Initial Thoughts: “I found I had to reread This Mortal Coil before I could start This Cruel Design because the one picks up right after the end of the other with no exposition to explain what happened. I did not mind because it is such an excellent story. In this sequel, it is as if Ms. Suvada ripped my heart from my chest and tore it into little pieces in front of my eyes. If you think the first novel has plenty of twists and turns, Ms. Suvada ups the ante to make a story that is impossible to set down for real life. This ode to girl power and coding is such an adrenaline rush that I want to read the two novels all over again. Considering the gut punch of an ending, I might have to do just that while I wait for the finale.”
Now: Can I give a shout-out to whoever designed these covers? Not only are they spectacularly eye-catching, but they capture such a crucial piece of the story. They are so simple but so damn beautiful and speak volumes once you read the novels. Kudos to the design team!
A great novel always makes me feel a little drunk when I am reading it. I get giddy and overly emotional. The line between reality and fantasy blurs. I forget where I am; when a novel is particularly fantastic, I even forget who I am for a brief moment. I finished This Cruel Design four days ago, and I still feel just a little bit drunk. The story and its many twists make me feel like I am participating in a UFC fight, but it is the characters that make me the giddiest. Everything about Cat hits every empathy button I own, and her fledgling relationship with Cole makes me feel like it is my first love, complete with fluttering butterflies in the stomach. I am still reeling from the final scenes of the novel. They hit me like a sucker punch to the throat, a punch to the gut, and a box to my ears all at the same time. I want to crawl under the covers and wail even though I want more. I want to read both novels over and over again to feel those same emotions. I want to search for clues as to how the series might end. I want to bask in Cat’s and Cole’s relationship. I want to learn as much as I can about coding and DNA and genetics. I am like a junkie, looking for her next fix, except my next fix does not even have a publication date yet. I will survive because somehow I always do in these situations. It does not make the wait any easier, and given that ending, this wait is going to be particularly interminable.
Related Stories
- The end of this series exceeded my expectations
- Stories like this are better than therapy
- Molly is just as amazing at YA
