Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff (UK edition)

Title: Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicles, 2)
Author: Jay Kristoff
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Voyager (7th September 2017)
Blurb:

From the bestselling author, Jay Kristoff, comes the second book in the Nevernight Chronicle.

Mia Corvere, destroyer of empires, has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry do not believe she has earned it.

Her position is precarious, and she’s still no closer to exacting revenge for the brutal death of her family. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it is announced the Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself into slavery for a chance to fulfill the promise she made on the day she lost everything.

Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold, secrets are revealed and the body count rises within the collegium walls, Mia will be forced to choose between her loyalties and her revenge.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
Review:

GODSGRAVE is the second book in Jay Kristoff’s wonderful Nevernight Chronicles. It continues Mia Corvere’s story as she seeks revenge on those who slaughtered her family, when she was a child. After the events of the first book, NEVERNIGHT, Mia’s place within the Red Church is precarious; accepted not because of her skill, but because after the slaughter of their members they have need of her. After a confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to fear that there is more going on than she is aware of. After discovering an opportunity to gain her revenge on the men who killed her family, she decides to defy the Red Church.

If you are a fan NEVERNIGHT, you will be in for a treat with GODSGRAVE. It is everything that the first book was and more. The same darkly humours narrator is back with a LOT of footnotes – I happened to really enjoy them in both books, but if it’s not something you liked in the first book Krisotff does continue it. I really enjoyed the return to Mia’s world, it’s been a while but I found it easy to slip back into the world. I also really enjoyed the dynamics of the relationship between Mister Kindly and Eclipse and Mia.

The basic plot of GODSGRAVE continues Mia’s quest for revenge; there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. Kristoff does a brilliant job of keeping Mia human and understandable. Basically expect more of the same from the first book, which honestly I don’t think is a bad thing. It allows these books and series to have a certain tone to them, and I think the narrator for the footnotes with their irreverent tone helps with that. Kristoff manages to keep the fine balance between too much and not enough. I really enjoyed getting to see a bit more of this world, as well as some familiar places.

Mia Corvere does a good job carrying the story. She’s as knowingly unknowable as she was in the previous book, but that is part of her charm in my opinion – I think it works well that although the story is very much her story, but it’s not told by her. Mister Kindly and Eclipse are as charming as they are in NEVERNIGHT. GODSGRAVE works well as a middle book – although called the Nevernight Chronicles, it is actually a trilogy – with Kristoff building the story, and revealing more of the world. It’s really got me excited for the third book. I don’t dare guess what is to come, but I’m sure it will be entertaining.