The Speaker

The Reader Trilogy #2

by Traci Chee

The sequel to the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestselling fantasy The Reader, “highly recommended for fans of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart and female-powered adventures.”—School Library Journal

Having barely escaped the clutches of the Guard, Sefia and Archer are back on the run, slipping into the safety of the forest to tend to their wounds and plan their next move. Haunted by painful memories, Archer struggles to overcome the trauma of his past with the impressors, whose cruelty plagues him whenever he closes his eyes. But when Sefia and Archer happen upon a crew of impressors in the wilderness, Archer finally finds a way to combat his nightmares: by hunting impressors and freeing the boys they hold captive.

With Sefia’s help, Archer travels across the kingdom of Deliene rescuing boys while she continues to investigate the mysterious Book and secrets it contains. But the more battles they fight, the more fights Archer craves, until his thirst for violence threatens to transform him from the gentle boy Sefia knows to a grim warrior with a cruel destiny. As Sefia begins to unravel the threads that connect Archer’s fate to her parents’ betrayal of the Guard so long ago, she and Archer must figure out a way to subvert the Guard’s plans before they are ensnared in a war that will pit kingdom against kingdom, leaving their future and the safety of the entire world hanging in the balance.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure, Audiobook

512 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2017

About the author

Traci Chee is a New York Times best-selling author and National Book Award Finalist. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at bonsai gardening, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University. Traci grew up in a small town with more cows than people, and now feels most at home in the mountains, scaling switchbacks and happening upon hidden highland lakes. She lives in California with her fast-fast dog.

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The girl is back. The boy is back. The book is back. The magic is back.

*I have to add that these two books in this series are freaking gorgeous in person and have the deckle edges. I love to pet them =)

Argo flipped him onto his back, straddled his chest, and raised a hand to strike.

In that moment, the nameless boy understood: This was the end. He was going to die.

He would cease to breathe. Cease to be. Cease to hurt. It would be easy.

But he didn't want to die.

And knowing that, knowing he wanted to live, however hard it was, however much it hurt, something opened up inside of him, something hidden and ugly and powerful.

Argo slowed.

Everything slowed.

••••••••••

Summoning her Sight again, she flicked her fingers. In the Illuminated world, the threads of light tightened and sprang back like bowstrings, sending ripples through the bands of gold. Ten yards away, on the slope leading toward Cascarra, a dead branch cracked.

Sefia and Archer are back and they make a bad ass team. Poor Archer is plagued with nightmares of his past, what he was forced to be, a killer.

Sefia has the book and reading the future and trying to find help right some wrongs her parents did and together they will help many.

Sefia and Archer are going around helping to free kidnapped boys that were forced to become killers or be killed themselves. They are also trying to put a stop to the evil people that are doing this. Some bloody battles ensue.

I don't want to say any more because I'm afraid I will leak a spoiler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved this book even more than the first book and I loved it a lot too! I really hope they can accomplish what they are setting out to do in the next book. So far they have made a step in the right direction. I hope! *tiny sob*

Happy Reading!

Mel ♥

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Tara Sim · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved THE READER, you won't be disappointed with the next installment of the SEA OF INK AND GOLD trilogy. I was delighted to return to the land of Kelanna with Sefia and Archer and experience all their new adventures. Archer's character arc in particular was so fascinating, and I loved the way Sefia grew more confident in her abilities and goals. There are some familiar characters who return in this book, as well as some new (and now favorite) ones as well. And the MAGIC! The magic is so cool, you guys. You want this one on your TBR.

[Victoria Resco · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐9/10⭐

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was lucky enough to read an early draft of this and it. blew. me. away. you guys are going to LOVE THIS!

[Lara Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy is so fantastic, I highly recommend them to all lovers of YA fantasy! I know they're not very well renowned, so I'll avoid spoilers, but there are so many feels!

If you loved The Reader, you won't be disappointed in this next installment! Sefia and Archer are back in the magical land of Kelanna, along with plenty of new characters for you to fall in love with and give your soul to. I won't describe them (even if I did I wouldn't be able do do them justice), but they are all unique and fit in so well with the story. Traci Chee just has a way of creating the perfect characters to fit in with all aspects of the story.

The magic plays a bigger role in this book, and the world building is so incredible. I could really feel all the beautiful, rich settings which were described, and I felt so enraptured by the story unfolding before my eyes. It is so beautifully written, there was not a single page where I was bored!

This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. But, WHERE IS MY CONCLUSION?!?!?! I NEED IT RIGHT NOW AND I CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER YEAR! WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN?! I think that you should definitely drop everything and read these right now. Or, if you have common sense (which I don't) then wait until they are all released, then drop everything and read them!

[Fadwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

March 2020 update: This book is still as magical and amazing and I'm in love. Now I'm scared to continue with The Storyteller though, IT'S GOING TO WRECK ME!!!!!

First read, May 2018:

Holy shit.

HOLY SHIT.

THIS BOOK MADE ME QUESTION MY OWN DAMN NAME!!!!!

I loved The Reader but The Speaker blew me away. The way it's woven in with events that happen in the first book, answering some questions but raising EVEN MORE QUESTIONS. It's also much darker, a lot more fast paced and all around BETTER. Every event took me by surprise, every twist and every turn had me praying to every god known to humanity THAT MY BABIES BE OKAY. Speaking of my babies. These characters are a mess. A BEAUTIFUL MESS. They're deeply flawed, selfish and amazingly human and i want to protect them forever. They make mistakes and questionable decisions but hey i would die for them anyway.

Please pick this book up. It's absolutely fantastic!!!!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

TRACI HOW.

[Shenwei · Rating 5 out of 5]

tfw a book/series is full of people and events that are all interrelated but you don't see the casuality and connections linearly and so you're just like omg wtf with every new twist and discovery and then you lie there wondering what kind of genius it takes to make all of that work

sorry I'm incoherent but I loved this book.

Sefia and Archer are probably my ultimate OTP of recent YA. *cries*

p.s. there are multiple queer supporting characters/couples, including a trans girl, and I am happy that this turned out to be a much more queer-friendly AU than most high fantasy.)

CWs/TWs for: violence, death, murder, depression, self-harm, suicide/attempts, PTSD

[Gemma F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update:
Oct 7, 2017
My ARC has arrived! Thank you Penguin Random House!

-
Full Review on my blog: http://wp.me/p6917X-X1

Oct 19, 2017
This book was everything. Exceptionally well-written with a story which will live on through the readers.

[Jessica Cluess · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling sequel to THE READER. Sefia and Archer are on the run and fall in with a band of kids just like Archer: forced killers with a score to settle. As the group embarks on a quest of retribution, Archer's in danger of losing himself to his own dark impulses. The writing is mouth-watering, the world endlessly inventive, the emotion real. Sefia and Archer's romance picks up steam, and there is, of course, more of my favorite, Captain Reed. I love everything about this series, and I think you will, too.

[Juan Manuel Sarmiento · Rating 3 out of 5]

Con la adición de nuevos personajes, La Oradora llega a ser más completa y oscura que La Lectora, con suficientes giros para no permitirnos saber lo que iba a ocurrir después. Y no será hasta el final donde se nos den respuesta a muchas preguntas que se nos formulan a lo largo del libro.
Reseña completa en THE BEST READ YET BLOG

[Coral González · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tras escapar de la guardia Sefia y Archer deciden no sólo huir de esta organización sino combatirla para ello deciden acabar con las cuadrillas de instructores que reclutan a muchachos cómo Archer para Serakeen. Con la ayuda de otros jóvenes empiezan esta misión, pero con cada pelea Archer cambia lo que preocupa a Sefia pues piensa que es el chico que decidirá la guerra roja del que habla el libro. Mientras, el capitán Reed sigue tras la búsqueda del Tesoro del Rey.
La verdad es que este segundo libro me ha gustado mucho. En él conocemos mucho mejor el funcionamiento de La Guardia, las divisiones que la forman y sus planes. También me ha gustado ver la evolución de Archer, como lidia con sus miedos y sus pesadillas, y como Sefia quiere protegerlo a toda costa, incluso sacrificándose a sí misma. Otra cosa que me ha gustado es la incorporación de los nuevos personajes y sobre todo los enigmas ocultos en el libro; así como la manera en la que la autora conecta los diferentes fragmentos de la historia para que al final todo cobre sentido de una manera que te consigue sorprender. Estoy deseando conocer cómo acaba está maravillosa historia para saber si Sefia y Archer pueden derrotar al destino y al propio libro, o si por el contrario como dice el libro lo que está escrito siempre termina por suceder.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things that made me happy about The Speaker:

*The merry band of brotherhood - Peter Pan vibes for days, these lost boys (and girls) are rescued and then left with no direction, so Archer gives them a direction, and a purpose, and compassion. He gives them a reason to keep going and to move on from what happened. It's not always happy, nor is it easy, but I loved the bonds they all formed with each other. ALL THE FEELS.

*The normalization of boys feeling emotions - society pretends boys can't and shouldn't cry, and I loved that this book let them feel all their feelings without the toxic masculinity that pervades our world today.

*The Current of Faith crew - always a pleasure seeing these pirates on the pages. They're thrill seekers looking to accomplish deeds that will get them remembered long after their deaths. But they're also just such a lovable group of misfits and rebels, and any time we were with them, I was SO into their newest adventure. I can't wait to see how they tie into the third book, and I want all the Current of Faith voyages, please and thanks.

*Queer love accepted without persecution or argument - which never seems to happen? Unfortunately, in a lot of non-contemporary books especially, the standard is heterosexuality, and anything beyond that is Not Okay to the society inside them. But here it just was. And I loved, loved, loved that.

*It was diverse and detailed and dark - the world is one you'll want to sink your teeth into. It is vibrant and so unique (I mean, a world in which there are no books, HOW AWFUL AND CREATIVE), and the reason why I love fantasy so much. Also, it does not shy away from gritty subjects. Characters are tortured or do the torturing, some struggle with PTSD and their pasts, others lose loved ones or die. The book wasn't afraid to go there, and I'm here for the morally gray complexity of life.

*Stories within stories - reading this, and The Reader, is an experience. I'm still trying to figure out how so much of it fits together, and because of its intricacy, I'm constantly surprised by the slow reveals and mysteries unraveled throughout the books. And the hidden messages, smudged thumbprints, crossed out and faded sections all make for an fascinating reading experience. One that you'll want to redo at least one more time so you can catch it all, even though you won't. I swear you still won't know everything. Trust me, I already tried it. ;)

So yeah, y'all should read these books! They are SO GOOD.

Rating: 3.5 Paw Prints!

[autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

just as amazing as the first!!! this is a really incredible series that i would absolutely mention in the same breath as six of crows in terms of great, genre-saving ya

[Shealea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this book is too smart for a dummy like me to fully appreciate. I’m blown away.

[Aleshanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das Inselreich Kelanna ist in fünf Reiche aufgeteilt. Um die Macht über all diese Ländereien zu erhalten hat "die Wache" einen perfiden Plan ausgearbeitet, der sich auch nach und nach zu Erfüllen scheint.
Mittendrin durchkreuzt jedoch Sefia diese Pläne, das Mädchen mit dem unscheinbaren Schatz in ihren Händen, einem Buch, dessen Geheimnis sie endlich entschlüsseln konnte. Das war nicht leicht, denn in Kelanna kennt niemand das schriftliche Wort. Geschichten wandern von Mund zu Mund, von Dorf zu Dorf und so gerät vieles leicht in Vergessenheit.

Um dem zu Entkommen hat Käpt´n Lees auf dem Schiff Strömung der Zuversicht einen heroischen Lebenswandel gewählt, um in den Köpfen der Menschen immer in Erinnerung zu bleiben. Doch die neuen Entwicklungen bringen seine Absicht ins wanken.

Hauptsächlich geht es in diesem zweiten Teil aber um Archer; einen Charakter der auf eine der schlimmsten Arten missbraucht und damit verändert wurde und damit alles, was er einmal war, zurücklassen musste. Welche Intentionen hinter all dem stecken, wird uns in diesem Band erzählt ...

Meine Meinung

Zuerst möchte ich kurz auf das Cover eingehen, was entgegen dem ersten Band in Gold nun in Silber glänzt und auch wieder wunderschön anzusehen ist. Aber auch hier wurde unter dem Schutzumschlag ein Symbol versteckt, dieses Mal mit einem wunderschönen Spruch, der in der Geschichte natürlich auch noch seine Bedeutung finden wird.

Gleich zu Beginn erfährt man auf einem handgeschriebenen Zettel den verräterischen Plan der "Wache", die durch den Roten Krieg die fünf Inselstaaten einen und damit Macht über ganz Kelanna erlangen wollen. Im ersten Teil war es ja noch sehr offen, worum es überhaupt geht - hier wirkt die ganze Handlung zielgerichteter und die Hintergründe zu den Beweggründen der einzelnen Charaktere werden mehr belichtet.
Das reicht sogar in die Vergangenheit und Zukunft, denn die Frage nach einem festgeschriebenen Schicksal und der Möglichkeit, dieses zu ändern, bestimmt das Leben aller Figuren.

"Bei den schwierigen Fragen gibt es kein Richtig. Da gibt es nur das,
womit du am besten leben kannst." S. 307

Im Mittelpunkt steht unter anderem hauptsächlich Archer, dessen jüngste Vergangenheit so schlimme Narben auf seiner Seele hinterlassen hat, dass er kaum mehr weiß, wer er tatsächlich ist. Ich muss dazu sagen dass es teilweise sehr brutal ist, sei es mit roher Gewalt, aber auch mit den Gefühlen, mit denen jeder in der Geschichte umgehen muss. Denn wenn man um sein Leben kämpft, wenn der Tod nur davon abhängt, was du zu tun bereit bist, ist kaum zu begreifen, zu was man alles fähig ist. Kein leichtes Thema und dadurch auch oftmals ein sehr bedrückendes Bild, dennoch hat es die Autorin geschafft, ein großes Bedürfnis an Verständnis zu wecken und hinzusehen. Es gibt prägende Momente im Leben, die man nicht so leicht abstreifen kann, selbst wenn man es möchte, und damit fertig zu werden - und weiterzuleben - ist eine Kunst für sich.

Die Liebesgeschichte die sich hier einreiht ist umso bewegender und zeigt, wie sehr wir auf andere Menschen angewiesen sind, die uns stützen und akzeptieren und lieben, so wie wir sind.

"Sie musste nicht die Wache besiegen, sondern das Schicksal selbst." S. 502

Sefia, deren Flucht scheinbar kein Ende nimmt, macht eine große Entwicklung durch, die aber eher leise vonstatten geht. Das Leben ihrer Eltern, die Vorgehensweise der Wache und das Schicksal,
das sie bei und in sich trägt - das alles lastet schwer auf ihren jungen Schultern. Jeder Schritt ist zaghaft, jeder Weg beschwerlich und trotzdem bleibt sie sich selbst treu und tut alles, um das Verhängnis, das über ihnen allen schwebt, abzuwenden.
Durch ihre Gabe sieht sie mehr als andere, doch die Frage nach dem Schicksal und ob man es abwenden kann, ist wahrscheinlich so alt wie die Menschheit selbst. Diese Magie der Worte, der Zauber einer Prophezeiung und auch die Macht der Selbstbestimmung liegen wohl immer im Widerstreit.

"Dass du dir eine bessere Welt wünschst, macht dich nicht zu einem schwachen Menschen.
Es macht dich zu einem Menschen, den die Welt braucht." S. 110

Es gibt so viele schöne Metaphern und die bildgewaltige Sprache entwickelt einen Sog, von dem ich mich gerne hab treiben lassen. Eine dichte Atmosphäre voll düsterer Gedanken, zärtlicher, verborgener Liebe und der Angst vor dem Tod: Traci Chee schafft neben der brutalen Realität so sanfte Schwingungen, so feine Nuancen, die mich sehr berührt haben und die vor allem eine ganz besondere Wahrnehmung der verschiedenen Charaktere bewirkt haben.
Käpt´n Lees und seine Mannschaft zum Beispiel, deren Wege klarer und dadurch noch unergründlicher geworden sind, aber auch der König von Corabel, Edouar, der der Wache schon länger ein Dorn im Auge ist; jedes der Kapitel ist durch die Intensität sowohl spannend als auch ergreifend und das alles, ohne künstliche aufzupuschen oder durch konstruierte Naivität eine erzwungene Dramatik einzubringen.

Ich war wieder von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite gefesselt, überrascht von den vielen Wendungen, den unerwarteten Reaktionen, die sich aber alle wunderbar in die Handlung eingefügt haben, die Stück für Stück aufgedeckt wird, ohne jedoch alles zu verraten. Der dritte Band steht noch aus und ich freu mich schon sehr darauf, denn das Ende verspricht einen neuen Anfang und den großen Kampf um Worte und Magie.

Wunderschön auch wieder innen die hochwertige Aufmachung und die kleinen Verspieltheiten mit dem Text und den Wörtern.

© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer

[Eloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ~ Baaaaah all my feels are all over the place. I carrrrre. I care about these people so much. I want them to be happy but there's so much hardness and darkness will it ever be possible?

Also, that side story about the King and his Assassin who fall in love had me in pieces. I NEED A WHOLE TRILOGY ABOUT THOSE BOYS.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Wanting the world to be a better place than it is? That doesn’t make you weak. That makes you the kind of person this world needs.”

CW’s: Violence, Death/Murder, Trauma, Suicide(Attempts), Self-Harm

Actual Rating: 4.75 Stars

Yes hello I would like to report that I’m shocked by how much better this was than the first book. Like how??? The Reader was a pretty decent book, but my main issues when I read it was with how little I could connect to any of the characters and how it didn’t seem to leave a bigger impact on me. Naturally, I expected the second book to be pretty much the same, maybe even less emotionally engaging.

But then … I was actually blown away! I still cannot believe how The Speaker takes all the potential the first book has and manages to finally use it to create a stunning story. The sequel was about 10 times BETTER than the first book and managed to completely improve in all the problem areas that I had first noticed. I truly didn’t expect this development at all and part of me is questioning my experience reading The Reader … was the first book really just not as good or did me reading the translated version impact my emotional connection to story and characters? I will have to reread the first book to decide if this is the case or if I should better lower my rating because it was definitely not on the same stage as The Speaker.

Generally speaking, the sequel being much better barely happens to me. I either like the first book the most, or the Series gets better with each book (or worse). A part of me is a bit sad that The Reader wasn’t as fantastic as it’s sequel as it is supposed to hook in readers for the Series and I’m afraid that a lot of people might have quit after not being convinced by the story. The Series debut should ALWAYS be solid and strong! In hindsight, after having read the sequel, The Reader feels too much like a setup book (not good for a debut like I said), as a lot of really important plot points only show up in the sequel, making it much more complex.

Please pick up The Speaker even if you weren’t 100% sold on The Reader, it‘s worth it!!

1.) The Reader ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Characters 💕

“It was little more than a weak flame flickering under the weight of his melancholia, but it was there. A splinter of possibility. Maybe he didn't want to die.
Maybe, just maybe, he wanted to live.
It didn't burn away his sadness. It didn't make his future appear any less dark.
But it was there—hope, perhaps, or something like it—and it was enough.”

I honestly loved them so much more in The Speaker and I’m still trying to figure out why suddenly there was this emotional connection that I had missed before. I feel like it might be because the author delved so much deeper into everyone’s internal conflict that it really made me finally connected to their struggles.

I connected so much more to Sefia this time around, because we see so much more of her inner struggles, that I didn’t see that deeply explored in the last book. Here we have her without any of her family, just Archer and how she is struggling with what her parents did. They did a horrible thing and now she has to cope with that legacy her parents left her behind to deal with. It raises the question if we are responsible for our family’s failing and if we might be able to make things right. This is why I really ended up rooting for Sefia because she was in such a hard position. What happened with her parents wasn't her fault or her decision, but she still feels like she owes Archer and those affected something. In the end, she uses the book to help their mission and I loved her inner strength even when she felt isolated and like Archer was skipping through her fingers. I really just want her to be happy because later on a few revelations really hit hard and I felt so bad for her. Sefia is trying her best to do what is right and I really admire her endurance.

We get Archer’s perspective this time around as well. I’m not sure how to feel about the fact that he suddenly could speak again, it did seem a bit like the magical ‘disability’ cure. Other than that I liked that we got to explore his struggles a bit more because now we see what he is fighting against himself. Archer had a troubled past, he was forged into a killer and then when he got free, suddenly there was another life ahead of him. Now it’s the question if he can even move on, or if the killer is who he is now, with the old Archer being dead. I loved exploring the layers of his personality and how his bloodlust and want of violence drove him so much, that he couldn’t stop it. Being a fighter was so ingrained in him, that it’s almost impossible now to separate himself from that. We also explore his trauma from the past and how some things are just changed from who he was before.

Archer’s lost boys were an amazing addition to Archer and Sefia’s little group! They really deepened Archer’s character by having lived through the same things that he did. That meant that they had an immediate connection to him and could understand what he was dealing with. What I loved is that even though they shared a common past, all characters dealt with it differently. Some like Archer tried to fight what they had become, others reveled in their bloodlust and wanted revenge. I liked seeing their dynamic and of course the conflict that also arose, it made for a very interesting relationship that really deepened Archer’s character. I really liked all the characters and how their differences played out.

Tanin turned into such a fantastic antagonist, with lots of layers and depth. I loved learning more about her relationship with Sefia’s parents and seeing how she was betrayed by them. I really felt her anger and sadness at being left behind by what she considered to be her family. Of course, Tanin did horrible things herself, but this book delves deeper into her motives and past, explaining how she ended up being the person she is right now. What especially brought more nuance to Tanin was seeing her in such a precarious situation: stripped of her title and struggling with her health, she has been replaced and is now fighting off death threats by the new leader. Still, she remains cunning and strong, even when everyone seems to be against her.

I liked Captain Reed even more in the sequel because we go even deeper into his struggles and motivation. His entire character conflict is all about not being forgotten, instead of living on as a legend and therefore becoming immortal … but what happens when you could do a really, really good thing that gains you no recognition? I loved the discussion about fame/glory vs. doing the right thing, as the Captain really struggled with his own desires and his conscience.

Arcadimon and Eduoar were another great addition to the story. They get their own POV because they are directly related to the war as key players. I loved seeing Arcadimon’s Struggle with having to betray his beloved and friend since childhood because we saw his love interfere with his duty. In general, I really had a soft spot for him and King Eduaor Corabel, because they are kind of tragic due to the fact that Arcadimon is sent out to kill him, but they both love each other. I felt like their relationship had a lot of tension and stakes because Arcadimon was struggling with his loyalties and Eduaor is literally cursed. His family is cursed to die and doom everyone they love to death as well. That makes a really, really suspenseful POV, that added a lot of great discussion to the story!

The Worldbuilding 🌷

I really saw the potential for the worldbuilding in the first book, but now we explore the setting, even more, further proving that the author created such a unique world that really deserves the spotlight. We get to know more about the magic of the Illumination and get pages/stories from the book that Sefia reads, who shine a light on how the world even came to be and what happened to make it this way. This was the answer I was looking for in the beginning, because it was interesting to read how this illiterate world was even possible in the first place. There are several flashbacks via the book like I mentioned because Sefia is not only using it to predict the missions that Archer does to get revenge, she also looks back on her parents. We see more about how they stole the book and what truly happened back then. Secrets come out and the book proves to be an object with its own mind (kind of like non-digital AIDAN, just not as evil), which I LOVE as a trope! I’m all here for objects or entities that have their own kind of consciousness, making it something that can influence the people around it. I don’t trust the book anymore, because it is so powerful and proved that it shows what it wants you to see. That added a lot of great tension, especially when it became clear that the book can see both past AND future, but meddling with the future is very risky and not as easy as it might seem. All in all, Sefia learns a lot more about the book, just as we do and encounters a lot of struggles.

The Theme 💌

I LOVE what the theme of the book turned out to be. It is the old question of fate vs. free will, that always fascinates me whenever it turns up. Here we have the problem of if you can even escape fate, or if you are bound to be headed its way no matter what you do. Are you simply a tool in the universe, that cannot escape what was planned for it, or can you take control of your own destiny and change the future? I adored the discussion about it and how Sefia reading about the future made her miserable. Especially when she was afraid of her own actions. Did she work against fate? Or did her actions exactly end up pushing Archer to be the boy from the grand prophecy? I loved seeing this dilemma and how we all wanted to find out if what she saw in the book would come to pass. The motto here is “what is written comes to pass”, meaning that you technically can't change the future, but Sefia still wants to try. This is another great plotline for the next book because I think that there is a tiny very slight chance that she is the only one who can even outwit the book at this point. Apart from that, I loved this discussion, especially as it showed the context in which the future happens and how exactly it turns out, as the book only shows Sefia glances of what happened.

Plotline ⚡

We knew about the prophecy (Archer being the chosen boy who fights in the war), but in this sequel, things are getting to be so much more interesting because we finally see glimpses of the war. In the beginning, there is not only the map, but also the plan for the big red war (which will a lot of suffering and death, but in the end guarantee an extended period of peace) that is already set in motion. I liked that we learn more about the central conflict of the book because the war was also foretold and now several parties are trying to make it happen, which is why they need Archer to become this fighter, who will guarantee them victory. Everyone has a role to play in the war, but even though it's supposed to turn out better for everyone, in the end, individual people have a pretty grim prophecy. They will win, but they will also suffer and die alone, which is a terrible fate really. The entire context made the book so much more interesting and really had me on the edge of my seat the entire time because there was so much suspense that kept me reading. The plot here is excellent and full of twists and turns. It truly makes for a remarkable reading experience, as nothing is sure.

“But maybe if we tried to change destiny instead of running toward it with open arms, maybe what’s written wouldn’t be set in stone.”

Read for ...
🐯 #YARC2019
👩 #WHMReadathon2019

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[meli♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐️

QUE BUEN LIBRO POR DIOS

Me encantó como se va desarrollando la historia y como se van descubriendo cosas que en La lectora no habían explicado o se pasaron por alto.

La relación entre Sefia y Archer es una joyita LOS AMO,
me gustó que haya más romance en el libro pero que no sea lo principal.

Hay personajes nuevos que me gustaron muchísimo y espero ver más de ellos en el tercer libro. Un ejemplo es el rey silencioso, me daba mucha penita su historia y la de sus antepasados.

La fantasía en este segundo libro es más compleja que en la del primero y estuvo muy bueno.

El plot twist del final no me lo esperaba para nada, estuve minutos tratando de recordar si habían pistas de que era ella o no.

El mensaje final que deja la autora a lo largo de las páginas creo que es como un adelanto de lo que va a pasar en el tercer libro y espero con todo mi corazón que eso no pase porque me va a destruir.

[Ale Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

La Oradora me gustó un poco más que la primera entrega por el desarrollo de sus protagonistas y las aventuras que pasan, especialmente por el desarrollo de la acción y las repercusiones de lo que va sucediendo con lo que hacen los personajes y lo que marca El Libro.
Como en La Lectora, mis capítulos favoritos son aquellos en que Sefia aprende algo, y me gustó ver un poco más del origen de los personajes y el mundo de Kelanna, particularmente de La Guardia.
Las tramas románticas son lo menos y estaban desarrolladas tan bien en su contexto que me encantaron.
Para ser la segunda creación de la autora creo que se aprecia el desarrollo en Traci Chee, ya quiero leer La Narradora.

[Deeksha Bhardwaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars✨

𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
To be honest, I don't much remember the plot now that I took a break from this book. But from my past updates, I could see that I was enjoying it😅

It for sure was fascinating just like the first book and the different plotlines moving towards one intersection point were worth reading it. Book 2 is not much different from the first one, with the engrossing action-packed political conspiracy-filled plotlines🤩

And this was more focused on the character development of Archer, who agreed needed closure but it took too much space. I was not a fan of the characters in this one and didn't feel connected to them in any way..

Plus the plot was all over the place and I still don't understand it clearly. It was a tough task to keep up with the plot, hence the break from the book. This was definitely a bridge to go from book 1 to book 3 and I had to skip chunks of pages to finish it. So I don't think I'll pick up the third book anytime soon🤷🏻‍♀️

But the writing style is very captivating and the author knows how to engross the readers into a world full of imagination - from conspiracies and action-packed moments to sweet romance and profound characters, this series has it all🫡🔥

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[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Folks, another five glittering stars for this superb and gloriously designed series by Traci Chee!!!
After reading "The Reader" I was hooked from the first page on, and wanted to learn more about Sefia and Archer...

Well, the characters have more deep and contour…
Also, the story unravels faster and a much richer complexity…

Now I'm very much looking forwards to the next installment!!!
"Sea of Ink and Gold" is a fantasy series which displays dystopian features, science fiction, and on top is decorated with an immortal love story similar to Romeo and Juliet...

A world without books, except for the one book, which has power to change the matrix of reality!!!

Sefia has to make hard decisions and must pay a heavy price!!!
Archer, a flawed personality, can he overcome his inner demons???
Read for yourself and dive deep in this world full of magic and adventures!!!

Happy readings
Dean;)

[Samm | Sassenach the Book Wizard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not fair how amazing the writing is!

[Aila · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT. A. STORY.

Traci Chee does it again with her clever writing, multifaceted characters, and heart-aching storyline(s). The Speaker starts from where The Reader leaves off, but everything is much more intense: Sefia’s feelings towards her family’s past; Archer’s lust for blood after being surrounded by violence for so long; and the politics that they become embroiled in. Chee is so talented in writing multiple storylines that all come together in the end. While I found myself more interested in Sefia and Archer’s stories, she makes every plot and adventure worth the read. In this review I’ll introduce each of the three plot lines that readers can look forward to, as well as the usual details that I go through.

"Was it enough to live on in legend if the legends were lies?"

Captain Reed and his crew are faced with a trial as the pirate Serakeen keeps terrorizing the ocean. The crew is composed of outlaws, but they may possibly be enough to stop the rising force of the Guard and their goal to reunite the kingdoms under one rule. You can feel his weary bones getting tired of running and getting ready to take a stand back. I love the details that Chee adds about the loyalty of the crew, who are like family, and the interactions with the other outlaws. Reed’s chapters really capture the atmospheric setting of the sea and you can’t help but get swept up in all the action and adventure of his chapters.

"‘Love what’s in front of you, right now, because now is all you have.’"

The next subplot is one with new characters who are connected to old characters introduced in book 1. Arcadimon works for the Guard and is plotting to kill his king, Eduoar, who happens to be the boy he loves. Legend has it that the Corabelli kings and the ones the love are all fated to die. The particular plot is both an aching and charming story of two best friends who realize their love for each other as they decide how to proceed with the political power that each holds in their hand.

"Would love and cleverness and nerve be enough to beat the Book?
And change both their fates?"

And my favorite plot to follow: Sefia and Archer’s. I love how their love for each other was so strong in this book, even as many obstacles stood in the way (both physically and mentally). While they’re on the run from the Guard due to having the Book, they come across a band of Impressors and rescue the kids they captured, who join their ragtag crew. The family they created was so loyal and wholesome, but each victory against the Impressor makes Archer one step closer to becoming the boy of the prophecy – one who will lead the Army and die shortly afterwards. While he’s fighting – both the Impressors who imprison boys and the nightmares of the ones he’s killed – Sefia is learning more and more about her powers, and the Illumination magic system. These aspects of the story are well-thought out and I LOVE how everything connects to each other. I can’t describe how wonderful Chee’s writing is, and how even though the pace may be on the slow side (despite the action), the immersive world is worth the read.

BUT CAN WE WITH THE ROMANCE.

Although there are couples here or there (and LGBTQ+ couples that are added naturally, yay!), Sefia and Archer are the ship of the ships. Their love for each other really shone in this book – through their actions, their thoughts, and the way they wanted to change for the better because of the other. Some of their decisions were really heartbreaking, but you know it happened with good intentions in mind. I’ve seen readers speak about ridiculous actions that Sefia did, but I think they were 100% justified. I understood her thinking at the time, and I really thought it helped progress her character arc. We discover more about Archer’s past, and the alternating third person limited POV’s get readers into his head. Certain parts of the story and their relationship made my heart ache, but in the most wholesome of ways. They’re strong individually, but work extremely well together as they work against the Guard.

THE SPEAKER is one of those books that you open and automatically become engrossed in the story. I honestly couldn���t put it down until I got to the end of the book. If you didn’t enjoy The Reader, it might not be for you because it follows the steady pace and multiple storylines of the previous book. But I personally adored The Reader and thought this was an exceptionally strong sequel. Following the characters, from Sefia to Reed to Eduoar, was an incredibly journey from beginning to end. Fantasy readers must get ahold of this lesser-known YA fantasy series. The gorgeous writing, multifaceted story, and exceptional characters make it an unforgettable book.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Thank you Traci Chee for the review copy!

[Cassie James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.


The lush and complexly beautiful world introduced in The Reader was an absolute delight to get back into with The Speaker. Traci Chee became one of my favorite authors with her debut book and she has amazed me once more. The Speaker is just as good if not better than The Reader. The Speaker begins with Sefia and Archer still on the run from The Guard, she has been practicing with her magic and is getting more adept with it. Sefia still hasn't used the Book due to a bit of fear over the knowledge it contains. She eventually gets over her fear and uses it, She finds out that Tanin is still surprisingly alive and more desperate than ever to find her. New devastating revelations weighed on Sefia and threatened to come between her and Archer. While on the run, Sefia and Archer encounter a band of Impressors. They freed the candidates they held captive, the candidates then join Sefi and Archie and they form their own fierce little band. They all decide to work together towards freeing the other candidates from their different bands of Impressors nearby in Deliene. Captain Reed also embarks on a grand new adventure that should take him from a lost sea wreck to the most coveted treasure Trove. His journey is one with so many complex layers as he oscillates between the pursuit of ultimate glory or the achievement of greater good. His character has come a long way from the beginning (though he still has some ways to go) but I loved the way his storyline was handled. The use of different POV's is once again of huge merit to the series, the different characters make The Speaker an absolute delight to breeze through. Sefi and Archer go through many things in The Speaker, Life changing experience that threatened to push them apart and rock the foundation of the world they've built for themselves. The love between Sefia and Archer will always be my favourite thing about this book, It was born from a dark time and ended up as the light leading them towards salvation.
All the plots began to come together towards the end of the book. I commend Traci Chee for carefully crafting all the little subplots and pulling it off so gloriously. Untangling the massive web that's their complicated lives in an experience that is not to be missed. The action is up a notch, there are so many epic cool fights for those that are not faint of heart. The worldbuilding keeps expanding and becomes even more massive but still amazing nonetheless. The magic is further delved into and I love the intricacy of it, It's refreshingly original while being familiar enough to be able to be vividly imagined.
Traci Chee doesn't lose her lyrical buoyancy.
The ending itself had so many twists and turns that were just simply amazing. I can't wait to see what's next especially as everybody is in one place and almost working towards the same goal. The Speaker is a worthy sequel to The Reader and fans of the first book will happily devour it as it has everything that made the first book such a favourite.

P.S: The Speaker gets quite.. Dark at times. But it's perfectly understandable.

[Alberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creo que le daré por mientras un 4,5 ☆
Lo terminé hace unos días, solo que me olvidé actualizar 😅🙈.

Definitivamente este libro me gustó mucho más que el anterior. La trama y la narrativa fluían mucho mejor, todo iba con un ritmo más rápido y no hubieron tantas escenas aburridas. La acción y drama estaban casi a la orden del día 😂😐.

El mundo es interesante, al igual que sus personajes. Varias situaciones me dejaron en shock 😅. Estoy ansioso por leer siguiente, pero necesito descansar un poco de este mundo. 😅

Después de terminar este libro creo que ya puedo decir que esta trilogía merece más reconocimiento, es bastante buena y original 🥺💜

[K. Kazul · Rating 5 out of 5]

You gUYS THIS BOOK,
I should probably stop rating and reviewing books right after I read them, but when they're this good I can't help it.
If you loved the first book, you're going to love this one. The writing is still absolutely gorgeous, the characters are well rounded AND THAT WORLD AND THAT MAGIC SYSTEM, PERFECTION. I'm afraid if i let myself rant about it I'll start gushing spoilers, but considering I read an ARC and the book's not out yet, that wouldn't be fair.
All I have to saw is you guys have got to pre-order this one. Now.

[Mothman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread Oct-Nov 2018 -- still really love this book and can't wait to start book 3!!
----
4.5 stars

review of the ARC -- I won this from a fanart contest held by Traci!

HELLO YES, I DIED.
I don't know if I like this or the first book more. They're very different, but also still the same. This one reminded me a lot of when I first read DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor. IT WAS SO SAD, but it ended on hope. (There's also not a cliffhanger for this book. YAY)

I'm going to buy the finished copy in November when all the visual clues are in place!

[Jesse Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES YES YES! 100000000000000x YES!

I can't put into words how much I enjoyed this sequel. You will just have to wait for the review.

Full review to come!

[mads · Rating 3 out of 5]

”Once there was, and one day there will be.”

TW: blood, body-shaming (not condemned), death, gore, murder, self-harm, slavery, suicide/suicide ideation, torture, trafficking, violence, war.

I don’t usually write long reviews for the books in the middle of series because there isn’t much that can be said without spoiling book 1, and this is no exception.

I liked this, but not as much as book 1. It definitely suffered from middle book syndrome, and there were a lot of moments where it felt like we were reliving the same scene again and again.

Most of it kinda felt like if the lost boys were going on a murderous, revenge rampage? Which definitely wasn’t bad, again, just got a bit repetitive.

All my criticisms and everything aside, I care so much for these characters and I am dreading whatever they go through in the next book. Let them be happy, I beg.

Overall, this was repetitive and a bit boring, but I still liked it. I’d recommend it, but only to people that really wanted to carry on with the series/don’t mind their YA being quite a bit gory (I’d say it’s a bit worse than ACSDAL, if you’ve read that.)

Now, here’s to hoping (somehow) everything turns out okay in the last book.

I’m not optimistic.