Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly, #2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: December 26, 2012
Pages: 403

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Cynthia Hand is a very special person. She's awesome, and she actually knows how to write. No guys, I mean she know how to write outside of YA and studies this stuff for years, so she's legit. And it shows in this book - the dreaded middle child that's actually as good as the first.

This is actually the second time I've read this book - I picked it up so I could read Boundless (the last book in the series), and this was my refresher before diving back into the world (this is why I honestly prefer to read all of a series at once, but it makes me feel hipster and all when I read awesome series as they come out. Dilemma). And let me tell you a secret. First time I read Hallowed, I thought, meh, not as good as Unearthly. Cause I loved Unearthly. If I had to make a list of my favorite book moments ever, Tucker and Clara falling in love would be on it, and somewhere towards the top. I absolutely positively loved how real their relationship was. Which is probably why I didn't like this book as much because, shocker, relationships go through road bumps (which is good, I know this, but gosh darn it, WHHYYSS), and this particular relationship has a big road bump - Heaven's seemingly romantic setup of Clara and Christian. And honestly, as I'm writing this I'm thinking, shit, this sounds like such a messed up YA story with all those bad twisted messages and LOVE TRIANGLE

That dreaded, stupid plot device of love triangles. Except when they're not a plot device and are actually real. And it's real in this book, believe me guys. If you normally rage at love triangle's, trust me that this isn't like those - there's so much more in play here. And for once, I feel like this is a triangle not about which guy do we, the readers, or even the author, like better - but it's about the pure relationship Clara has with both of them, and what she and they need. So it's beautiful. 

But please realize, though this is what I began talking about in the review, the book itself is about more than a love story. The central conflict of this book is actually tragic (and a spoiler, so I won't get specific). At it's heart, this book explores relationships of all kinds at all levels. There's loss and gain, strife and harmony, and everything in between. 

All the old character's are back - Angela, Jeffrey, Mr. Phibbs. And we get new characters! And so much angel things. Guys, I love the angel lore in these books. And if you're really frustrated with all the ambiguity of angels at the end of the book (cause that's still a thing from the first book), I promise that it's addressed in the third book. This story is epic, and the second book is merely what I would describe as the Iron Man 3 of the trilogy.

So go on and pick up this series if you haven't, and if you have and have been worried about the second book, don't be. It's so so so good (school has clearly exhausted all my good writing skills).