Of course, Des and Callie’s relationship is still an important part of this story, so don’t worry, you get to see plenty of them. Whereas the Thief of Souls subplot took a bit of a backseat in the previous book in favor of Des and Callie’s budding romance, it is featured prominently in this book and is peppered with plenty of twists and turns for added mystery. I especially enjoyed all of the faerie politics and political scheming they added a sense of intrigue to the story.Īnother laudable aspect of this book is its attention to the plot. I loved learning about the other kingdoms and their relationships with one another. This exploration of the Otherworld and its people is my favorite part of this book.

We meet old friends of Des and are introduced to his fellow fae rulers. We are able to move beyond the walls of Des’ castle to explore all corners of the Kingdom of Night, as well as the royal residence of the Kingdom of Flora. In fact, the entire story is set in the Otherworld. Fortunately, the same cannot be said of A Strange Hymn.

One of my biggest criticisms of Rhapsodic was its lack of world building, as only a few chapters take place in the Otherworld. Simply put, A Strange Hymn feels more substantial and fleshed out than its predecessor. It broadens the story, shifting it from being singularly focused on Des and Callie’s relationship to encompassing world building and plot development. Whereas Rhapsodic is a romance with some fantasy sprinkled in, A Strange Hymn is a fantasy with a healthy dash of romance. It is a rare occasion indeed when I prefer a sequel to the original, but that is precisely how I feel with regard to A Strange Hymn. TLDR: A sequel that is superior on all counts to Rhapsodic.

Rhapsodic laura thalassa