“There is so much to think about, so much to consider.” TELL ME ABOUT IT, Victor! What the h**k did just happen here?
I...I...Hmmm...
Why is it so hard to put my thoughts and feelings together after finishing this book? I'm not sure what and how to feel about it, what to think or say. In "Seeds of Iniquity”, we also had a lot to take in and to process, but when the matter in question is our feelings and emotions that need to be wrapped up? Everything becomes a thousand times harder, more exhausting and more grueling. I believe I only felt something like this in this series with "The Swan and The Jackal", but even then, even with all the emotions that book caused me, things were clearer, easier to understand and process. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to assimilate what I’ve just read. At least not until I have the ramifications of that in my hands. Whom am I kidding? I was pulled out from my comfort zone – how I allowed myself to be in a comfort zone with J. A. Redmerski, I'll never know - and I think I’ll only be able to assimilate all of this when I get to the end of this story. And the worst part? I can’t even take all of this out of my chest here without giving major spoilers. How am I going to be able to do this? I need, as never before, someone to vent with, to help me put all my thoughts, theories and feelings in order. To help me, at least for once in my life, to be rational. And, still, I don’t know if I’ll be able to process this. It’s been a long time since I was put in a situation like this. Well done – as always – Mrs. Redmerski.
If in one hand I have no idea how to express my feelings about the plot of TBW, I find no difficulty in saying how impeccable was its narrative. With a precise - almost surgically - rhythm and descriptions just in the right measure, my reading was fluid from the beginning until the end of it. Just the right pace. Once again, we can sense a screenplay tone in this book, just like the other books in this series, as if they were in fact one more episode of a TV Show. (I really cheer for that to actually happen one day, because they have so much potential for that.)
Moreover, one of the things that gets on my nerves in some narratives are the empty descriptions I find in some books, like pointless physical descriptions of characters, clothes, and places. They give me this feeling of serving only to fill gaps, pages, and not actually helping us, readers, to visualize scenes, as we should. However, Redmerski descriptions allow us to take a step further in our imagination, bringing a new sense in our reading, as if each scene were unfolding clearly not only in our minds, but also right before our eyes. Maybe the problem is in me, but few authors are capable of giving me this feeling, of bringing so much reality to my reading. There are not many books out there that I’ve read with a fluid pace like this one, and with such sense of reality. Most of the time, I find myself skimming those pointless description. Therefore, for that sense of reality I had with this book I can only give credit to Redmerski and her undeniable talent of controlling her stories and narratives like an specialist.
She controls her books in a way that there is an undeniable consistency in them, not just in them separately, but also in this series, from book number one ‘till book number five. Everything said means something and ‘till this day I didn’t find any gap or incoherent point – even when it takes me a little bit longer to figure things out. And even though I don’t hide the fact that I am a huge fan of this author, of her books and this series – which could lead me to be misinterpreted as a unreliable reader – I cannot suppress the fact that I’m, as a reader, obsessed with details. And, precisely when it comes to a book written by some of my favorite authors, this side of me can be even more evident, because I tend to savor every book written by them. I’ll take my time, savoring each line, and thus even more attentive to everything. And, as usually writers don’t have their series entirely figured out in their heads till the very end, I salute her for keeping this series so consistent. An accurate attention is needed to prevent that kind of error. I don’t know how she does it, but she does it superbly – even when it takes me a little bit longer to figure things out. In addition, the way she tells a story is so assertive, unquestionable, and persuasive, that it also gives me a sense of absolute certainty. Perhaps this is the reason why she has deceived me so many times.
Now, trying to get back to that plot… (First, I’ll have to apologize for not giving too many details about it. As much as I need to vent, my number one rule of never giving spoilers will remain, as much as possible, intact.)
After that flow of information in "Seeds of Iniquity", we were left with many questions and some open possibilities. Many secrets revealed. Many choices to be made. Many things to be fixed. Many errors to be remedied.
In "The Black Wolf", some of those questions start to be answered and some choices were made. But was any repair done? Or will the open black hole swallow everything around it?
I won't deny...I'm afraid...Nope...I'm terrified! Not because I might be disappointed by what the author could do from now on. I’m over, long ago, that initial phase of fearing being disappointed by my favorite author. J. A. Redmerski won my trust, book after book. But I WAS taken from a comfort zone in which I irresponsibly put myself in. And this unleashed a huge inner turmoil that, for now, I'm having a hard time to control and appease.
Nora is back! For those who wanted to get rid of her, I'm sorry to inform you she's back. And I hope, at least for now, for good. Nora is sent, along with Niklas and Izabel, to a mission in Italy. As expected, Nora fulfills her role without hesitation and flawlessly. But was her only role in this mission the one known by Izabel and set by Niklas? Or did Victor have something specific in his mind for her? I'm betting on the last one, after all, every action of our boss is thoroughly premeditated, even when it means...Oh boy!
But beyond her self-control and professionalism, we had a little more insight of Nora. She thinks, and so she speaks. There are no half-truths, and no mild speeches with Nora. She's the kind of person who says clearly and without hesitation what everyone would like to say, and I love and admire that - we also find that in Niklas and it might be my favorite quality in him. At times, J.A. Redmerski gave us some Nora's POVs, and I can't deny they were my favorite ones. It is no secret to anyone that Fredrik is absolutely my favorite character in the series. Thus, there will be no surprise in my undeniable tendency of sympathizing with the most...let’s say...psychologically unstable characters? Ok...I like the most psychotic characters, the cray cray ones. I don't deny it. So, right in the very first pages Nora already won me over. I cannot wait to get more into Nora's cold and disturbed mind. But is she so disturbed like we think she is? On more than one occasion, Nora proved me that perhaps she is the only one who really see things clearly and has, in fact, control over her own instincts and emotions.
Fredrik... Oh babe... Don't feel disturbed for having fans out there. I just cannot help loving you with all my crazy and psychotic heart. And forgive me if for one moment I had to use the mantra "MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS FREDRIK AND NOT NIKLAS". It was merely a temporary lapse of sanity. I have already found my way back to you. And Fredrik... With so many contradictory and disturbing emotions I was feeling, it was from you that came the only sense of relief I had throughout my reading. I don't know in what proportions your change is coming and I'm not sure what it means, but I could see a small spark of hope there. Maybe my Jackal will find the much desired balance and “peace” I wish for him, after all. And...Emily...Better late than never!
Niklas...
Izabel...
Victor...
Niklas, our black wolf. The main character in this book. At the end of "Seeds of Iniquity”, my heart and certainties were shattered for him. In this book, we were able to learn more about him and see a few things that go inside of him. A loyal brother who has always been plagued for being a mere shadow of his older brother. Known as a hot-blooded and reckless person, Niklas hides different layers inside of himself. We got to know some of them. Some I never thought existed, others caused me pain, or empathy, identification, but above all, some caused me an uneasiness I thought was not possible. Also we got to know some feelings that go inside of him…feelings that for now, in my opinion, I’m not quite sure he understands, let alone me! I don't know if Niklas was a surprise for me, or if I just closed my eyes while comfortably I lived in my bubble. And even though I don't necessarily LOVE him, I do like him and can’t wait to know him more.
Izabel, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise. Izabel is no longer Sarai. Even though Izabel still has a long way ahead, she proved, at least for me, that she is far from being that fragile, stubborn and reckless girl we knew at the beginning of the series. Izabel is trying hard to prove that she belongs to this new life, not because she wants to please Victor or anyone else, but because she CHOSE this life for her. And at the end of the book, in a conversation between Izabel and Victor, I could understand and see a little bit more how Izabel's peculiarities might help all of them. Izabel doesn't need to be a new Nora, or a new Victor, or a new Fredrik. Izabel needs to find her own way and her own identity as an assassin. Each one of them have their own qualities, and value, and importance. Izabel has her owns and she doesn't need to give them up. Each one of them makes Izabel stronger in her own way, if she learns to recognize and control them.
Victor...Victor...Oh Victor! Why is it so hard to get inside of your mind? Why do you hide your intentions so well from us? And which is your intention behind all this? What is going on in that cold, calculating, and frighteningly rational mind of yours? I know that behind all of your actions there is a motive. And I know that, no matter how briefly I forget it and how unnoticed something goes for us, nothing goes unnoticed for YOU. So tell me, since when did you know it? Why do you want to take advantage of that? Why the hell you want to encourage that? Because that’s exactly what I took from your thoughts. Why is there no one here to discuss my theories with me? Why do you want to take me out of my comfort zone? Why did you bring this unsettling feeling into my life? WHY DO YOU WANT TO RIP MY HEART OUT? Do you not understand that we care about you? That I care about you? Just...WHY? I was assimilating and working out all the emotions I was feeling until YOU REVEAL A SMALL PART OF YOUR INTENTIONS. WHY? Please tell me that I'm overreacting and assuming all the wrong things, as always! I wouldn’t mind at all to be wrong!
Niklas...
Izabel...
Victor...
I give up. I just can't. I cannot and do not want to put all my feelings in order. I just can't and don't want to control this. This time I just can't. This time, more than any other time, I leave it in your hands, Jessica. I leave it because you have my trust in your hands. I trust you! Therefore, I allow myself to be taken out of this comfort zone...in which I should NEVER had put myself in in the first place! I will allow my heart to be tight... I will allow myself to be washed over by all these emotions... I will, because I know that that old and well-known coherence and consistency will prevail in the end, no matter what.
Just bring that sixth book for us as soon as possible, PLEASE!
***
UPDATE: When I wrote this review, I had just finished reading the book. To say my head was spinning...fast...is an understatement! I was in the eye of the hurricane. But I knew, and said many times, it'd just take me a little longer to put everything into place. Well, one of my buddy readers, who I think gets me more than anyone else, gave me an insight...a light...which made me see a reason for this new possibility. Because THAT was the problem for me. I wasn't seeing that coherence I'm so attached to. I knew it'd appear eventually, but I was having a really hard time to move on without seeing at least a glimpse of it. And even though I might be completely wrong – I know that -, now at least I have something to hold on, and here it is: Izabel's secret. Maybe everything will go around her secret. Maybe she will go for that secret of hers, and maybe when she gets to face it she might, let’s say, EMBRACE it? - I hope those who read SOI and TBW are following me. So, yes. Maybe with this new possibility the old arrangement won't be possible after all, and we will have to change some things. Or maybe it won't be Izabel who will go for it. Maybe it will be Victor, and maybe that will be something he will want to give her. Maybe Victor is just rationalizing too much this time. Maybe there is another way. Maybe we should listen what Nora has to say. Because I'm still not so fond of this turn of events, and this new possibility, and this new arrangement. Why? Because I figure out which comfort zone I was. I trained myself so hard to not expect any kind of hearts and flowers in these series, just badass things and crazy things and WTF things and rational things that I just wasn't expecting at all something resembling to hearts and flowers, and this is kind of hearts and flowers for these characters. I internalized so much the genre of these books - hey...my favorite characters are the craziest ones: Fredrik and possibly now Nora - that I was expecting just... I don't know. So, I'm not fond of this new possibility, but I'm definitely NOT against it. Why? Because I DO TRUST THIS AUTHOR. I trust her instincts, her writing, her coherence and her incredible persuasive talent. So, even though I'm rooting for the old arrangement, I can say that I'm calmer now. Definitely anxious for the sixth book, but now I can sleep at night. And I’ll just say once again that it has been a long time since I wished a series not to end. Lately I was having a hard time to keeping up with a series, because often I lost my interest in them. But this one has so much potential and I’m so grateful it is in the hands of an amazing author who can work it at its fullness!)
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