Review: The Mask Falling

5/5

For fans of: urban fantasy, paranormal fantasy, long series, political intrigue, revolutions and rebellions, uprisings, underworlds, crime networks, slow burn romance

Synopsis: Having escaped Scion London, Page Mahoney along with the Rephaite Arcturus, cross into Scion Paris. There, she waits for orders from her savior organization, the mysterious Domino, and her new role as a spy to further infiltrate and destroy Scion. Healing from the physical and mental torture under the hands of the Sargas, Paige must piece herself back together as well as make herself something new if she is to take down Scion and prevent the first Bone Season of Sheol II.

Review: And just like that, we are back into the world of Scion, Rephaites, and unnaturals. I have missed this complex and compelling world. Much of the book focuses on Paige and Arcturus’s relationship in a slow burn that really makes you work for it. Paige is also back taking crazy risks and setting Arcturus’s blood pressure through the roof, but she didn’t become the Underqueen because of her timidity. I love how frustrating Paige can be, but when she sees an opportunity, this woman takes it as both the Black Moth and a spy for Domino. The story weaves itself throughout Paris proper and the Paris Underground, more commonly known as the Catacombs. If you are claustrophobic, this may not be very enjoyable for you. The complexity, duplicity, and politics of Scion, Domino, and Syndicate players across the Parisian chessboard is excellent fun with new and old characters coming into play. Fair warning, it ends in one hell of a cliffhanger. I can’t wait for where Samantha Shannon takes Paige, Arcturus, Scion, the syndicates, and everyone else in this race towards inevitable war between Scion and the free world.