Review: The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon 

Publication date: 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: e-ARC

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 5 Stars

Okay, so this review is actually from my personal blog because I'm awful and haven't got a post ready for today. But, I did go and see Taylor Swift last night so I think I'm allowed to be let off. I decided to cross post this review because  I think The Bone Season is an incredible fantasy with great feminist elements. The female characters in this novel are beyond compare. This review is for The Mime Order (the sequel to The Bone Season.) Let me know if you've read this series and what you think of our lovely Paige Mahoney and if you give her the feminist badge of approval. I do. 

Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal prison camp of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the survivors are missing and she is the most wanted person in London...

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on the dreamwalker, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take centre stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner. Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided.

I've been trying to review this since I read it. And, honestly? I can't. Samantha Shannon blows my mind with this story in utterly amazing ways and I absolutely adore Paige Mahoney. 

But here's the thing, how do I review a sequel without giving it away? And how on earth do I review a fantastic second book without just fangirling all the way through it? I can't, but I'm willing to try. 

The Mime Order picks off where The Bone Season left and the plot thickens and builds from there. Some readers might have an issue with the progression and the slow build, but seriously, once you get into it, you fly through it! I don't think I've ever read a book of 528 pages in such a short burst of time. I think it's important to remember that Shannon is building a seven book series, so it's going to take a while for things to get going. The world building in this book is phenomenal. Every aspect is covered, creative and imaginative. So much so, I didn't realise the Seven Dials was an actual place until I was there (my knowledge of London is appalling, I know).  

I adore how complex the characters are in this series. Mostly, you have no idea where anybody stands with the novel, and each action focuses on how the society and construction of the gangs are built similar to a chess board; everybody is playing their part. Paige grows stronger and into a more headstrong and revolutionary figure, a development I thought had peaked its growth in TBS. But while we have Paige growing, we get to see a vulnerability to Nick and secondary characters come to the forefront and add to the diversity and development of the story. And that's what I love about Shannon's writing. You're immediately transported into a world which feels like reality and feel this immense caring towards all of the characters, not just the main few. 

The combination of action, world building, development and romance is perfect in this book. And oh my god, thank god there is not a love triangle. Warden is still as mysterious as ever which drives me slightly mad. I hope as the books progress we learn more about him because, as a character, he fascinates me and has the "Darcy" arrogance vibe about him which is literally my favourite personality attribute. But seriously, I totally need more Paige and Warden romance because the book was lacking ship material for the majority of it. 

Also, theses books are beautiful. Inside and outside, the design is fascinating and makes me giddy that they're relevant to the story, even if we do not know why till the end. This will probably be the only series that I buy all of the books in Hardback so they look pretty on my shelf (and match, who am I kidding?) 

The Mime Order takes the The Bone Season and blows it out of the water. I've got a strong feeling these books are just going to keep getting more captivating and engaging, and will most likely end up being my favourite series of all time - HP aside. Samantha Shannon is a wonderful writer and writes fantasy in a way that it almost feels like reality. Her world building is intriguing, breathtaking and magnificent, and will continue becoming more complex and engaging as the series continues. And mostly, I'm super pissed I have to wait A WHOLE YEAR for the next book after that ending, because, nearly three weeks later, I am still reeling from the experience of reading the last 100 pages of that book. 

Spectacular, majestic and astonishing, The Mime Order left me greedily wanting more of Shannon's world. The Bone Season is out in paperback and The Mime Order is out now in hardback. If you haven't met the world of clairvoyance, you're missing out.