So as you probably can tell from the title, today I'm going to talk about Conspiracy of blood and smoke by Anne Blackman. It's the sequel to Prisoners of night and fog (click this link for my review: http://booksdreamsandlifestyle.blogspot.hu/2016/02/prisoners-of-night-and-fog-book-review.html) and it's also the final book in the series, since it's a duology. I was really afraid, because let's face it: sequels aren't always the best and this book had to perform as a finishing book in a series too. I was very surprised to see, that it just got better after the first one and the dynamic of the story was also really good. If you haven't read the firs book, then don't continue reading, because it may contain spoilers and believe me you don't want to miss these plot-twists.
I think one of the best things in this book was the fact that it started months after they arrived in England and it was really good to see Gretchen finally have a normal family and have a normal life. And I was surprised, how fast things got complicated again. I was expecting Gretchen to investigate by herself, while Daniel was held capture somewhere. Bur this was even better, because I got to see something I hardly ever see in book romances: real problems. When it came out, how miserable Daniel felt in Oxford and they started struggling throughout the whole book with this problem, it gave a really real feeling to the story, it gave a normal side to it. Because even if they ran away together and were safe, one of them had to give up everything to be with the other. And the other was kind of having a perfect life. And I was surprised to see that they were realistic about the problem and they worked it out at the end almost as normal people would do. I was also pleased to see, that this book continued to paint a very realistic picture, about Germany at that time and the events, for example the Reichstag fire or the Enabling Act just added to the experience. Learning about the Rings in Germany was interesting as well. One of my favorite characters in this book was actually Friedrich, because although he was a criminal, he was taking care of his own people, so you can imagine I was really sad to see him die. It was good to see that not everyone agreed with the National Socialists (even if they seemed like it) and for example, Gennat even kind of helped the Rings against them. Throughout the whole book I was waiting for a Gretchen-Hitler face off and I was really glad to see it towards the end. I feel like the scene with Churchill at the end could have been longer, but it was meant to set the "happy-ending" to the story in my opinion.
The one thing I couldn't quite understand was the way Daniel acted at some parts of the book. I get that this whole thing was about his pride and etc., but in his place I would've gone to my family and take them out from the country first and then start to investigate, because I was actually really surprised, the SA didn't take his family. I like this side of him, the fearless one, who always want the truth to come out, but in my opinion he is putting his own feeling into it a little bit too much. I am certain that some of the need to take down the National Socialists is coming from the frustration, because of his months in England, doing almost nothing.
Altogether I think this was an amazing historical-fiction and I would really like to see more about Gretchen and Daniels lives, maybe during or after the war, but at the same time I feel like it was finished really well. If you are interested in reading a book which you'll not be able to put down, definitely read this, because it's worth it.
If you read this book, what is you're opinion about it?
Until next time,
Bianka
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