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The War of Angels #2
Reaction
In the explosive follow-up to The Catalyst, Rose Elmsworth faces a looming war as the world crumbles around her and shocking secrets come to light.
Fifteen-year-old Rose Elmsworth is alone. Her father, David, has been imprisoned, and a death sentence is almost certain. She has been rejected by the Department, the amoral law-enforcement agency she was groomed for since birth, and lives in fear of the terrible secret that, if exposed, will destroy her. Around Rose, the world is changing. The laws that have for years maintained peace between those with magic and those without are breaking down, and two rival militias are preparing to fight a war that seems imminent and promises to be devastating. As darker elements of her father’s past emerge, Rose realizes that the rules of good and evil — rules she’s always believed wholeheartedly — will not protect her anymore. In a world of monsters, how long can trust, loyalty, and justice survive? And how much will Rose herself have to change to stay alive? Teen author Helena Coggan weaves a story of power, family, and magic in the thrilling sequel to her first novel.
Fifteen-year-old Rose Elmsworth is alone. Her father, David, has been imprisoned, and a death sentence is almost certain. She has been rejected by the Department, the amoral law-enforcement agency she was groomed for since birth, and lives in fear of the terrible secret that, if exposed, will destroy her. Around Rose, the world is changing. The laws that have for years maintained peace between those with magic and those without are breaking down, and two rival militias are preparing to fight a war that seems imminent and promises to be devastating. As darker elements of her father’s past emerge, Rose realizes that the rules of good and evil — rules she’s always believed wholeheartedly — will not protect her anymore. In a world of monsters, how long can trust, loyalty, and justice survive? And how much will Rose herself have to change to stay alive? Teen author Helena Coggan weaves a story of power, family, and magic in the thrilling sequel to her first novel.
421 pages, Hardcover
First published February 18, 2016
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465 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 17, 2020
What.
The flip.
Just happened.
My mind is beyond blown. It’s exploded and now the only thought in my brain is ‘what did I just read?’ Because what did I just read? All I know is that I need a third book, but that there IS NO THIRD BOOK. And yet we finished with that dramatic ending and someone’s dead and someone’s not and something major happened to magic.... lord, am I heartbroken.
The characters in this were amazing as always, and there were some flashbacks to David’s past throughout the book, where we got to learn how David got where he is. There were so many plot twists and reveals in this, and I somehow guessed none of them! The only reason this got 4 stars (not 5) is because I got confused about the characters sometimes and their names got mixed up in my brain, and I was also heartbroken over the ruined relationship between David and Rose. A good father-daughter relationship is so rare in books.
Nonetheless, this was astounding, amazing and stupendously-shocking and I highly recommend the duology, boring though I’ve heard it may sound.
The flip.
Just happened.
My mind is beyond blown. It’s exploded and now the only thought in my brain is ‘what did I just read?’ Because what did I just read? All I know is that I need a third book, but that there IS NO THIRD BOOK. And yet we finished with that dramatic ending and someone’s dead and someone’s not and something major happened to magic.... lord, am I heartbroken.
The characters in this were amazing as always, and there were some flashbacks to David’s past throughout the book, where we got to learn how David got where he is. There were so many plot twists and reveals in this, and I somehow guessed none of them! The only reason this got 4 stars (not 5) is because I got confused about the characters sometimes and their names got mixed up in my brain, and I was also heartbroken over the ruined relationship between David and Rose. A good father-daughter relationship is so rare in books.
Nonetheless, this was astounding, amazing and stupendously-shocking and I highly recommend the duology, boring though I’ve heard it may sound.
June 13, 2016
I need the next book. Like now...
Book Review Summary:
The Reaction is a great sequel to the Catalyst which features a great and interesting plot, enjoyable characters that were complex and fun to read about and great writing for someone who is still quite young. We can definitely expect bigger things from Helena Coggan in the future.
Writing:
One of my favourite aspects of this book was definitely the writing, Coggan knows how to write a gripping novel and for someone so young this is nice to see. I also think that in comparison to The Catalyst, there is a clear improvement of writing here. The writing features two different narratives that work in unison, although I can see how some would not like this aspect of the writing, this was something that I really enjoyed as it was nice to see how the pieces of information get intertwined in the plot. This style of writing also worked well with the plot making me want to read quicker to find out what happens next.
Plot:
The book follows the aftermath of the Catalyst where we follow Rose as she tries to piece her life together. This was a plot that I was definitely interested by and was highly invested in the plot, as there were so many layers to the story, like previously mentioned with the two narratives and I wanted to know where the story was going to go. This was a story that had many plot twists which keep me interested throughout and engaged as I want to get to the end of the novel. The end of the story was also shocking and surprising meaning that I just want to read the next book immediately.
Characters:
The characters are one of the best parts of this series as they are quite nuanced and develop over the course of the novel. Rose is a quite confident lead and I think that she is a great character often realising the weaknesses that she has relying on help from the adults in the novel which let's face it is a rarity in YA novels. This being said the adults were often the characters that I enjoyed more in the novel due to their complexities. This is seen with Loren and David, who blur the lines between so call good and evil in the novel and you never really know their true alliances. I would definitely say that Loren is my favourite character in the series for this reason. Rose is also surrounded by a strong group of friends, and one of the other positive aspects of the book is her reaction with them which was always nice to read about. This is also limited romance in the novel which I enjoyed because let's face it saving the world from a group of terrorists is more important than having a boyfriend although the tension between Rose and other male characters was something I enjoyed and was a clear difference between lots of other YA fantasy novels.
The Verdict:
The Reaction is the explosive sequel to the Catalyst and lives up to its predecessor which is a rarity in YA.
Book Review Summary:
The Reaction is a great sequel to the Catalyst which features a great and interesting plot, enjoyable characters that were complex and fun to read about and great writing for someone who is still quite young. We can definitely expect bigger things from Helena Coggan in the future.
Writing:
One of my favourite aspects of this book was definitely the writing, Coggan knows how to write a gripping novel and for someone so young this is nice to see. I also think that in comparison to The Catalyst, there is a clear improvement of writing here. The writing features two different narratives that work in unison, although I can see how some would not like this aspect of the writing, this was something that I really enjoyed as it was nice to see how the pieces of information get intertwined in the plot. This style of writing also worked well with the plot making me want to read quicker to find out what happens next.
Plot:
The book follows the aftermath of the Catalyst where we follow Rose as she tries to piece her life together. This was a plot that I was definitely interested by and was highly invested in the plot, as there were so many layers to the story, like previously mentioned with the two narratives and I wanted to know where the story was going to go. This was a story that had many plot twists which keep me interested throughout and engaged as I want to get to the end of the novel. The end of the story was also shocking and surprising meaning that I just want to read the next book immediately.
Characters:
The characters are one of the best parts of this series as they are quite nuanced and develop over the course of the novel. Rose is a quite confident lead and I think that she is a great character often realising the weaknesses that she has relying on help from the adults in the novel which let's face it is a rarity in YA novels. This being said the adults were often the characters that I enjoyed more in the novel due to their complexities. This is seen with Loren and David, who blur the lines between so call good and evil in the novel and you never really know their true alliances. I would definitely say that Loren is my favourite character in the series for this reason. Rose is also surrounded by a strong group of friends, and one of the other positive aspects of the book is her reaction with them which was always nice to read about. This is also limited romance in the novel which I enjoyed because let's face it saving the world from a group of terrorists is more important than having a boyfriend although the tension between Rose and other male characters was something I enjoyed and was a clear difference between lots of other YA fantasy novels.
The Verdict:
The Reaction is the explosive sequel to the Catalyst and lives up to its predecessor which is a rarity in YA.
March 17, 2016
I received a copy of The Reaction from Hachette New Zealand to review. I recently read and reviewed the first book, The Catalyst. You can read my review here.
I really enjoyed The Catalyst so I was really excited to read the sequel. I think this picked
up a few months after the first book left off, which was a great ending. But The Reaction was a little confusing in places. Helena has a way of building up a storyline and then leaves you hanging for a while until whatever it was she left you wanting to know is revealed later in the book. She also did this in The Catalyst too so even though there were things that confused me and were left up in the air I knew that they would eventually be revealed somewhere in the book. It also had me reading the book faster. I think Helena Coggan is definitely an author to watch!
I loved The Reaction, even more than The Catalyst. I think all the confusion added to the
story and stopped me guessing or figuring things out earlier in the book. I did click to one of the main storylines which I thought was genius! I cannot wait for the next book.
There was another cliffhanger at the end of this book. Even bigger than the one in The Catalyst. So far, for me, these books have gotten better as the story goes on. I know there have only been two books so far but if this was a five star book for me I’m expecting good things for the next one. I hope I’m not setting myself up though.
If you haven’t read these books yet then I highly recommend you do because the writing is flawless and the twists in this one left me wanting more.
I really enjoyed The Catalyst so I was really excited to read the sequel. I think this picked
up a few months after the first book left off, which was a great ending. But The Reaction was a little confusing in places. Helena has a way of building up a storyline and then leaves you hanging for a while until whatever it was she left you wanting to know is revealed later in the book. She also did this in The Catalyst too so even though there were things that confused me and were left up in the air I knew that they would eventually be revealed somewhere in the book. It also had me reading the book faster. I think Helena Coggan is definitely an author to watch!
I loved The Reaction, even more than The Catalyst. I think all the confusion added to the
story and stopped me guessing or figuring things out earlier in the book. I did click to one of the main storylines which I thought was genius! I cannot wait for the next book.
There was another cliffhanger at the end of this book. Even bigger than the one in The Catalyst. So far, for me, these books have gotten better as the story goes on. I know there have only been two books so far but if this was a five star book for me I’m expecting good things for the next one. I hope I’m not setting myself up though.
If you haven’t read these books yet then I highly recommend you do because the writing is flawless and the twists in this one left me wanting more.
August 31, 2019
Quite a complex storyline. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first, but definitely a worthwhile finish to the story.
June 17, 2016
From picking up The Catalyst at the beginning of 2015, I was so excited to pick up this sequel. Helena Coggan has such a way with words and is a brilliant storyteller who keeps me on the edge of my seat, and The Reaction is certainly no exception. The Reaction is written from two perspectives, Rose and her adoptive father David. At the end of The Catalyst the cliffhanger kind of loomed around David and whether he is who he says he is, and throughout this book we discover David's past and a lot of revelations that change both his and Rose's lives forever. I was right at the end of The Catalyst to be aware of David, because the plot is mainly about him and his past and the decisions he made. Secrets are spilled, and Rose is desperately trying to get her life together after David's arrest and being rejected by The Department because she's "different."
Rose develops hugely as a character from the first book, and she has to because she's on her own. However, I am more fascinated with the characters David and Loren in this book as they're very complex and I feel that we're never going to really understand them fully and I'm perfectly okay with that. I like the mystery in characters and Helena Coggan has hit the nail on the head with these two. There are some elements of romance in this story but its just the right amount that doesn't get in the way of the plot, and isn't awfully cliche so yay!
Again, Coggan has hit us with another bomb of a cliffhanger and I'm excited and annoyed that I have another wait before I can find out what happens with David and Rose. The war between magicals and non-magicals is looming and the suspense is absolutely killing me, and I am blown away by how amazing Helena Coggan's writing is and this story keeps getting better and better. Roll on book number three!
Rose develops hugely as a character from the first book, and she has to because she's on her own. However, I am more fascinated with the characters David and Loren in this book as they're very complex and I feel that we're never going to really understand them fully and I'm perfectly okay with that. I like the mystery in characters and Helena Coggan has hit the nail on the head with these two. There are some elements of romance in this story but its just the right amount that doesn't get in the way of the plot, and isn't awfully cliche so yay!
Again, Coggan has hit us with another bomb of a cliffhanger and I'm excited and annoyed that I have another wait before I can find out what happens with David and Rose. The war between magicals and non-magicals is looming and the suspense is absolutely killing me, and I am blown away by how amazing Helena Coggan's writing is and this story keeps getting better and better. Roll on book number three!
May 3, 2016
Oh, I'm sad it came down to this. :( But it was executed quite well.
January 9, 2017
Gripping, fast paced and beautifully written...
January 18, 2018
The Reaction by Helena Coggan is a dramatic and suspenseful dystopian twist on your classic magical novel! This book has it all, from faction based battles, political and domestic arguments, a wide array of characters both magical, non-magical, or even somewhere in between, and even some vivid flashbacks to keep you on the edge of your seat! Something to note is that The Reaction is a sequel to Coggan’s first novel, The Catalyst, however you do not have to read The Catalyst to understand this book. The book is based on the events following what is known as, The Veilbreak, which separated humanity by the addition of magical spirits which fused with the native population. From this came three main factions. The Department, a branch of the government whose job it is to keep the peace by any means necessary. The Gospel, a faction of gifted (magical) citizens in rebellion. And lastly, The Regency, an anti-magical yet very powerful faction that most people fear. Rose Elmsworth, the main character, is gifted but in a very strange way, you see, most of the time she is human with some magical powers, but at certain times or periods of intense stress or fear she risks transformation. She is known as a hybrid. Hybrids are feared, especially after video footage of Rose’s father David is revealed with him transforming before proceeding to eviscerate a large group of people effortlessly. Needless to say, Rose tries her hardest to save her father from his grim fate in court, for it seems that for this footage and other evidence he is doomed for a death sentence. But as the book continues we receive flashbacks of David’s life, each one earlier than the last, perhaps he is not the good man that Rose had seen and loved as a father. However, this must wait, for as a member of the Department, Rose and her allies must do their best to keep their city from what seems to be an inevitable war between the factions. Will Rose be able to handle her responsibilities as tensions rise both around and within her? Will David be executed? Who will the Regency hunt next? The only way to find out is to read The Reaction! This book is not an easy or quick read. I found myself having to read through sections slowly or even multiple times before figuring out what they meant. You must keep up with the plotline of David’s flashbacks, Rose’s internal struggle to hide her true hybrid self, the individual actions of all three factional leaders, and even then there are all of the supporting characters, so it goes without saying that this book can be very confusing. Please note that this book contains: intense drama, visceral descriptions, hostage crises, interrogation, kidnapping, and lots of violence in several forms. So this is not a novel for younger readers or the faint of heart. With its vast amount of details and aggressive content this book is a refreshingly twisted take on what are traditionally very positive fantasy novels. This book has earned its five dystopian stars from me!
Zander H., 15, Gulf Coast Mensa
Zander H., 15, Gulf Coast Mensa
July 30, 2023
Let me be clear: This book is perfectly fine.
It's decently written and full of dramatic emotional moments, and it's pretty well paced. I even liked Rose - in the beginning she was a young girl with her father taken away from her, and she later progressed to being someone hardened by betrayal into cold competency. She had a couple good badass moments, and I was stunned by some of the emotional reveals - especially the one at the very end.
Unfortunately, it didn't work at all for me. I didn't know this was the second novel of a series (because it's written nowhere except the back inside flap of the dustjacket, which I didn't read), so all the worldbuilding was like being thrown into the deep end for me. Demons, Ashkind, Gifted, Pretenders - they all confused me. (Side note: the name Ashkind is sooooo cool. I love it. Why can't the rest of the names be on par with that? "Gifted" "Hybrids" and "Demons" are mediocre names, and "Pretenders" is just straight up bad.) Adding to that were the similar names; Tara and Terrian and Teller, Madeline and Maria, etc. All of the supporting characters play a similar role and are indistinguishable from one another, barring certain traits like Madeline - David's lawyer, or Nate - the Childhood Best Friend. I'm sure they would be good character cameos if I had read the first novel... but I didn't.
Also, the flashbacks are confusing because they don't really label when the flashbacks end.
So overall I appreciated some of it, the rest was very confusing, but I'm sure it could have been very good.
It was certainly incredibly competent in prose and construction and I'm surprised a high schooler wrote and published this. I'm impressed (mostly because I'm 17 and I haven't done anything with my life yet).
It's decently written and full of dramatic emotional moments, and it's pretty well paced. I even liked Rose - in the beginning she was a young girl with her father taken away from her, and she later progressed to being someone hardened by betrayal into cold competency. She had a couple good badass moments, and I was stunned by some of the emotional reveals - especially the one at the very end.
Unfortunately, it didn't work at all for me. I didn't know this was the second novel of a series (because it's written nowhere except the back inside flap of the dustjacket, which I didn't read), so all the worldbuilding was like being thrown into the deep end for me. Demons, Ashkind, Gifted, Pretenders - they all confused me. (Side note: the name Ashkind is sooooo cool. I love it. Why can't the rest of the names be on par with that? "Gifted" "Hybrids" and "Demons" are mediocre names, and "Pretenders" is just straight up bad.) Adding to that were the similar names; Tara and Terrian and Teller, Madeline and Maria, etc. All of the supporting characters play a similar role and are indistinguishable from one another, barring certain traits like Madeline - David's lawyer, or Nate - the Childhood Best Friend. I'm sure they would be good character cameos if I had read the first novel... but I didn't.
Also, the flashbacks are confusing because they don't really label when the flashbacks end.
So overall I appreciated some of it, the rest was very confusing, but I'm sure it could have been very good.
It was certainly incredibly competent in prose and construction and I'm surprised a high schooler wrote and published this. I'm impressed (mostly because I'm 17 and I haven't done anything with my life yet).
February 28, 2018
I somehow didn't realize that this was the second book in a series before I got it, so I think part of my problem was that I had month idea what had happened prior and The Reaction just didn't flow in a way that second (and third) books from other series can, regardless of the order you read them in.
Honestly, the writing, for me personally, was so clunky and off-putting. That's just in my opinion, which isn't the end all be all, obviously.
It seemed almost like a MG novel masquerading as a YA novel, if that makes any sense at all?
The character Rose was unappealing and unlikeable but in a dull way, which is the worst. Her actions made no sense to me, her dialogue made no sense to me.
The premise of the book sounded wonderful...right up my alley, but the execution left me feeling befuddled and bored.
I love worlds with magic, because I can dive into another world and live in it through my mind, but while reading this book, I couldn't feel that escape AT ALL. It was almost like the writing blocked me from immersing myself in the story.
I was reading the book, but I wasn't READING......My eyes followed the words, my brain grasped the meanings of the words, but I wasn't transported.
Comparing this author's work to JK Rowling - the woman who created a world I was FULLY transported to and immersed in - is incredibly off the mark.
Why are publishing companies always SO wrong when they claim "This book is JUST LIKE so and so's super popular book!"
???
Anyways, all above is just my little personal opinion. Apparently other people do like this book, but I certainly would NOT recommend it.
Honestly, the writing, for me personally, was so clunky and off-putting. That's just in my opinion, which isn't the end all be all, obviously.
It seemed almost like a MG novel masquerading as a YA novel, if that makes any sense at all?
The character Rose was unappealing and unlikeable but in a dull way, which is the worst. Her actions made no sense to me, her dialogue made no sense to me.
The premise of the book sounded wonderful...right up my alley, but the execution left me feeling befuddled and bored.
I love worlds with magic, because I can dive into another world and live in it through my mind, but while reading this book, I couldn't feel that escape AT ALL. It was almost like the writing blocked me from immersing myself in the story.
I was reading the book, but I wasn't READING......My eyes followed the words, my brain grasped the meanings of the words, but I wasn't transported.
Comparing this author's work to JK Rowling - the woman who created a world I was FULLY transported to and immersed in - is incredibly off the mark.
Why are publishing companies always SO wrong when they claim "This book is JUST LIKE so and so's super popular book!"
???
Anyways, all above is just my little personal opinion. Apparently other people do like this book, but I certainly would NOT recommend it.
December 19, 2017
Good lord, this book was tough to read.
This book tells a story of how there are magical beings and non-magical beings who were once at war with one another. In addition to that, these beings ALSO hate the Department and the Angels who are of higher authority. TO ADD ON, Rosalyn Elmsworth, our MC, has to deal with her Hybrid father being prosecuted in court. If that whole summary doesn't tire you out I don't know what will.
First and foremost, I thought I liked this book. It was slow in the beginning but the action slowly built up around 100+ page. However, the presence of just having too many things happen at once in one book led me to be confused and just overall tired of reading. My love for this book got sucked out of me at every turn of the page and I even looked forward to the end just to get this brick of a book over and done with.
Rosalyn Elmsworth or Rose did little to make me like her. For a fifteen-year-old, she was a handful. Rose did not possess any loveable qualities at all. She was highstrung, rude and just not how a fifteen-year-old should act. The only characters that I could stand were Loren Arkwood and David Elmsworth who reminded me of Sirius Black of Harry Potter.
I would not recommend this book to anyone unless they don't mind countless of events happening at once and characters there were superficial.
This book tells a story of how there are magical beings and non-magical beings who were once at war with one another. In addition to that, these beings ALSO hate the Department and the Angels who are of higher authority. TO ADD ON, Rosalyn Elmsworth, our MC, has to deal with her Hybrid father being prosecuted in court. If that whole summary doesn't tire you out I don't know what will.
First and foremost, I thought I liked this book. It was slow in the beginning but the action slowly built up around 100+ page. However, the presence of just having too many things happen at once in one book led me to be confused and just overall tired of reading. My love for this book got sucked out of me at every turn of the page and I even looked forward to the end just to get this brick of a book over and done with.
Rosalyn Elmsworth or Rose did little to make me like her. For a fifteen-year-old, she was a handful. Rose did not possess any loveable qualities at all. She was highstrung, rude and just not how a fifteen-year-old should act. The only characters that I could stand were Loren Arkwood and David Elmsworth who reminded me of Sirius Black of Harry Potter.
I would not recommend this book to anyone unless they don't mind countless of events happening at once and characters there were superficial.
October 15, 2019
Similarly to the first book, I’m being slightly generous with the rating. If it had been written by someone older than sixteen then I probably would have only given it two stars.
I thought The Reaction wasn’t as good as The Catalyst mainly because there didn’t seem to be as much focus on the ‘fantasy’ side of story. A lot of the time it felt like I was just reading a book set in the present day due to the whole ‘magic’ concept being significantly toned down.
I also have to admit that I stopped caring about nearly all of the characters once I’d got to about halfway through, which is never a good thing (obviously). This was mainly because I was getting a bit frustrated with the overly confident/snarky attitude that most of the characters seemed to possess.
Negatives aside, I really, really liked the writing. If this is what Helena Coggan can write like at the age of sixteen then I can’t wait to see what her writing is like when she’s older.
Even though I’ve not loved this duology, I’ll probably read more of her books in the future.
I thought The Reaction wasn’t as good as The Catalyst mainly because there didn’t seem to be as much focus on the ‘fantasy’ side of story. A lot of the time it felt like I was just reading a book set in the present day due to the whole ‘magic’ concept being significantly toned down.
I also have to admit that I stopped caring about nearly all of the characters once I’d got to about halfway through, which is never a good thing (obviously). This was mainly because I was getting a bit frustrated with the overly confident/snarky attitude that most of the characters seemed to possess.
Negatives aside, I really, really liked the writing. If this is what Helena Coggan can write like at the age of sixteen then I can’t wait to see what her writing is like when she’s older.
Even though I’ve not loved this duology, I’ll probably read more of her books in the future.
March 6, 2020
Ok... Well I have no clue how to feel about this book. It had major ups and downs, but by the end, there was so much going on that it was kind of hard to understand. It kept switching back and forth between the stories of a lot of different characters and because of that the story got very confusing by the end, to the point where it was kind of boring. The ending was also very weird, as it did not end the way that I had expected it to in the beginning of the story. The writing throughout the book was kind of clunky and hard to read, and in my completely honest opinion, it was a little disappointing as well. All in all, I would say that it wasn't a GREAT book, but it wasn't complete and utter awfulness like some other books that I have read in the past.
[actual rating- 3.5 stars]
[actual rating- 3.5 stars]
July 30, 2021
I know a lot of people were confused with The Reaction and The Catalyst, but I don't think we should blame Coggan for this. The books are masterpieces and it doesn't make sense to ridicule her for our own misunderstanding. David and Rose's (Andrew and Aisling's, I should say...) relationship being shattered at the end was saddening but it was realistic; we can't always have a fairytale ending. I also admired the way Coggan decided to relay memories from longer and longer ago instead of the other way around. It assured that the right information was revealed at the right time and I thought it was novel. Definitely some of my favorite books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2019
3.5 stars
This was a very interesting book. While going through what was happening in the present for Rose, David, and the others it also went back in time for David showing us his secrets. I did not suspect the two biggest reveals, but the clues were all there to figure it out.
Overall I liked it, but not as much as the first book. The ending was mostly satisfying, but I had to think about some it quite a bit before I could wrap my mind around it.
This was a very interesting book. While going through what was happening in the present for Rose, David, and the others it also went back in time for David showing us his secrets. I did not suspect the two biggest reveals, but the clues were all there to figure it out.
Overall I liked it, but not as much as the first book. The ending was mostly satisfying, but I had to think about some it quite a bit before I could wrap my mind around it.
May 24, 2019
I was confused through most of this book again, I had trouble keeping track of the characters for some reason, but it was really cool and I really liked it. There were twists that I had never seen coming, but then again I barely understood the things that were clearly happening so idk man. But it was a really good book and I really liked the flashbacks, and how they kept going farther back in time and revealing David’s past more and more.
October 5, 2017
This was a very interesting book. Well written. My only problem was following the flashbacks and understanding how they fit into the flow of the story. Well written action scenes and a very surprising ending.
November 14, 2017
I thougt this was a great sequel and it was fascinating to learn the truth about David Elmsworth and his past and to discover Rose's true parentage. The flashbacks to David's past were a bit confusing as they went backwards but not enough to stop enjoyment of the story.
January 10, 2018
I could not put it down and I am SCREAMING BECAUSE I HAVE TOO MANY FEELINGS. AHHHHHH. READ. THIS. BOOK!!!!!!!
November 30, 2018
GoodReads GiveAway
I liked this book well enough at first but tired of it about mid-way.
I liked this book well enough at first but tired of it about mid-way.
June 14, 2023
I really wanted to love this book as much as the first but I found it to be quite slow compared to the first one. I did enjoy the twist though and the ending was pretty good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2024
I had to sit with my thoughts when it came to this one. It was not a happy ending, and when I first finished it I thought that was dissatisfying. However, the more I sat with it, the more I realised how perfect of an ending it was. There was such growth from the author in this book compared to the first. It was written in an interesting format and the plot seriously took me on a journey I did not see coming. I still have the same grievance that the characters come across so much older than they are and I think it would work so much better having them older, but the author was young when she wrote these so it’s all relative. Genuinely think this would make such an interesting TV show! Would recommend if you fancy an sci-fi-ish fantasy 👁️
September 22, 2016
**Veiled Spoiler Review**
I started reading The Reaction having just finished The Catalyst, which did very little to impress me I must admit. By my own fault, I can't stand not finishing book series, so I plowed on through The Reaction. This review won't contain spoilers for The Reaction, but will reference events in the Catalyst, so read (or don't read) that first.
Other reviewers love to praise Helena Coggan for being such a gifted writer at such a young age, but to be completely blunt: Just because she may be a good writer for a thirteen to sixteen -year-old, doesn't mean that the book itself it worth reading or any good for that matter.
The Reaction was an even bigger struggle to finish than The Catalyst was for me. The main character, Rose Elmsworth, is entirely unlikeable and loves to trot around bestowing judgment from her wooden high horse. She already did this in The Catalyst and shows no signs of slowing down in this excursion.
On top of that, the things that happen throughout the book simply don't make sense. Characters do things for no clear reason and that are completely illogical, plotpoints feel shoe-horned in, the Department continues to act as unprofessional as ever. Remember Maria from The Catalyst? She's still around and even though she's a fifteen year-old civilian with absolutely zero credentials, is somehow deeply involved in military decisions that the Department makes. I mention this only because it is entirely symptomatic of the book as a whole. Nothing makes sense, yet events are still wrapped up in ways that are somehow meant to make Rose look like a badass, even when she completely cocks everything up. Not to mention that problems that characters face and that tied up whole sections of the book and usually explained away or solved in a single paragraph some chapters later.
Also, Helena Coggan LOVES the word 'bemused'. It pops up at least once per chapter and is misused infuriatingly often.
This book gets a second star only because parts of the overall narrative show potential. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. If you absolutely loved The Catalyst, then by all means, feel free to read this, but if you were less than impressed, keep clear.
I started reading The Reaction having just finished The Catalyst, which did very little to impress me I must admit. By my own fault, I can't stand not finishing book series, so I plowed on through The Reaction. This review won't contain spoilers for The Reaction, but will reference events in the Catalyst, so read (or don't read) that first.
Other reviewers love to praise Helena Coggan for being such a gifted writer at such a young age, but to be completely blunt: Just because she may be a good writer for a thirteen to sixteen -year-old, doesn't mean that the book itself it worth reading or any good for that matter.
The Reaction was an even bigger struggle to finish than The Catalyst was for me. The main character, Rose Elmsworth, is entirely unlikeable and loves to trot around bestowing judgment from her wooden high horse. She already did this in The Catalyst and shows no signs of slowing down in this excursion.
On top of that, the things that happen throughout the book simply don't make sense. Characters do things for no clear reason and that are completely illogical, plotpoints feel shoe-horned in, the Department continues to act as unprofessional as ever. Remember Maria from The Catalyst? She's still around and even though she's a fifteen year-old civilian with absolutely zero credentials, is somehow deeply involved in military decisions that the Department makes. I mention this only because it is entirely symptomatic of the book as a whole. Nothing makes sense, yet events are still wrapped up in ways that are somehow meant to make Rose look like a badass, even when she completely cocks everything up. Not to mention that problems that characters face and that tied up whole sections of the book and usually explained away or solved in a single paragraph some chapters later.
Also, Helena Coggan LOVES the word 'bemused'. It pops up at least once per chapter and is misused infuriatingly often.
This book gets a second star only because parts of the overall narrative show potential. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. If you absolutely loved The Catalyst, then by all means, feel free to read this, but if you were less than impressed, keep clear.
February 4, 2017
First off the idea for this book series is brilliant I love the narrative it would make a great film. There was a lot of of hype surrounding this book series because of the age is the author, but for me I felt this book would have being 10 times better had she written it a few years later. Some parts of the book just don't make sense. The book centres partly around a government organisation called the department. But they are so irritatingly unprofessional and kinda pointless it makes those parts of the book hard to read without feeling frustrated. They make decisions that make no absolutely no sense, for the convince of the plot. They are involving civilians is "highly classified government operations" constantly, seemingly just so that characters the author has become attached to could remain in the story. Introducing characters for the purpose of killing them off. Probably so she could keep the main characters around. It felt often like she come up with a plot idea then fumbled to come up with a reason for it later The plot is hard to follow at times. And while it answers many of the questions. From the first book it still left me with some. These are mistakes I see often in young writers and I think that Helen could have used some more time. I will say that she show plenty of talent her character development is good, she has very good ideas. The parts of the book where we learn about David past was unlike the present parts of the book a lot better thought out and it was those parts of the book I looked forward to reading they showed the writer this author could become. I believe With time she could live up to the claim of being the next jk Rowling. I do look forward to following her progress and wait excited about her future publications
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2016
After reading the first installment, this one was a let down, primarily due to the unlikable characters. In the Catalyst, the reader is veered to sympathize with David and Rose, not so much here. In fact, I couldn't see a good guy to root for. They all seemed to have their ruthless sides showing to the point, that another group needed to be introduced to clean up the mess. Coggan did redeem herself with a satisfying ending of the book. David's life is explained with flashbacks from current to childhood, making things very confusing at times. I think it would be easier to start with the ending flashback, read them to the front, then read the main book through.
I commend the young author and see potential, but you can easily tell the lack of research and experience, compared to a seasoned author.
I commend the young author and see potential, but you can easily tell the lack of research and experience, compared to a seasoned author.
October 5, 2022
While I truly lived the Catalyst, this one not so much. I felt myself getting lost with the plot line and having a hard time remembering the characters and their story.
What I did truly love was the ending, I both hate and love cliffhangers. An ending like this gives you the room to create your own ending. 😁😁
For someone so young these 2 are incredibly well written and I do look forward to her future books, as I will be reading them. I may or may not enjoy every book but I’m sure I’ll enjoy some.
What I did truly love was the ending, I both hate and love cliffhangers. An ending like this gives you the room to create your own ending. 😁😁
For someone so young these 2 are incredibly well written and I do look forward to her future books, as I will be reading them. I may or may not enjoy every book but I’m sure I’ll enjoy some.
June 16, 2016
I don't know if it hadn't helped that I hadn't read the first book but I found the idea interesting but it was really hard to follow in places. I didn't like that it kept skipping around in time and I struggled to finish it. I think the boast on the cover that this author could be the next JK Rowling was a way away from the mark.
March 17, 2016
Sadly enough, I found the sequel disappointing and boring. The claim "The next J. K. Rowling" on the cover was way too bold, dear publisher. The book is not that bad, the quality of writing is sort of mediocre, but the bar was set high!
March 17, 2016
The idea for this series is a great one, and the characters are really interesting. I found the plotting a bit disjointed and in some parts I couldn't follow it. Quite dark in tone, reminded me of The Laundry series in that respect.
April 17, 2016
This book broke my heart in places, it was cruel and perfect and I loved it.
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