Sign in with Facebook
BrooKe's Reviews > Exile
Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #2)
by
by
4.2/5 | This just in: The Lord of the Rings is a scam. Everything J.R.R. Tolkien told you was a lie (according to this book). Whole thing’s a ripoff, you see, of the resident Elflandia of this series.
This was very nearly a 5 star read! It was so enjoyable! Definitely has a 5 star cover.
Can I just mention�
“I’m guessing humans taught you the earth’s core was either a big pool of magma or a solid ball as hot as the sun.�
…really? Are you telling me my entire field of study is a lie? Gods this Elvin righteousness irritates me sometimes.
P L O T
You know, for a book with Keefe on the cover, the story was sorely lacking Keefe. He was nowhere for most of Exile and then suddenly everywhere in the last 100 or so pages.
Standard plot algorithm:
-Sophie does something magically impossible
-Everyone else basks in Sophie’s extraordinary magnificence
-Sophie collapses from the strain of said magical improbability
-Sophie is carried to the Healing Centre
-Everyone else cries their worries and woes over Sophie (except Keefe. He opts to take the piss out of her instead).
And scene. Over and over. It happened in Keeper of the Lost Cities and its continuing here. A very simplistic plot with slight variation this time round. Is it worth mentioning just how much I appreciated this slight variation?
I didn’t care much about the opening until Keefe arrived and made everything better. Love that dude. Anyway, we have the introduction of Buckbeak—er, Silveny. Who is Silveny, you may ask? Well, she’s this mystical, sparkly Glitter Butt alicorn that’s perfectly perfect and is the perfect pet for perfectly perfect Sophie. Honestly, I didn’t give a shit about the bloody alicorn; after 200 pages I was crying for Shannon Messenger to move ON!
On to better things, there was casual exposition here referring to the last book that worked nicely. They were subtle recaps spread throughout the book for the purpose of being effective reminders and I thought this was very successful!
I also really liked that the stakes were much higher here than in Keeper of the Lost Cities. Not everything was all sunshine and perfect Elvin rainbows; things actually went wrong with catastrophic consequences and the issues were not resolved within the next few chapters. The characters actually had to WORK to fix things. The story was surprisingly tragic, if anything, and was just so raw with emotion and accomplished in conveying a range of strong feelings from different characters � particularly Sophie. The time at which I read the sad parts I was in a foul mood, seeking some lighthearted middle grade to cheer me right up, but obviously didn’t get it and consequently almost cried a few times. I was unbelievably relieved with how the plot resolved! I do hope that the stakes remain high so that I can experience the fear I felt, the scale of emotions I felt, in future books. In other words: I hope someone dies or something because what’s a fantasy novel without the looming risk of perishing? A book that makes you feel things is obviously doing something right!
“They meant it as a joke, but…�
Sophie felt the same way when people teased her about being an inflictor � even when they were just having fun.�
This message. This hit home. It resonated with me on a personal level, being such an obscure, often overlooked problem that many people � people like me � really struggle with: jokes hurting you and you not being able to say anything about it because it’s just a joke. The fact that this was addressed makes me admire this series on a much deeper level.
Oh the advantages of having a younger lead; allows for a larger range of psychological problems to be addressed.
C H A R A C T E R S
I can’t say I’m too big on Sophie being this all-powerful entity that dwarfs everyone else around her—adults and children alike—in terms of capability.
“Hey, I can’t be perfect at everything,� Sophie retorted with a smile.
“True enough.�
Hmmmm—are you SURE about that? Could’ve fooled me. Like, how many powers is Sophie going to get? Book 2 and we’re up to, what, 5 times as many as everyone else? At this rate she’ll be looking at 15 powers by Nightfall!
Okay, sure, but, Shannon—whatever you do�PLEASE do not make Sophie a Mesmer! That’s legit the only special snowflake attribute she DOESN’T possess yet!
“Fitz shook his head. It always has to be you."
THANK YOU, FITZ! SOMEONE SAID IT!
I’m starting this new thing that I’ll put in every Keeper of the Lost Cities review from now on. I’m calling it my ‘List of Things Sophie Gets That No One Else Does Because She’s Special�:
Sophie gets to take elite classes, Sophie gets to study at the Silver Tower where typically only Sixth Year students learn, Sophie can harness this unheard of ‘brain push� ability, Sophie is the only one to ever communicate with animals in Elvin history, Sophie gets three hot and talented guys pining after her, Sophie gets 4672846871 special powers � ya girl can fucking FLY, for Christ’s sake!
See, this is a shame seeing as, otherwise, Sophie is a really sweet, caring and genuine girl. I really wish she wasn’t portrayed as such a Mary Sue.
Onto other characters!
Keefe was great. He had a wicked sense of humour that, while at times was very much cringeworthy, somehow always managed to be charming! Slowly, but surely, I’m beginning to witness more sides to his character that don’t necessarily defy his lackadaisical demeanor but rather reinforces it in clever and meaningful ways. I can’t wait to see more from him!
Thank the Elvin Council that Fitz is FINALLY showing some character! Sure, he was a dick, but it was better than his previous cosmetic kindness! The dude’s fierce and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. His jealousy of Sophie was SO satisfying! He voiced his thoughts on how ridiculous it was how freaking flawless Sophie was! Everyone else commented on her remarkableness so seamlessly, so casually, as if it were totally rational to praise her constantly! He goes through a lot here and I can more than forgive his actions. I really hope he doesn’t revert to his archaic ways and continues to show some flaws and quirks instead.
I truly like Grady and Alden—both of whom are brilliant and believable father figures that make (mostly) wise decisions and would do just about anything for their families. I wish I could love Edaline too but legit all she does is cry. As much as I like Grady, Edaline got the short end of the stick; the disconnect in characterisation is abundantly clear.
R E L A T I O N S H I P S
On the topic of Foster’s foster parents:
“Slowly, gently, she pulled them into the light.�
The progression of Sophie’s relationship with Grady and Edaline makes me emotional because it’s just so beautiful! They all love each other so much and she completes them. Words can hardly describe.
Similarly: “The others could move on if they liked. She wasn’t giving up on him.�
Another absolutely precious relationship and the source of much of my grief with this book. Sophie cares so bloody much for Alden and I really am not sure about how I should handle it.
“Grady rubbed his temples. “So� Keefe Sencen?�
“W about him?�
“W about ٱ?�
“W about ٱ?�
Grady held out his hands. “Never mind.�
HaHAAA! You see, dear and oblivious parent-ish of Sophie’s, ‘tis a complicated matter. Also: you’re missing a dude.
“Lame. I vote for The Unstoppable Team Keefe! Or Team Foster-Keefe if you’re one of those egomaniacs who needs your name in there.�
ME TOO, KEEFE! These two may just be perfection. Their banter is super adorable at this point in time but what really draws me to this pairing is the sheer POTENTIAL! Whenever they interact, a million possibilities race through my head.
“Ooh, are we making Dex blush?� Marella asked as she grabbed the seat next to Dex. “That’s one of my favourite games.�
“Mine too,� Keefe said, snatching the seat on the other side of Sophie. “Though it’s also fun making Foster blush.�
Sophie felt her face get hot and he smirked at her.�
Like, what human being with a heart could possibly resist moments like that?
I’m honestly not really giving Fitz a fighting chance in this love triangle (yes, I said triangle because, let’s be real, Sophie will only ever consider Dex her best friend). I always did bomb at impartiality.
“Just like old times,� Fitz said sadly. “I used to sit right here, giving you a dose every hour, watching the bits of colour slowly return to your face and hoping you’d wake up.�
In all fairness, that was really sweet. I suppose I could be willing to see this pairing unfold as well.
My poor, lovely Keefe: your situation is horrible but your family is so damn fascinating! We’re only given little hints of his home life spread sporadically through the series and I am absolutely STARVED to know more about it! There are so many possibilities to this particular plot point/dynamic and it is delightfully mystifying. That is clever writing right there, Shannon, because I NEED THE WHOLE STORY.
� �
I have high hopes for the future of this series.
This was very nearly a 5 star read! It was so enjoyable! Definitely has a 5 star cover.
Can I just mention�
“I’m guessing humans taught you the earth’s core was either a big pool of magma or a solid ball as hot as the sun.�
…really? Are you telling me my entire field of study is a lie? Gods this Elvin righteousness irritates me sometimes.
P L O T
You know, for a book with Keefe on the cover, the story was sorely lacking Keefe. He was nowhere for most of Exile and then suddenly everywhere in the last 100 or so pages.
Standard plot algorithm:
-Sophie does something magically impossible
-Everyone else basks in Sophie’s extraordinary magnificence
-Sophie collapses from the strain of said magical improbability
-Sophie is carried to the Healing Centre
-Everyone else cries their worries and woes over Sophie (except Keefe. He opts to take the piss out of her instead).
And scene. Over and over. It happened in Keeper of the Lost Cities and its continuing here. A very simplistic plot with slight variation this time round. Is it worth mentioning just how much I appreciated this slight variation?
I didn’t care much about the opening until Keefe arrived and made everything better. Love that dude. Anyway, we have the introduction of Buckbeak—er, Silveny. Who is Silveny, you may ask? Well, she’s this mystical, sparkly Glitter Butt alicorn that’s perfectly perfect and is the perfect pet for perfectly perfect Sophie. Honestly, I didn’t give a shit about the bloody alicorn; after 200 pages I was crying for Shannon Messenger to move ON!
On to better things, there was casual exposition here referring to the last book that worked nicely. They were subtle recaps spread throughout the book for the purpose of being effective reminders and I thought this was very successful!
I also really liked that the stakes were much higher here than in Keeper of the Lost Cities. Not everything was all sunshine and perfect Elvin rainbows; things actually went wrong with catastrophic consequences and the issues were not resolved within the next few chapters. The characters actually had to WORK to fix things. The story was surprisingly tragic, if anything, and was just so raw with emotion and accomplished in conveying a range of strong feelings from different characters � particularly Sophie. The time at which I read the sad parts I was in a foul mood, seeking some lighthearted middle grade to cheer me right up, but obviously didn’t get it and consequently almost cried a few times. I was unbelievably relieved with how the plot resolved! I do hope that the stakes remain high so that I can experience the fear I felt, the scale of emotions I felt, in future books. In other words: I hope someone dies or something because what’s a fantasy novel without the looming risk of perishing? A book that makes you feel things is obviously doing something right!
“They meant it as a joke, but…�
Sophie felt the same way when people teased her about being an inflictor � even when they were just having fun.�
This message. This hit home. It resonated with me on a personal level, being such an obscure, often overlooked problem that many people � people like me � really struggle with: jokes hurting you and you not being able to say anything about it because it’s just a joke. The fact that this was addressed makes me admire this series on a much deeper level.
Oh the advantages of having a younger lead; allows for a larger range of psychological problems to be addressed.
C H A R A C T E R S
I can’t say I’m too big on Sophie being this all-powerful entity that dwarfs everyone else around her—adults and children alike—in terms of capability.
“Hey, I can’t be perfect at everything,� Sophie retorted with a smile.
“True enough.�
Hmmmm—are you SURE about that? Could’ve fooled me. Like, how many powers is Sophie going to get? Book 2 and we’re up to, what, 5 times as many as everyone else? At this rate she’ll be looking at 15 powers by Nightfall!
Okay, sure, but, Shannon—whatever you do�PLEASE do not make Sophie a Mesmer! That’s legit the only special snowflake attribute she DOESN’T possess yet!
“Fitz shook his head. It always has to be you."
THANK YOU, FITZ! SOMEONE SAID IT!
I’m starting this new thing that I’ll put in every Keeper of the Lost Cities review from now on. I’m calling it my ‘List of Things Sophie Gets That No One Else Does Because She’s Special�:
Sophie gets to take elite classes, Sophie gets to study at the Silver Tower where typically only Sixth Year students learn, Sophie can harness this unheard of ‘brain push� ability, Sophie is the only one to ever communicate with animals in Elvin history, Sophie gets three hot and talented guys pining after her, Sophie gets 4672846871 special powers � ya girl can fucking FLY, for Christ’s sake!
See, this is a shame seeing as, otherwise, Sophie is a really sweet, caring and genuine girl. I really wish she wasn’t portrayed as such a Mary Sue.
Onto other characters!
Keefe was great. He had a wicked sense of humour that, while at times was very much cringeworthy, somehow always managed to be charming! Slowly, but surely, I’m beginning to witness more sides to his character that don’t necessarily defy his lackadaisical demeanor but rather reinforces it in clever and meaningful ways. I can’t wait to see more from him!
Thank the Elvin Council that Fitz is FINALLY showing some character! Sure, he was a dick, but it was better than his previous cosmetic kindness! The dude’s fierce and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. His jealousy of Sophie was SO satisfying! He voiced his thoughts on how ridiculous it was how freaking flawless Sophie was! Everyone else commented on her remarkableness so seamlessly, so casually, as if it were totally rational to praise her constantly! He goes through a lot here and I can more than forgive his actions. I really hope he doesn’t revert to his archaic ways and continues to show some flaws and quirks instead.
I truly like Grady and Alden—both of whom are brilliant and believable father figures that make (mostly) wise decisions and would do just about anything for their families. I wish I could love Edaline too but legit all she does is cry. As much as I like Grady, Edaline got the short end of the stick; the disconnect in characterisation is abundantly clear.
R E L A T I O N S H I P S
On the topic of Foster’s foster parents:
“Slowly, gently, she pulled them into the light.�
The progression of Sophie’s relationship with Grady and Edaline makes me emotional because it’s just so beautiful! They all love each other so much and she completes them. Words can hardly describe.
Similarly: “The others could move on if they liked. She wasn’t giving up on him.�
Another absolutely precious relationship and the source of much of my grief with this book. Sophie cares so bloody much for Alden and I really am not sure about how I should handle it.
“Grady rubbed his temples. “So� Keefe Sencen?�
“W about him?�
“W about ٱ?�
“W about ٱ?�
Grady held out his hands. “Never mind.�
HaHAAA! You see, dear and oblivious parent-ish of Sophie’s, ‘tis a complicated matter. Also: you’re missing a dude.
“Lame. I vote for The Unstoppable Team Keefe! Or Team Foster-Keefe if you’re one of those egomaniacs who needs your name in there.�
ME TOO, KEEFE! These two may just be perfection. Their banter is super adorable at this point in time but what really draws me to this pairing is the sheer POTENTIAL! Whenever they interact, a million possibilities race through my head.
“Ooh, are we making Dex blush?� Marella asked as she grabbed the seat next to Dex. “That’s one of my favourite games.�
“Mine too,� Keefe said, snatching the seat on the other side of Sophie. “Though it’s also fun making Foster blush.�
Sophie felt her face get hot and he smirked at her.�
Like, what human being with a heart could possibly resist moments like that?
I’m honestly not really giving Fitz a fighting chance in this love triangle (yes, I said triangle because, let’s be real, Sophie will only ever consider Dex her best friend). I always did bomb at impartiality.
“Just like old times,� Fitz said sadly. “I used to sit right here, giving you a dose every hour, watching the bits of colour slowly return to your face and hoping you’d wake up.�
In all fairness, that was really sweet. I suppose I could be willing to see this pairing unfold as well.
My poor, lovely Keefe: your situation is horrible but your family is so damn fascinating! We’re only given little hints of his home life spread sporadically through the series and I am absolutely STARVED to know more about it! There are so many possibilities to this particular plot point/dynamic and it is delightfully mystifying. That is clever writing right there, Shannon, because I NEED THE WHOLE STORY.
� �
I have high hopes for the future of this series.
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
Exile.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
August 29, 2019
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 29, 2019
– Shelved
September 13, 2019
–
Started Reading
September 13, 2019
–
24.83%
"Where’s Keefe? I want Keefe. I need Keefe. He’s on the cover so why hasn’t he shown up yet?! Damn it all; I just want a loveable character, man."
page
143
September 14, 2019
–
34.72%
"Sophie is a Mary Sue
Doo-da, doo-da
Sophie’s got all the powers and shit
The other Elvin children suck
^ (What a musical masterpiece) ^"
page
200
Doo-da, doo-da
Sophie’s got all the powers and shit
The other Elvin children suck
^ (What a musical masterpiece) ^"
September 16, 2019
–
52.08%
"Jealous Fitz.
...If Shannon Messenger won’t give me Keefe then I need more of this. Give Fitz a personality and maybe I’ll start caring about him a fraction as much as I care about Keefe."
page
300
...If Shannon Messenger won’t give me Keefe then I need more of this. Give Fitz a personality and maybe I’ll start caring about him a fraction as much as I care about Keefe."
September 18, 2019
–
Finished Reading
August 23, 2020
–
Started Reading
August 23, 2020
–
2.43%
"Sooooo rereading the whole series wasn’t the plan; I was only going to read the new annotated edition of Book 1... Sometimes things just ain’t destined to go to plan😓"
page
14
August 23, 2020
–
4.86%
"I didn’t realise till now that Dex and Sophie are lowkey first cousins. And that was a ship? Wow."
page
28
August 25, 2020
–
31.94%
"Yo the beginning of this book is kinda weak now that I read it again"
page
184
August 26, 2020
–
48.26%
"Damn Dame Alina isn’t a bitch at all at the moment but I seem to recall she was later on? What changed?"
page
278
August 26, 2020
–
72.22%
"I love the Foxfire shenanigans, especially during detention. The school setting is wonderfully vivid! I suppose I appreciate it more now since the only classes I take nowadays are online😒😣"
page
416
August 27, 2020
–
94.44%
"It’s honestly really impressive how many ways Shannon Messenger manages to describe telepathy well"
page
544
August 27, 2020
–
Finished Reading
