, and dangers are building all around you? How much does Daniel dare become involved when his job is to break the story? And how far will he go for a cause that isn’t his?
A year ago, Daniel Park was hoping for the story of a lifetime. He got her; he’s been following her for a year. But what do you do when you feel the person has vanished inside the shell, and dangers are building all around you? How much does Daniel dare become involved when his job is to break the story? And how far will he go for a cause that isn’t his?
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2016
5 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Genevieve Valentine
203 books319 followersGenevieve Valentine has sold more than three dozen short stories; her fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, Journal of Mythic Arts, Fantasy Magazine, Lightspeed, and Apex, and in the anthologies Federations, The Living Dead 2, The Way of the Wizard, Running with the Pack, Teeth, and more.
Her nonfiction has appeared in Lightspeed, Tor.com, and Fantasy Magazine, and she is the co-author of Geek Wisdom (out in Summer 2011 from Quirk Books).
Her first novel, Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, is forthcoming from Prime Books in May 2011. You can learn more about it at the Circus Tresualti website.
Her appetite for bad movies is insatiable, a tragedy she tracks on her blog.
Her nonfiction has appeared in Lightspeed, Tor.com, and Fantasy Magazine, and she is the co-author of Geek Wisdom (out in Summer 2011 from Quirk Books).
Her first novel, Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, is forthcoming from Prime Books in May 2011. You can learn more about it at the Circus Tresualti website.
Her appetite for bad movies is insatiable, a tragedy she tracks on her blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 6, 2018
I was a little lost at first, as I could not remember why Suyana was treading so carefully and strategically in this book. But then I decided to just sit back and enjoy. There is a lot of tension in this fast-paced story of political intrigue, murder, environmentally-minded terrorists, and the relationships between political figures, their handlers, and photographers. Suyana is further along in her efforts to stay afloat in the system, while Daniel seems to be coming apart as he watches Suyana and worries. Suyana becomes somewhat scarier with each attempt to silence and use her. I'm not sure if there are any further stories in the Persona series, but Genevieve Valentine resolved this installment in a place where Suyana's story could be wrapped up.
April 2, 2016
Persona
was one of my favorite books of 2015, and even though I loved it as a stand-alone, I eagerly anticipated the sequel. Unfortunately, Icon is not what I hoped for.
The book begins with a killer first line: "Suyana wore sleeveless gowns so people could see where she'd been shot." It's a perfect way to reintroduce an awesome woman who gives no fucks, who consciously crafts her persona—hey-o—to manipulate public perception. Her current job is a fake relationship with the American Face, Ethan, the relationship she fucking got shot for. Genevieve Valentine is a master at describing body language and fashion, the physical extensions of ourselves that communicate so much, and in a world where political paparazzi (snaps) can shape the media narrative with the right photo, Suyana understands exactly how to tilt her head, to place her hand.
Daniel, her snap, has a fraught, complicated relationship with her. They bonded in stressful circumstances and had to learn to trust each other to survive; now Suyana seems to have shut him out. And now is not the best time, given that there appears to be someone trying to kill her.
Valentine's prose is enviably slick, but I had no idea what was going on most of the time in this book. I don't know how much of it was not remembering all the details and characters of the last book; it didn't seem to me that intimate knowledge of Persona was required to understand Icon, though it obviously helps. Whereas Persona was a taut thriller, Icon is more of a sea of paranoid tension, and I found it difficult to keep track of all the characters and who was on whose side and who hated whom and why is there a Martine and a Margot in the same book. Making matters worse, Suyana shuts the reader out as much as she shuts Daniel out; while we get her internal thoughts occasionally, they're usually about her relationship with Ethan and not the larger conspiracy brewing around her. I wanted the sequel to Persona to be Suyana Sapaki Fucks Shit Up. Instead, it's Suyana Sapaki Doesn't Really Do Much While Other People Are Very Concerned About Her. Towards the end, she gets some more agency, and it's possible that she's more in control of the situation than it's felt like for most of the book.
It's entirely possible I've just misread the book; it's very cerebral and secretive, and Valentine expects the reader to pick up on a lot of subtle implications along with the characters. Maybe I was just in the mood for more action. But regardless of my general confusion, of course, I couldn't stop reading because of the goddamn way Valentine writes. While Icon didn't give me what I wanted, I can see other readers being swept up in the political intrigue and lies and deception, especially those drawn to the complexities of a manufactured political relationship, which is one of the strongest aspects of the book.
The book begins with a killer first line: "Suyana wore sleeveless gowns so people could see where she'd been shot." It's a perfect way to reintroduce an awesome woman who gives no fucks, who consciously crafts her persona—hey-o—to manipulate public perception. Her current job is a fake relationship with the American Face, Ethan, the relationship she fucking got shot for. Genevieve Valentine is a master at describing body language and fashion, the physical extensions of ourselves that communicate so much, and in a world where political paparazzi (snaps) can shape the media narrative with the right photo, Suyana understands exactly how to tilt her head, to place her hand.
Daniel, her snap, has a fraught, complicated relationship with her. They bonded in stressful circumstances and had to learn to trust each other to survive; now Suyana seems to have shut him out. And now is not the best time, given that there appears to be someone trying to kill her.
Valentine's prose is enviably slick, but I had no idea what was going on most of the time in this book. I don't know how much of it was not remembering all the details and characters of the last book; it didn't seem to me that intimate knowledge of Persona was required to understand Icon, though it obviously helps. Whereas Persona was a taut thriller, Icon is more of a sea of paranoid tension, and I found it difficult to keep track of all the characters and who was on whose side and who hated whom and why is there a Martine and a Margot in the same book. Making matters worse, Suyana shuts the reader out as much as she shuts Daniel out; while we get her internal thoughts occasionally, they're usually about her relationship with Ethan and not the larger conspiracy brewing around her. I wanted the sequel to Persona to be Suyana Sapaki Fucks Shit Up. Instead, it's Suyana Sapaki Doesn't Really Do Much While Other People Are Very Concerned About Her. Towards the end, she gets some more agency, and it's possible that she's more in control of the situation than it's felt like for most of the book.
It's entirely possible I've just misread the book; it's very cerebral and secretive, and Valentine expects the reader to pick up on a lot of subtle implications along with the characters. Maybe I was just in the mood for more action. But regardless of my general confusion, of course, I couldn't stop reading because of the goddamn way Valentine writes. While Icon didn't give me what I wanted, I can see other readers being swept up in the political intrigue and lies and deception, especially those drawn to the complexities of a manufactured political relationship, which is one of the strongest aspects of the book.
July 28, 2016
Maybe 3 3/4. The plot was hard to follow as the story started up with no reminders of what happened it the first book. Definitely not a stand alone book. But I enjoyed much of the action and intrigue once in was given more context for the plot. I love the premise of FACES, people who represent whole countries who stage elaborate photo ops, but have handlers to keep the popularity points coming.
August 16, 2016
I need to reread this book back-to-back with Persona, because I am missing out on so much.
In the world of Persona and Icon, UN delegates and international treaties have been replaced by celebrity culture: now a single Face trained from an early age represents each country and their heavily-consumed movements and relationships dictate international affairs.
Persona was basically a perfect book for me: smart heroine relying on smarts and diplomacy instead of ninja skills or equivalent, a complicated plot that isn't spelled out for you, messy relationships, that strange area of spec fic that isn't fantasy or sci-fi or alternate history - just that one little tweak to the order of things...
And Icon was much of the same. In a good way.
However, because it has been so long since book 1 came out and it is very serious about not spelling things out for the reader, I had forgotten many of the plot threads. Lost plot threads means lost nuance and hints, and because Icon jumps straight back into the plot, there isn't even an "A, the Face of Z" introduction to fall back on.
I really wish I had read a summary of Persona before cracking this open.
I still highly recommend this duology, but read it back-to-back as an unbroken novel.
In the world of Persona and Icon, UN delegates and international treaties have been replaced by celebrity culture: now a single Face trained from an early age represents each country and their heavily-consumed movements and relationships dictate international affairs.
Persona was basically a perfect book for me: smart heroine relying on smarts and diplomacy instead of ninja skills or equivalent, a complicated plot that isn't spelled out for you, messy relationships, that strange area of spec fic that isn't fantasy or sci-fi or alternate history - just that one little tweak to the order of things...
And Icon was much of the same. In a good way.
However, because it has been so long since book 1 came out and it is very serious about not spelling things out for the reader, I had forgotten many of the plot threads. Lost plot threads means lost nuance and hints, and because Icon jumps straight back into the plot, there isn't even an "A, the Face of Z" introduction to fall back on.
I really wish I had read a summary of Persona before cracking this open.
I still highly recommend this duology, but read it back-to-back as an unbroken novel.
February 21, 2016
Well. That kinda ripped my heart out. Somehow managed to one-up Persona!
Longer review to follow. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Saga Press for the review copy!
Longer review to follow. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Saga Press for the review copy!
March 26, 2020
4/5 stars.
August 23, 2020
While I enjoy this author's style, I spent most of my time inside this book confused. I enjoyed Persona, for which this is a sequel. 2.5 out of 5 ... Maybe it's just my pandemic brain.
September 11, 2016
Fair warning, though it might come out in this review that I'm a bit angry and critical of Genevieve Valentine, I still love her, her fictional writing and her articles. That said.
I found several things did not work with this book, and not the same I've seen some people complain about here. I do think that the politics are complicated, but maybe because I'd read Persona just the week prior, I did remember all the Faces and their handlers perfectly. I found that one of the problems I had was, in fact, the opposite: I would have liked to learn more about other Faces (we know so little! We don't even know who are the Big Nine!!! big deal), or at least heard them mentioned, and, above all, I would have liked to understand the political context. See, I understand Margot to be a cold-blooded dictator, and I understand how this affects other Faces, such as Suyana or Martine. But what I don't see is what are the consequences of her politics on the general population. I have no idea, by reading these two books, about what is happening to the people living in Paris or New York. What are the actual public policies? I'd like to know. I imagine they're terrible, but it would have reinforced my hate for Margot, and emphasised the need to revolt, if I had seen WHY and what it does to normal people. In the first book I didn't miss it because it was all action, the whole novel took place in the span of two or three days, and what I was invested was in Suyana surviving, period. But here, we were supposed to care about revolution, and I didn't. Which is to say that I didn't understand Suyana's motivations AT ALL. Here comes the second thing I'm not happy with: Suyana. I love a cold fearless woman who can take her losses, but this is only engaging when you can see her humanity through her armour, like in Persona. I would have loved for her to do something HUMAN here, something that let me see what all that effort, all that pain was worth for. I don't understand what her motivations were, and I don't see she's happy with what she accomplishes. In fact (and in that point it's totally my fault), I don't completely understand
I find very interesting the fact that most of the things that happen or that are said are anticipated by the characters, to the point that some things need not be said, or done. I'm a huge fan of that kind of understanding between people that goes beyond words. After all, most of the characters are double agents that need to be observant and see two steps into the future. I think Valentine is amazing at that and I loved how they did it. BUT, it might have been underwhelming when thing did actually go this way without no surprises. It's not that I measure my enjoyment of a novel for the number of cliffhangers, but I would have liked some. You know? Maybe that's just a feeling, and I don't actually know how to explain it well.
Lastly, I've read Valentine complain about useless deaths. So: why did you? (SPOILERS FROM NOW ON). I found Daniel's death to be completely unnecessary and very anticlimactic. VERY. I was so shocked, I was convinced until the book's last word that it was all a ploy and he was actually just faking it (with Suyana's help), so that he could remove his camera and live as a free person (which, why didn't he?). And eventually she would've joined him, of course.
I found several things did not work with this book, and not the same I've seen some people complain about here. I do think that the politics are complicated, but maybe because I'd read Persona just the week prior, I did remember all the Faces and their handlers perfectly. I found that one of the problems I had was, in fact, the opposite: I would have liked to learn more about other Faces (we know so little! We don't even know who are the Big Nine!!! big deal), or at least heard them mentioned, and, above all, I would have liked to understand the political context. See, I understand Margot to be a cold-blooded dictator, and I understand how this affects other Faces, such as Suyana or Martine. But what I don't see is what are the consequences of her politics on the general population. I have no idea, by reading these two books, about what is happening to the people living in Paris or New York. What are the actual public policies? I'd like to know. I imagine they're terrible, but it would have reinforced my hate for Margot, and emphasised the need to revolt, if I had seen WHY and what it does to normal people. In the first book I didn't miss it because it was all action, the whole novel took place in the span of two or three days, and what I was invested was in Suyana surviving, period. But here, we were supposed to care about revolution, and I didn't. Which is to say that I didn't understand Suyana's motivations AT ALL. Here comes the second thing I'm not happy with: Suyana. I love a cold fearless woman who can take her losses, but this is only engaging when you can see her humanity through her armour, like in Persona. I would have loved for her to do something HUMAN here, something that let me see what all that effort, all that pain was worth for. I don't understand what her motivations were, and I don't see she's happy with what she accomplishes. In fact (and in that point it's totally my fault), I don't completely understand
I find very interesting the fact that most of the things that happen or that are said are anticipated by the characters, to the point that some things need not be said, or done. I'm a huge fan of that kind of understanding between people that goes beyond words. After all, most of the characters are double agents that need to be observant and see two steps into the future. I think Valentine is amazing at that and I loved how they did it. BUT, it might have been underwhelming when thing did actually go this way without no surprises. It's not that I measure my enjoyment of a novel for the number of cliffhangers, but I would have liked some. You know? Maybe that's just a feeling, and I don't actually know how to explain it well.
Lastly, I've read Valentine complain about useless deaths. So: why did you? (SPOILERS FROM NOW ON). I found Daniel's death to be completely unnecessary and very anticlimactic. VERY. I was so shocked, I was convinced until the book's last word that it was all a ploy and he was actually just faking it (with Suyana's help), so that he could remove his camera and live as a free person (which, why didn't he?). And eventually she would've joined him, of course.
December 8, 2016
Sam Malone: I am on a top secret mission for my country.
Diane Chambers: You are an idiot.
Sam Malone: No, no, that's just my cover.
—from the TV show Cheers, S2E18 (1984): "Snow Job"
Suyana Sapaki—the diplomatic Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation, a decidedly junior nation in the International Assembly—is no idiot, but she does have to play dumb a lot more often than she should. Foreign policy as chess game is a passé metaphor anyway, perhaps, but in Suyana's world of Faces, handlers and snaps, diplomacy no longer seems like any kind of intellectual pursuit.
Indeed, in Icon, even more than in Genevieve Valentine's 2015 novel Persona, the august International Assembly comes across more like a high-tech high school fashion show, where spontaneity is only acceptable if it's carefully scripted in advance, and where participants spend altogether too much time passing snap judgments on vanishingly-tiny faults. Exactly like diplomacy today... only more so.
I really like Suyana—she's a complex character, not so perfect that she's unbearable but not too flawed to be likeable—but Persona stood well enough on its own that even then I had reservations about the necessity for a sequel. And, in fact, I did not enjoy Icon nearly as much as I'd hoped to. There's more intrigue in the sequel, to be sure, and more fashion tips, but the world-building was already done in the first book, and we learn very little more from that perspective in the second.
It's slow to get going, too. Valentine spends more than a hundred pages arranging pieces on the board before making her first big move (okay, I guess chess is an inescapable metaphor, even if it is out of fashion).
Also, Icon is not at all a standalone novel—at either end. You really have to have read Persona first, to make any sense of the factions and their machinations, and while Icon does have an ending, it's inconclusive, leaving more than enough room for another sequel—or two, or more.
Which I'll probably read, after all. Even when Icon seems like just more of the same, Suyana remains strong and capable of surprises. And somehow I suspect that I'll end up viewing this book as necessary setup for an explosive conclusion.
We'll see, I hope...
February 8, 2018
Icon was a little too close to the previous book in what is apparently now a series, Persona for my taste. First, it assumes a really high level of familiarity with the earlier book. There is almost nothing to re-establish the setting or characters. I read Persona a couple of years ago and liked it, so I remembered Suyana and Daniel pretty well. But to be honest I didn't remember exactly how their relationship stood at the end of the last book. I had very limited memories of who the subsidiary characters were, especially the three powerful faces with similar bland names: Grace, Margot, and Martine.
More importantly, I thought Icon was too much a retread of the plot and themes of Persona. Once again Suyana has to disemble, take risks, and manipulate to survive the machinations at the International Assembly and within the environmental pseudo-terrorist groups she's sort of part of. There's the same hinting at a larger world of corporate malfeasance. In the first book I liked that the world building was allusive, but that needed to be added to in some way to justify a sequel.
Icon was perfectly pleasant, but it didn't really add anything to Persona.
More importantly, I thought Icon was too much a retread of the plot and themes of Persona. Once again Suyana has to disemble, take risks, and manipulate to survive the machinations at the International Assembly and within the environmental pseudo-terrorist groups she's sort of part of. There's the same hinting at a larger world of corporate malfeasance. In the first book I liked that the world building was allusive, but that needed to be added to in some way to justify a sequel.
Icon was perfectly pleasant, but it didn't really add anything to Persona.
August 6, 2016
I loved Persona (book #1 in this series). I liked Icon... but only liked it. Here's why:
First, I had reread 60% of Persona before starting Icon and I was still lost. You definitely need to read the books back-to-back.
Second, I read this book when I was in a mellow, summer relaxed mode. Icon is a taut, tense thriller. I felt like I needed a vacation from reading because it was so intense. It may be better to read this in February when more heat is welcome.
Finally, I didn't like or admire Suyana nearly as much in this book as I did in Persona. Although smart and brave, she's almost disappeared into her role as Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Coalition. She fights, but it's unclear what she's fighting for and how much of a villain she's become by the end of the book.
First, I had reread 60% of Persona before starting Icon and I was still lost. You definitely need to read the books back-to-back.
Second, I read this book when I was in a mellow, summer relaxed mode. Icon is a taut, tense thriller. I felt like I needed a vacation from reading because it was so intense. It may be better to read this in February when more heat is welcome.
Finally, I didn't like or admire Suyana nearly as much in this book as I did in Persona. Although smart and brave, she's almost disappeared into her role as Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Coalition. She fights, but it's unclear what she's fighting for and how much of a villain she's become by the end of the book.
August 23, 2016
The writing style of the author is rock-solid, and it makes for an engrossing read even as the structure of the book doesn't match it. Because it had been so long since I read Persona, and because the book drops you straight into the action without catching the reader up with the book, it became increasingly difficult to keep track of who was who, what alliances were what--especially because this book was light on the action, heavy on atmosphere/paranoia. Also YMMV but I didn't really care for the ending at all. All in all, it was a competent sequel but not what I was hoping for when I finished Persona.
July 3, 2016
A satisfying follow-up to Persona, definitely recommended if you liked the first book! The timescale was longer in this one so the worldbuilding got to breathe a bit more. The ending is very conclusive, but I'd be happy to read more stories in the same setting, and look forward to rereading these two in the future.
January 31, 2020
As I learn a little more of the world, it makes less sense to me. Doesn't seem functional. The book also suffers from not having the taut thriller opening of our hero trying to be assassinated by an unknown party like in Persona.
Because I won't remember the plot of this book a week from now, here are notes for myself.
Because I won't remember the plot of this book a week from now, here are notes for myself.
October 24, 2017
This book was amazing and far more tense then I expected. From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next and how things would turn out.
Politics and celebrity culture are unmistakably woven together with Faces being manipulated throughout their careers to benefit their nations or affect the views of the greater population they serve.
Suyana may have escaped last time but now she is under a magnifying glass more then ever. While the last book showed how politics have commercialized celebrity culture for their own gain Icon really cranks up the heat. Suyana not only has to stay alive she has to try and keep others alive while trying to serve the true best interests of the nations she represents. All while trying not to be outmaneuvered by others.
There's a lot going on in this book and the lack of any reminders at the start made it hard at first to remember everything that was going on. A short section summarizing the events of the last book would have been very helpful.
This was an incredibly tense political thriller but it is one you have to follow closely or you can easily end up getting lost among the plot threats, backstabbing, and double meanings. However it was an incredible read for me and I'm only disappointed that I didn't read it sooner.
Politics and celebrity culture are unmistakably woven together with Faces being manipulated throughout their careers to benefit their nations or affect the views of the greater population they serve.
Suyana may have escaped last time but now she is under a magnifying glass more then ever. While the last book showed how politics have commercialized celebrity culture for their own gain Icon really cranks up the heat. Suyana not only has to stay alive she has to try and keep others alive while trying to serve the true best interests of the nations she represents. All while trying not to be outmaneuvered by others.
There's a lot going on in this book and the lack of any reminders at the start made it hard at first to remember everything that was going on. A short section summarizing the events of the last book would have been very helpful.
This was an incredibly tense political thriller but it is one you have to follow closely or you can easily end up getting lost among the plot threats, backstabbing, and double meanings. However it was an incredible read for me and I'm only disappointed that I didn't read it sooner.
May 31, 2023
While Persona felt fast-paced with too little plot, Icon somehow seemed to settle into itself and feel more appropriately-paced, despite being approximately the same length. Perhaps it was because we didn't need explanations of the characters' histories and how the world worked in this one. Honestly, this was close to a perfect book for me. The only thing that really threw it off for me was the ending. One of the main characters got a bit of a surprising ending that didn't really carry enough emotional weight to be satisfying. Had this been done differently, however, it would have been a five-star book. I would love to see more in this series, although after this much time, I doubt more are coming.
February 27, 2023
An excellent return to the thrilling, near-future world of celebrity diplomats. Suyana proves herself to be every bit the cunning, strong female protagonist she was before and then some. The book delves deeper into political intrigue, making the stakes higher, but also at times at little less grounded and muddled. With an expanded cast and the highest of stakes, Icon is an excellent conclusion to the Persona Sequence.
May 10, 2017
See, now this is what I'd wanted the previous book in this series to be! Global politics via fashion. In the Hunger Games, did you like the part where the stylists descended on them and they had to deal with Capitol politics best? The whole book is that.
November 20, 2019
I still really enjoyed this, but it became a little difficult to keep track of everyone's shifting loyalties and the double and triple crosses. But it's another engaging thriller. (Also, pet peeve: why do their fingertips keep going cold when they're shocked!!! this is weirdly specific!!!)
August 27, 2017
Not intelligent enough to match the quality of the central conceit.
December 6, 2017
Diplomacy and politics as a maddening combination of popularity contest and reality TV. I love it. Rule the world, Suyana.
May 24, 2020
This is now my favourite duology and I'm a mess.
May 23, 2021
Possibly I should have re-read Persona first? rather a while since I did and I think this might have worked better had I done so.
October 11, 2016
I continue to love the tension and emotion of Genevieve Valentine's writing and the precision with which she's able to etch certain moments (even while her plots remain consistently murky). However this book had one of the most anticlimactic, pointless..."culminating plot point," I'll call it...Ever. It was a terribly wrought scene and had no real purpose that couldn't have been handled better. So while I really liked this overall, it didn't leave me with a good feeling.
March 14, 2017
"She'll make a martyr. She looks good for that."
The more I contemplate *Icon* and its predecessor, *Persona*, the more impressed I am. Not only does Valentine create a dystopia at once plausible and terrifying, she demonstrates that intelligence and empathy are the only counters - and can be equally terrifying.
Since taking a devil's deal at the age of thirteen, Suyana has been shaped into a tool - the Face of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation. But a tool can also be used as a weapon and she has chosen to play a game of espionage, manipulation and assassination on the international stage, where her every move is watched and each thought speculated upon by millions. Even under normal circumstances, Faces go mad or are quietly "retired" for causing their countries embarrassment.
In *Icon*, the idealism and comparatively low profile that saved her in *Persona* are gone. She has one choice and one choice only. "Grow so large no one could rip you from the foundation without collapsing the ground under their feet." The battle is fought across photography sessions, night clubs and official tours, and it is Valentine's eye for characterization and her razor-sharp prose that makes these engagements as gripping as any conducted with guns and bombs. Sacrifice will be required and changes reflected cleverly in the covers of each book. Stay awake, pay attention: the smallest detail could be the key.
This world really is one missed away corner from our own. A sense of utter conviction permeates the skullduggery in New York and Parisian grandstanding, the near-complete divorce of the media commentary from what is really going on. Connoisseurs of ruthlessness, subtlety and style will find much to their taste, and any reader will come away with much food for thought.
The more I contemplate *Icon* and its predecessor, *Persona*, the more impressed I am. Not only does Valentine create a dystopia at once plausible and terrifying, she demonstrates that intelligence and empathy are the only counters - and can be equally terrifying.
Since taking a devil's deal at the age of thirteen, Suyana has been shaped into a tool - the Face of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation. But a tool can also be used as a weapon and she has chosen to play a game of espionage, manipulation and assassination on the international stage, where her every move is watched and each thought speculated upon by millions. Even under normal circumstances, Faces go mad or are quietly "retired" for causing their countries embarrassment.
In *Icon*, the idealism and comparatively low profile that saved her in *Persona* are gone. She has one choice and one choice only. "Grow so large no one could rip you from the foundation without collapsing the ground under their feet." The battle is fought across photography sessions, night clubs and official tours, and it is Valentine's eye for characterization and her razor-sharp prose that makes these engagements as gripping as any conducted with guns and bombs. Sacrifice will be required and changes reflected cleverly in the covers of each book. Stay awake, pay attention: the smallest detail could be the key.
This world really is one missed away corner from our own. A sense of utter conviction permeates the skullduggery in New York and Parisian grandstanding, the near-complete divorce of the media commentary from what is really going on. Connoisseurs of ruthlessness, subtlety and style will find much to their taste, and any reader will come away with much food for thought.
February 26, 2017
Set in the same world as Persona, this second book in the series asks questions about how the Faces present themselves to the world as diplomats and how their personal lives are presented and affected by the roles they have. Suyana (United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation) is allied with the smooth-talking and handsome Ethan (United States) as they play the role of celebrity couple with international implications. The sense of precariousness in a dark world is built throughout the plot. This book is all about image, which makes the characters a little flat. It's an intriguing premise and a frightening world.
February 19, 2017
This book got so complex that there were times when I couldn't follow exactly what was going on, and that impressed me. If you like books that dive into politics and how politics affect the politicians - especially the unwilling ones - this is a great book for you.
March 23, 2016
Icon is the successor to Persona, and it completely surpassed all of my expectations. Although I really enjoyed Persona and was jumping up and down when I found out that it existed last year, after reading it, I was slightly disappointed because I thought it had more potential to be better developed and less awkward. The writing of Icon is meticulous and every action is carefully crafted. Suyana has matured and so has the development of the series. And it met its potential with Icon all of the way. I honestly think the first book would have been better received if it was the first half of a combined novel along with Icon. I don't know if there will be more books in this series, but based off of the ending, I am crossing my fingers and hoping for more Suyana Sapaki, political intrigue, and assassination attempts.
This series is definitely for those who enjoy politics, mysteries, thrillers, and strong female characters. All that I am going to say, is pick up a copy of Icon even if you did not particularly enjoy Persona. You will more than likely fall in love and really come to enjoy this installment with Suyana carefully balancing her relationships with the other Faces, including enemies and allies, her boyfriend of convenience, and the responsibilities given to her by the UARC and Chordata, while having her own personal agendas. Is Suyana conflicted, or is everything just a part of her master plan?
This series is definitely for those who enjoy politics, mysteries, thrillers, and strong female characters. All that I am going to say, is pick up a copy of Icon even if you did not particularly enjoy Persona. You will more than likely fall in love and really come to enjoy this installment with Suyana carefully balancing her relationships with the other Faces, including enemies and allies, her boyfriend of convenience, and the responsibilities given to her by the UARC and Chordata, while having her own personal agendas. Is Suyana conflicted, or is everything just a part of her master plan?
July 19, 2016
4.5 stars from Marion, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
I think Genevieve Valentine has invented a new subgenre: the fashionpunk political thriller. So far both books in THE PERSONA SEQUENCE, Persona (2015) and Icon (2016), fit into this fashion-forward category, where appearance is everything… or at least, so it appears.
"… In this light they looked like ghosts or witches, something powerful and untouchable and lovely, even in pencil skirts and jeans and sequin tops and Kipa’s sensible cardigan with the top button of her blouse left undone."
Suyana Sapaki is the Face for a young political jurisdiction called the United Amazon Rainforest Coalition. Faces appear at diplomatic events, committee meetings and general meetings of an international group called the International Alliance, which has replaced the United Nations. Faces cast votes. They cast the vote they are told to cast. They speak the words that are scripted for them by people we never see. They look good; they know how to pose, how to smile and sign autographs, how to walk a red carpet. They are no more “diplomats” than reality television is “real.” In case we’ve forgotten from Persona, the very first page of Icon reminds us that Suyana doesn’t have a life. She has an itinerary. ...review at FANTASY LITERATURE
I think Genevieve Valentine has invented a new subgenre: the fashionpunk political thriller. So far both books in THE PERSONA SEQUENCE, Persona (2015) and Icon (2016), fit into this fashion-forward category, where appearance is everything… or at least, so it appears.
"… In this light they looked like ghosts or witches, something powerful and untouchable and lovely, even in pencil skirts and jeans and sequin tops and Kipa’s sensible cardigan with the top button of her blouse left undone."
Suyana Sapaki is the Face for a young political jurisdiction called the United Amazon Rainforest Coalition. Faces appear at diplomatic events, committee meetings and general meetings of an international group called the International Alliance, which has replaced the United Nations. Faces cast votes. They cast the vote they are told to cast. They speak the words that are scripted for them by people we never see. They look good; they know how to pose, how to smile and sign autographs, how to walk a red carpet. They are no more “diplomats” than reality television is “real.” In case we’ve forgotten from Persona, the very first page of Icon reminds us that Suyana doesn’t have a life. She has an itinerary. ...review at FANTASY LITERATURE
November 21, 2016
In a world where the UN and Hollywood have combined in a bizarre form of government, celebrities known as Faces entertain the crowds alongside voting as representatives of their countries; when Faces are seen clubbing together, it's a sign that relations between their nations are warm, and so on. Of course, the Faces have Handlers, trained staff who choreograph their PR obligations.
It's a fascinating setting, and one in which Genevieve Valentine inserts an intriguing thriller about the Face of the United Amazon Rainforest Coalition (currently dating the Face of America, but otherwise almost unremarkable, isolated and forced to pretend to be a naive socialite) trying to help her country protect itself from being exploited by the powerful and survive against powerful enemies. She may have allies, but none she can fully trust: an ecoterrorist organization that is using her, and a paparazzo and the organization behind him.
This manages to get the feeling of the Hunger Games while being completely fresh.
It's a fascinating setting, and one in which Genevieve Valentine inserts an intriguing thriller about the Face of the United Amazon Rainforest Coalition (currently dating the Face of America, but otherwise almost unremarkable, isolated and forced to pretend to be a naive socialite) trying to help her country protect itself from being exploited by the powerful and survive against powerful enemies. She may have allies, but none she can fully trust: an ecoterrorist organization that is using her, and a paparazzo and the organization behind him.
This manages to get the feeling of the Hunger Games while being completely fresh.
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