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A review by stitchsaddiction
Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow!
The sequel to The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is as sensational as you would have imagined it to be. The reader is thrust back into the aftermath of everything that had gone wrong in the first book, and you’re immediately wondering just how bad things are going to get for Teo, Niya and Aurelio as they attempt to save the world.
The world- building is again, lush and the unique elements from the landscape to the various mortals the trio encounter add to the visualisation of them travelling from city to city.
I really liked that we get the story from the perspective of Teo and Xio, so it is the light and the dark side of what is happening as the Obsidian Gods strive to take over everything. Xio’s perspective adds a complexity to Celestial Monsters as they’re facing the realities of getting what you wanted, and how there is a vast difference between reality and expectation. Teo has also grown so much since we first met him and his maturity shows as he must lead his friends through the unknown; yet he is also the typical teenager because he’s craving a decent sleep, and the familiarity of home and its routine. Aurelio and Niya are wonderful support system for Teo and provide a balance as Aurelio is often quieter and more thoughtful and Niya is loud and filled with the exuberance of life, which is both sweet, but also for Teo at times, hard for him to calm so they can move onward safely.
Celestial Monsters is the perfect sequel, I loved how we have so much more of the focus being on the semidioses rather than their parents and whilst we don’t see too much of the captive ones, they do appear, and I thought the concept of them being weakened worked so well to show that at the end of the day? They’re still children who are trying to the best and these supposed heroes have many flaws and weaknesses after all – much to their surprise in some cases. I didn’t want to put the book down, nor did I wan it to end as it was just that good and whilst the story is wrapped up so well, I do wish we could return to the world of The Sunbearer again one day.
Once again, the inclusivity of Celestial Monsters is written with thought, and I love how we have a trans character as the main character in Teo as well as Xio who like me uses they/them pronouns. Having queer representation, and especially trans/nonbinary representation is so wonderful and refreshing to see.
The sequel to The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is as sensational as you would have imagined it to be. The reader is thrust back into the aftermath of everything that had gone wrong in the first book, and you’re immediately wondering just how bad things are going to get for Teo, Niya and Aurelio as they attempt to save the world.
The world- building is again, lush and the unique elements from the landscape to the various mortals the trio encounter add to the visualisation of them travelling from city to city.
I really liked that we get the story from the perspective of Teo and Xio, so it is the light and the dark side of what is happening as the Obsidian Gods strive to take over everything. Xio’s perspective adds a complexity to Celestial Monsters as they’re facing the realities of getting what you wanted, and how there is a vast difference between reality and expectation. Teo has also grown so much since we first met him and his maturity shows as he must lead his friends through the unknown; yet he is also the typical teenager because he’s craving a decent sleep, and the familiarity of home and its routine. Aurelio and Niya are wonderful support system for Teo and provide a balance as Aurelio is often quieter and more thoughtful and Niya is loud and filled with the exuberance of life, which is both sweet, but also for Teo at times, hard for him to calm so they can move onward safely.
Celestial Monsters is the perfect sequel, I loved how we have so much more of the focus being on the semidioses rather than their parents and whilst we don’t see too much of the captive ones, they do appear, and I thought the concept of them being weakened worked so well to show that at the end of the day? They’re still children who are trying to the best and these supposed heroes have many flaws and weaknesses after all – much to their surprise in some cases. I didn’t want to put the book down, nor did I wan it to end as it was just that good and whilst the story is wrapped up so well, I do wish we could return to the world of The Sunbearer again one day.
Once again, the inclusivity of Celestial Monsters is written with thought, and I love how we have a trans character as the main character in Teo as well as Xio who like me uses they/them pronouns. Having queer representation, and especially trans/nonbinary representation is so wonderful and refreshing to see.