Review: Night Study by Maria V. Snyder

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous book, Shadow Study.

Night Study (Soulfinders #2)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Yelena and Valek find themselves in danger once again, and this time, not even their combined formidable escape skills may save them. Yelena is still without her magic and the target of assassins. Valek, meanwhile, is no longer certain of his once unwavering loyalty to the Commander of Ixia, and the Commander is no longer sure that he can completely trust Valek. As Ixia and Sitia edge closer to conflict, Yelena, Valek, and their family and friends race to thwart it, but their numerous enemies always seem to be a step ahead of them.

Review: Night Study is the second book in Maria V. Snyder’s new series featuring Yelena, Valek, and all the gang from her original Study series plus characters from her spin-off Glass series. So this is technically the eighth book set in this world that I’ve read, and it’s always a bit of a homecoming to return to it.

Yelena and Valek are one of my favorite fictional couples; their slow burning romance way back in Poison Study was just perfect. I can’t begin to quantify how much sentimental value this series holds for me thanks to these two and their close-knit circle of family and friends. In all seriousness, I’d read books about Yelena and Valek in their old age; they’d probably eschew retirement and still be running about Ixia and Sitia trying to save everyone.

As much as I love these characters, though, there were a few things about Night Study that I couldn’t quite look the other way on. The first was the book’s pacing; it took me almost two weeks to read this. While there was no shortage of action scenes, which Snyder has always written well and continues to do so, the story itself just felt slow moving in places. Valek goes off on a solo mission that for the most part seems better suited for a standalone short story. Although an interesting twist awaits at the conclusion of his mission, the path to it is somewhat circuitous.

While I liked the addition of Valek and Janco’s POVs in the previous novel, Shadow Study, the multiple POVs, which also include Yelena’s brother, Leif, didn’t work quite as well for me this time around. You will never hear me complain about reading from Valek’s perspective. Ever. And that’s not to imply that I’m going to complain about Janco and Leif’s chapters. Maybe it’s because every POV except Yelena’s is written in the third person, but Janco and Leif’s narrative voices don’t always come across as distinct from one another.

So on to what was awesome about Night Study. I liked seeing Valek conflicted over his loyalties. He’s been the Commander’s right hand man for years, but Night Study sees their relationship grow increasingly strained. The Commander is wary of Yelena, with her ties to magic and to Sitia, where magic isn’t banned as it is in Ixia, which also drives a wedge between Valek and the Commander. Valek would do anything for Yelena, his heart mate, even defy the Commander. Watching Valek have to make a difficult choice made for a very compelling plotline.

We also get the usual witty observations from Janco, a narrow escape or two or three, and a development that’s sure to elate longtime fans of the series. I know I almost melted. While this wasn’t my favorite installment in the chronicles of Yelena, Valek, and co., I’m still very much invested in their next set of adventures.

All in All: I found the pace at which Night Study moved on the sluggish side at times and would be OK with fewer POVs, but the swoony Yelena and Valek moments and a big revelation definitely helped balance things out.

Review: Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder

Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Yelena’s powers as a Soulfinder are renowned throughout Sitia and even in Ixia, where magic is forbidden, so when a would-be assassin’s attack robs Yelena of her magic, she is devastated. Yelena knows that she cannot keep her loss quiet for long, and once word spreads, the many enemies she’s made over the years are certain to exploit her vulnerability. Meanwhile, back in Ixia, Valek is tied up investigating a smuggling operation as well as assessing his possible replacement on the Commander’s staff, and he’s completely unaware that Yelena is without her formidable magical protection.

Review: Some characters have a way of entwining themselves around your heart so that even after a significant amount of time has passed since the end of their adventures, you still think about them often. And so it is with Yelena and Valek, Poison Study’s power couple extraordinaire. These two—I just love them. Yelena and Valek forever! Obviously, I greeted the news that they were returning in a brand new series with euphoria.

Not only does Shadow Study reunite readers with Yelena and Valek, but it also brings back a host of familiar faces, including the awesome power twins extraordinare, Ari and Janco. I love these two guys, too, and, wait for it—Janco has a POV! The slightly odd aspect of this is that it’s in the third person, while Yelena’s chapters remain in the first. This was minor to me, however, as Janco’s chapters were hilarious! Adding his POV was a brilliant move on Maria V. Snyder’s part, changing up the singular narration from both the Study and Glass series. Plus, Janco’s wit is very, very entertaining.

Speaking of the Glass books, which were a spin-off of Study and featured glass artist Opal Cowan as the protagonist, she and some other characters from Glass turn up in Shadow Study. This novel actually brings both series together a little more than I’d anticipated. I reread the three Study books but not the Glass trilogy before starting Shadow Study, and there were a few times when I felt that a refresher on the people and events from Glass would have been helpful to jog my memory. I also wish that I’d read the Study short stories because I’m pretty sure that this book alludes to those as well. Although Shadow Study does a good enough job of recapping plotlines from the previous books that might need a few further details, I do think that being up to speed on all that’s happened in this world up to this point yields the best reading experience from Shadow Study.

Without a doubt, the best thing about the novel is Valek’s POV. That’s right—Valek. POV! Like Janco’s chapters, Valek’s are written in the third person, but again—Valek. POV! I freaked out when I discovered this because gaining access to the thoughts of Ixia’s most feared assassin is just priceless. Snyder does not disappoint Valek’s many admirers, as we learn much about his past, from the assassin training he received in his youth to his initial meeting with Ambrose, the future Commander of Ixia. It’s all incredibly insightful and riveting to read; fans are sure to be extremely pleased with this look into the backstory of this beloved character.

Political intrigue has been a constant throughout the books, and there’s no shortage of it here. Unraveling the complex web of espionage to figure out allegiances and motives is a lot of fun, and Snyder continues to be a pro at keeping the reader guessing. Nearly every chapter ends with a mini-cliffhanger, which means you’ll find yourself unable to put this down. Maria V. Snyder has presented her readers with a very lovely gift in the form of this book. If you already loved Yelena, Valek, Ari, Janco, and the rest of the gang, prepare to fall in love with them all over again. I know I did, and it was a most wonderful feeling, indeed.

All in All: Study fans (and Glass fans): you need to read this NOW!