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Dark Carousel #4
Music Box
The final terrifying story of The Dark Carousel series.
As the day of Cassie's marriage to the centuries-old spirit, Balthazar, grows chillingly close, she finds a secret way to the high tower. The shadowy inhabitant of the tower has haunted her mind since her first day at the castle.
In the tower, Cassie makes a shocking discovery, after which nothing can be the same.
Before Cassie's last stand against the castle ends, she'll fight the serpent shadows that swoop in like spectres from across the frozen wastelands, and she'll face down Balthazar and the serpent empress herself.
But her greatest fight will come from within.
As the day of Cassie's marriage to the centuries-old spirit, Balthazar, grows chillingly close, she finds a secret way to the high tower. The shadowy inhabitant of the tower has haunted her mind since her first day at the castle.
In the tower, Cassie makes a shocking discovery, after which nothing can be the same.
Before Cassie's last stand against the castle ends, she'll fight the serpent shadows that swoop in like spectres from across the frozen wastelands, and she'll face down Balthazar and the serpent empress herself.
But her greatest fight will come from within.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2014
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January 9, 2014It feels strange to have written the very last word of the Dollhouse Books - the very last word being 'again' (which has special significance and relates to the theme of all the books).
I've been blown away by the support and feedback from readers of these books. It's an amazing thing to me to have written something that has resonated in the way that it has.
The books began when I was sitting in the midst of the same forest that the books were initially set in (and that they return to). The character of Jessamine came to me so vividly that I could practically see her there. As Jessamine would say, these stories are just imaginings of the forest. Pay them no heed, for tales become true should you linger in them too long.
I've been blown away by the support and feedback from readers of these books. It's an amazing thing to me to have written something that has resonated in the way that it has.
The books began when I was sitting in the midst of the same forest that the books were initially set in (and that they return to). The character of Jessamine came to me so vividly that I could practically see her there. As Jessamine would say, these stories are just imaginings of the forest. Pay them no heed, for tales become true should you linger in them too long.
July 21, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.
I'm so disappointed in this series. The first book was so good that I talked to everyone about it for a week after. I loved it that much and was so excited that I had three more books to go, but no, this book went from great to more and more disappointed with each book. I'm glad I finished it. But honestly, with just a bit of tweaking, the first book would have made a great standalone. In fact, I can see myself reading the first book again, but I'll stop there and treat it as a standalone from here on out.
While the book might technically have come full circle by the end. I still feel that it went all over the place and just didn't focus correctly. What's more, is that there is so many villains in this book that it really is hard to tell who you're supposed to want dead the most. The was good enough to keep me in it till the end but I just can't get over my disappointment in this series.
I'm so disappointed in this series. The first book was so good that I talked to everyone about it for a week after. I loved it that much and was so excited that I had three more books to go, but no, this book went from great to more and more disappointed with each book. I'm glad I finished it. But honestly, with just a bit of tweaking, the first book would have made a great standalone. In fact, I can see myself reading the first book again, but I'll stop there and treat it as a standalone from here on out.
While the book might technically have come full circle by the end. I still feel that it went all over the place and just didn't focus correctly. What's more, is that there is so many villains in this book that it really is hard to tell who you're supposed to want dead the most. The was good enough to keep me in it till the end but I just can't get over my disappointment in this series.
January 15, 2014
Seventeen-year-old Cassie’s forced marriage to Monseigneur Balthazar Batiste, the centuries old ruler of the Castle, filled her with horror and revulsion. She followed on from the fifth bride, Etiennette, whose fate was the same as his previous brides. Cassie was determined to escape, but had no idea how she would – the Castle was high up on a cliff, surrounded by the crashing waves of the ocean, and whose depths contained the Empress Serpent.
For the three months of summer, Balthazar slept – Cassie was locked in a cabinet from dawn to midnight, along with many other spirits encased in marionettes – but from midnight to dawn she took her one meal of the day and the fresh ocean air; she also searched, searched for a way to escape her confinement – escape before Balthazar awoke and their marriage was to be consummated….
With Ethan desperately trying to get back to Cassie, the frozen Ice Age was quickly consuming the world. The museum, which was controlled by the Order of Sister Celia, was the only place safe from the inhabitants of the Castle; it was also where Ethan and the rest of the inhabitants from the Dollhouse were – Sophronia, Frances, Molly and Aisha - but not all were there….
The time was passing quickly – in Cassie’s world as well as Ethan’s world their situations were becoming dire. With the search for the second book of the Speculum Nemus becoming more desperate, the horrors were more absolute, their futures were more bleak – it was time! Time to fight their enemies and put an end to the rule of Balthazar and the Castle before they succeeded in taking over the world completely.
What a wonderfully, dramatic and suspenseful conclusion to the Dollhouse series. This one followed on seamlessly from Marionette, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey through NSW, Australia, the US and “other worlds”, and feel quite sad that it’s over. The author has an amazing way with words, the way she twists and blends the story, the lives of the characters in amongst one another until we reach the satisfying ending. Though perhaps “satisfying” is not the right word – I’ll leave other readers to make their own minds up about that;)
I wish to thank the author for allowing me to beta read this series (all except the first). It’s been an amazing experience, and after concluding the beta reading for this book, I was extremely keen to read it in its entirety. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Anya Allyn’s Dollhouse series; if you are a fan of Fantasy, and of YA I’m sure you’ll enjoy these books. Sit back, relax and enjoy the journey!
For the three months of summer, Balthazar slept – Cassie was locked in a cabinet from dawn to midnight, along with many other spirits encased in marionettes – but from midnight to dawn she took her one meal of the day and the fresh ocean air; she also searched, searched for a way to escape her confinement – escape before Balthazar awoke and their marriage was to be consummated….
With Ethan desperately trying to get back to Cassie, the frozen Ice Age was quickly consuming the world. The museum, which was controlled by the Order of Sister Celia, was the only place safe from the inhabitants of the Castle; it was also where Ethan and the rest of the inhabitants from the Dollhouse were – Sophronia, Frances, Molly and Aisha - but not all were there….
The time was passing quickly – in Cassie’s world as well as Ethan’s world their situations were becoming dire. With the search for the second book of the Speculum Nemus becoming more desperate, the horrors were more absolute, their futures were more bleak – it was time! Time to fight their enemies and put an end to the rule of Balthazar and the Castle before they succeeded in taking over the world completely.
What a wonderfully, dramatic and suspenseful conclusion to the Dollhouse series. This one followed on seamlessly from Marionette, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey through NSW, Australia, the US and “other worlds”, and feel quite sad that it’s over. The author has an amazing way with words, the way she twists and blends the story, the lives of the characters in amongst one another until we reach the satisfying ending. Though perhaps “satisfying” is not the right word – I’ll leave other readers to make their own minds up about that;)
I wish to thank the author for allowing me to beta read this series (all except the first). It’s been an amazing experience, and after concluding the beta reading for this book, I was extremely keen to read it in its entirety. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Anya Allyn’s Dollhouse series; if you are a fan of Fantasy, and of YA I’m sure you’ll enjoy these books. Sit back, relax and enjoy the journey!
May 13, 2018
The final book in the Dark Carousel series ends with a damp squibb rather than a fizzing rocket. Ultimately, nothing is resolved for Cassie, Ethan, Molly, Sophronia, Aisha or Francis and we are left in a limbo where everything looks doomed to repeat itself all over again. Whilst Music Box is not quite as disappointing as Marionette, it is a close call - this is quite possibly because so much time is expended on the Ice World and the Serpents when all I really want is the dark gothic tension of the Dollhouse and the Castle that are found in such glorious detail in the first two books. Ultimately the series moves from a Gothic Horror to a more Science Fiction tale and the juxtaposition of the two just really doesn't work for me.
The other problem with Music Box is that so much is simply glossed over. For example, Ethan helps a family escape from Canada into the continental United States, makes them aware of the Reapers and then joins a band of revolutionaries intent on throwing over the New World Order. This results in us being told that they go to war on the Reapers but that's it, no details, no idea of what is happening to Ethan and the other fighters. It almost feels as though the author has written themself into a corner and with no way out chooses to drop that strand and use the shadow paths to gloss over it all.
The sections at the Castle are, once again, the stand out pieces in this quadrilogy. Sadly we spend much less time there this time around and it is much of a rehashing of information we already have from the previous books. The only real revelation is the identity of the watcher in the tower but even that is tempered by the science fiction element of the Serpent Empress - although she has been a presence in the books from the outset she has a real impact in this one, even if it is one that feels evermore hackneyed.
I was really disappointed with how this series panned out. The genre cross over just didn't work for me and I think it would have worked better as an either or book and that the Gothic Horror was really the way to go as the first two books were so strong. Instead what we ended up getting was a bit of a mess really and neither one thing nor the other. It also doesn't help that we are chested out of a definitive ending to the series, to be honest normally the whole thing being left open for further investigation would thrill me but in this case it just makes me sad. I don't need a happy ending to a tale but I do kind of like an ending, a sense of finality for the characters.
My advice would be read Dollhouse and Paper Dolls and then just make the rest of the tale up in your head rather than reading Marionette and Music Box.
The other problem with Music Box is that so much is simply glossed over. For example, Ethan helps a family escape from Canada into the continental United States, makes them aware of the Reapers and then joins a band of revolutionaries intent on throwing over the New World Order. This results in us being told that they go to war on the Reapers but that's it, no details, no idea of what is happening to Ethan and the other fighters. It almost feels as though the author has written themself into a corner and with no way out chooses to drop that strand and use the shadow paths to gloss over it all.
The sections at the Castle are, once again, the stand out pieces in this quadrilogy. Sadly we spend much less time there this time around and it is much of a rehashing of information we already have from the previous books. The only real revelation is the identity of the watcher in the tower but even that is tempered by the science fiction element of the Serpent Empress - although she has been a presence in the books from the outset she has a real impact in this one, even if it is one that feels evermore hackneyed.
I was really disappointed with how this series panned out. The genre cross over just didn't work for me and I think it would have worked better as an either or book and that the Gothic Horror was really the way to go as the first two books were so strong. Instead what we ended up getting was a bit of a mess really and neither one thing nor the other. It also doesn't help that we are chested out of a definitive ending to the series, to be honest normally the whole thing being left open for further investigation would thrill me but in this case it just makes me sad. I don't need a happy ending to a tale but I do kind of like an ending, a sense of finality for the characters.
My advice would be read Dollhouse and Paper Dolls and then just make the rest of the tale up in your head rather than reading Marionette and Music Box.
August 6, 2016
How come this is the last book?
HOW?
I still have questions. I still need more.
What is this?
I can't take it.
PS: a review? What's that?
HOW?
I still have questions. I still need more.
What is this?
I can't take it.
PS: a review? What's that?
July 11, 2017
These endless carousels
tell of love and every loss,
of every nuance of light and shade
Did you live your life as a masquerade?
Or live every second, every moment in bloom?
When the carnival closes and the music ends
you think it has all come too soon
But everything will come again,
like the phases of the moon.
I feel very divided on this last installment of the series. Dollhouse was by far my favorite, and in some ways this book reminded me of it. The castle was a good setting with plenty of creepy details, just like the Dollhouse. As a bonus, the characters even return to the Dollhouse at one point in this book.
However, I felt there was too much back and forth between places here. It's set in both Australia and Miami (in the third book they even went to Mexico for a short time). There's a certain way they travel that just didn't work for me. Also, there were too many characters, most of whom I didn't find very interesting. I think the development of the main characters suffered a little because of all the other ones introduced. I didn't care for Ethan's chapters, probably because I didn't like that part of the story very much (it was the same way for me in Marionette).
And can I just say, there wasn't nearly enough Henry. He's so hot and creepy he should have played more into the story. I SHIP HIM SO HARD.
I really like the premise of this series, but it seemed to get a little lost along the way. I actually kind of loved the ending though.
I do want to reread PARACOSM: Bleath: The Hauntings now, since it has ties to this series and I hadn't read the last two books when I first read it.
tell of love and every loss,
of every nuance of light and shade
Did you live your life as a masquerade?
Or live every second, every moment in bloom?
When the carnival closes and the music ends
you think it has all come too soon
But everything will come again,
like the phases of the moon.
I feel very divided on this last installment of the series. Dollhouse was by far my favorite, and in some ways this book reminded me of it. The castle was a good setting with plenty of creepy details, just like the Dollhouse. As a bonus, the characters even return to the Dollhouse at one point in this book.
However, I felt there was too much back and forth between places here. It's set in both Australia and Miami (in the third book they even went to Mexico for a short time). There's a certain way they travel that just didn't work for me. Also, there were too many characters, most of whom I didn't find very interesting. I think the development of the main characters suffered a little because of all the other ones introduced. I didn't care for Ethan's chapters, probably because I didn't like that part of the story very much (it was the same way for me in Marionette).
And can I just say, there wasn't nearly enough Henry. He's so hot and creepy he should have played more into the story. I SHIP HIM SO HARD.
I really like the premise of this series, but it seemed to get a little lost along the way. I actually kind of loved the ending though.
I do want to reread PARACOSM: Bleath: The Hauntings now, since it has ties to this series and I hadn't read the last two books when I first read it.
April 5, 2014
Wow....
I admit I was worried... A series this intense can't be easy to write an ending for. Once I started reading I couldn't stop. This ending was not at all what I expected but I was NOT disappoint by it in the least. I was on the edge of my seat for the biggest majority of this one. I mean the rest of the series was nerve wracking but this one kept me nervous the entire time. I loved it!!!! I can't wait to see what Anya Allyn will come up with for her next series. Excited to find out for sure!
I admit I was worried... A series this intense can't be easy to write an ending for. Once I started reading I couldn't stop. This ending was not at all what I expected but I was NOT disappoint by it in the least. I was on the edge of my seat for the biggest majority of this one. I mean the rest of the series was nerve wracking but this one kept me nervous the entire time. I loved it!!!! I can't wait to see what Anya Allyn will come up with for her next series. Excited to find out for sure!
December 13, 2020
(This review can be found on my blog All the Ups and Downs.)
--
I loved the Dark Carousel series by Anya Allyn. I couldn't wait to dive into Music Box, the last book in the series, but at the same time, I was saddened that it was coming to an end. Music Box was definitely a thrilling read!
Cassie has given up hope of not being Balthazar's bride. She's about to just give in to it when she finds a way to the tower where the spooky figure she has seen lives. Scared as she is of the figure, she decides to investigate and is shocked to discover who the figure is. Cassie, with the help of her friends, must find some way to defeat the serpent shadows before they take over the Earth all while battling the humans and spirits of the castle. While she and her friends put their lives in great peril, they never give up hope of returning the Earth to its former glory.
The plot of Music Box did a fantastic job of holding my attention throughout. While there are some parts of this novel that are a bit too fast paced like in previous books in the series, for the most part, the pacing is easy to follow along with. There are a few plot twists that I wasn't able to predict. There was so much action going on in Music Box, and I loved it. It wasn't overwhelming, and it was underwhelming. Anya Allyn did a fantastic job with getting the ratio of action to narrative perfect! I did have a feeling that one of the characters in the Dollhouse would make an appearance, and I wasn't wrong. I liked the way all the loose ends from the previous books in the series were all tied up nicely. While I wasn't really a fan of how the book ended, I will say that it didn't have a rushed ending feel. I just wish things would have turned out a bit differently. However, I did love how the author explains more of the ending and what she believes happened to all the other characters in the afterword, so definitely don't skip out on reading the afterword!
As always, Anya Allyn was amazing at making her characters come alive. It was so easy to relate to all of them (bad guys and girls aside). Cassie was even more hardcore in this book! I loved how Cassie was willing to sacrifice everything to protect her friends and others. Ethan was the same as Cassie. He tried to protect innocents from the bad guys. While I liked Molly, I still don't think her character was needed, same with Frances. Don't get me wrong, they are great characters and written really well, but they seemed a bit pointless. I was happy about Aisha in this book. (I won't go into greater detail due to minor spoilers.) I absolutely loved Zack, and I was always secretly hoping that Cassie would end up with him. Zack turned out to be such a gentlemen from the second book. I loved how he was willing to cut ties from his family to help Cassie even though he knew it was an unrequited love. Henry was another character that I really loved. I felt that he wasn't all bad and that there was some good in him. The book he was seeking in the novel was what brought out the bad. He did have a bunch of redeeming qualities though. I was overjoyed that Jessamine was finally featured a bit more in this book! Jessamine has been my favorite character throughout this series. I was thrilled with how her story ended. I always knew she'd turn out to be awesome!
Trigger warnings for Music Box include violence, death, murder, suicide, attempted rape, minor swearing, the occult, and imprisonment.
While I'm devastated that the Dark Carousel series has come to an end, I am so grateful that Music Box was a great read. All of the characters were still so amazing, the story was thrilling, and everything was so nicely explained. I would definitely recommend Music Box (and all of the Dark Carousel series) by Anya Allyn. If you want a book with lots of action and a great cast of characters, this is your book. Do be prepared to suffer from a book hangover when you're done reading it though!
--
I loved the Dark Carousel series by Anya Allyn. I couldn't wait to dive into Music Box, the last book in the series, but at the same time, I was saddened that it was coming to an end. Music Box was definitely a thrilling read!
Cassie has given up hope of not being Balthazar's bride. She's about to just give in to it when she finds a way to the tower where the spooky figure she has seen lives. Scared as she is of the figure, she decides to investigate and is shocked to discover who the figure is. Cassie, with the help of her friends, must find some way to defeat the serpent shadows before they take over the Earth all while battling the humans and spirits of the castle. While she and her friends put their lives in great peril, they never give up hope of returning the Earth to its former glory.
The plot of Music Box did a fantastic job of holding my attention throughout. While there are some parts of this novel that are a bit too fast paced like in previous books in the series, for the most part, the pacing is easy to follow along with. There are a few plot twists that I wasn't able to predict. There was so much action going on in Music Box, and I loved it. It wasn't overwhelming, and it was underwhelming. Anya Allyn did a fantastic job with getting the ratio of action to narrative perfect! I did have a feeling that one of the characters in the Dollhouse would make an appearance, and I wasn't wrong. I liked the way all the loose ends from the previous books in the series were all tied up nicely. While I wasn't really a fan of how the book ended, I will say that it didn't have a rushed ending feel. I just wish things would have turned out a bit differently. However, I did love how the author explains more of the ending and what she believes happened to all the other characters in the afterword, so definitely don't skip out on reading the afterword!
As always, Anya Allyn was amazing at making her characters come alive. It was so easy to relate to all of them (bad guys and girls aside). Cassie was even more hardcore in this book! I loved how Cassie was willing to sacrifice everything to protect her friends and others. Ethan was the same as Cassie. He tried to protect innocents from the bad guys. While I liked Molly, I still don't think her character was needed, same with Frances. Don't get me wrong, they are great characters and written really well, but they seemed a bit pointless. I was happy about Aisha in this book. (I won't go into greater detail due to minor spoilers.) I absolutely loved Zack, and I was always secretly hoping that Cassie would end up with him. Zack turned out to be such a gentlemen from the second book. I loved how he was willing to cut ties from his family to help Cassie even though he knew it was an unrequited love. Henry was another character that I really loved. I felt that he wasn't all bad and that there was some good in him. The book he was seeking in the novel was what brought out the bad. He did have a bunch of redeeming qualities though. I was overjoyed that Jessamine was finally featured a bit more in this book! Jessamine has been my favorite character throughout this series. I was thrilled with how her story ended. I always knew she'd turn out to be awesome!
Trigger warnings for Music Box include violence, death, murder, suicide, attempted rape, minor swearing, the occult, and imprisonment.
While I'm devastated that the Dark Carousel series has come to an end, I am so grateful that Music Box was a great read. All of the characters were still so amazing, the story was thrilling, and everything was so nicely explained. I would definitely recommend Music Box (and all of the Dark Carousel series) by Anya Allyn. If you want a book with lots of action and a great cast of characters, this is your book. Do be prepared to suffer from a book hangover when you're done reading it though!
April 16, 2018
Books 2 -4 are a single story unit (Story Units are now traded on the open market, you know). And so, for the set I am giving a rating of 4 stars. Mainly because there are a few flaws in the plot which I happily forgave thanks to the creativity of the story in general. Maybe the story was pushed out in a rush? It could have used an editor. Also, it got a bit YA for me at times. Regardless, I really enjoyed the imagination and the peril and the troubles our heroine encounters along the way. I'll be looking for more books by Anya Allyn!!
November 16, 2017
This book. My heart is breaking. I don't know what to do with myself not that I've finished this series. It was so much better than I had originally expected it to be. The last book was fantastic. I just finished reading the end and I'm trying not to bawl my eyes out. As much as I wished this series had a different ending, I feel that it fits. A beautiful end to the roller coaster that is the dark carousel series.
June 18, 2015
I usually don't like when a reviewer rates a book "# and a half" but with Music Box I understand why it can be done. My actual rating of this would be 3.5 *. I didn't love this as much as the others but I certainly didn't hate it. I knew there had to be some pretty phenomenal ending for this series...especially if it was all supposed to make any sense. I definitely feel the author gave the answers needed.
The bad thing was I was getting confused with all the other planets and other selves. Then the other, OTHER selves just made me like WTF?!? All in all my trip down the Dollhouse "rabbit hole" was an extremely different and satisfying trip! (Although, nothing compares to how terrifying the first book, Dollhouse, was!)
The bad thing was I was getting confused with all the other planets and other selves. Then the other, OTHER selves just made me like WTF?!? All in all my trip down the Dollhouse "rabbit hole" was an extremely different and satisfying trip! (Although, nothing compares to how terrifying the first book, Dollhouse, was!)
January 7, 2016
This author has an incredible imagination, and her conclusion to The Dark Carousel series was another page turner. Overall, this was a gothic, dystopian, dark fantasy with New Age influences.
Unlike Book 3, Music Box hit the ground running, and barrelled through to the epilogue. The series reached its shattering climax, which suited this totally out there story.
I have enjoyed the story; however the reincarnation theme flowing through this final book was not my cup of tea. Even so, this author knows how to tell a story. After reading all four books in less than a month, I've got to say I've enjoyed the journey. No one could ever say this series was predictable. It was anything but.
Unlike Book 3, Music Box hit the ground running, and barrelled through to the epilogue. The series reached its shattering climax, which suited this totally out there story.
I have enjoyed the story; however the reincarnation theme flowing through this final book was not my cup of tea. Even so, this author knows how to tell a story. After reading all four books in less than a month, I've got to say I've enjoyed the journey. No one could ever say this series was predictable. It was anything but.
February 6, 2021
J'ai décidé de terminer la série, mais je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser. J'étais un peu mélanger dans les personnages. Peut-être parce qu'ils manquaient un peu de profondeur. C'est tout simplement parce que la série débute avec un premier tome qui laisse envisager de l'horreur fantastique et la lecture se poursuit dans un monde complètement fantastique à l'eau de rose. J'ai quand même apprécié ma lecture, car l'auteur à beaucoup d'imagination et l'histoire est très originale.
January 22, 2014
its out..
January 9, 2014
I cried. Yes I cried at the ending of this fabulous series. it was Beautiful yet mysterious at the same time. this goes to my number 1 favorite spot.
September 23, 2019
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
I've made it to the last book in the series! This had a lot more going on than the previous books, but I still don't think it was as great as the first book in the series.
Cassie is now Balthazar's wife and she fears the day spring comes and Balthazar wakes up to impregnate her. She spends her days locked in the marionette cabinet, her nights outside under the stars. But she's not giving up, she's found a secret location where Ettinette, Balthazar's first wife, tried to escape. At the same time, Ethan is alive, but he is in the other dimension and far from Cassie.
While the last few books have been lackluster because nothing happens, this book has a lot happening. Almost too much because I wasn't sure what was happening sometimes. The pacing is fast, and some times things felt too coincidental (i.e. a person they know just happens to be there when they need them). Like the last book, we occasionally get Ethan's perspective. He has to journey from Canada to Maimi in the frozen world, but almost all of this is skipped over. We also see some short chapters from Tobias' and Jessamine's perspectives, which I liked because they do need closure in their stories.
This book combines many of the elements of the previous books. Many of the locations make a return. The parallel universe aspect is much larger in this book than the previous book, which made it a lot more interesting. There are also quite a number of twists and surprises along the way. I alluded to events feelings coincidental, and that comes partially from the fact that almost every character that has appeared in this series makes an appearance in this book. I do think Anya Allyn has a lot of interesting ideas, though. Really, this is unlike any other series I've read before, and she's created a very unique series. I just wish it was more focused.
While I have previously struggled with Cassie's character, she has certainly grown throughout the series. She has been in incredibly frightening situations, and she handles them with a lot more strength and bravery than I ever would. This book further explains that Cassie was always meant to be a part of this mess which, again, bothers me. I'm not the biggest fan of books that say characters are fated to do such and such. I prefer it when they are ordinary people put into extraordinary situations. When characters are fated to do something, it makes their strength less outstanding, because they were always going to do it.
Now, about that ending. The ending is a huge surprise and a huge risk. It's the kind of ending that may upset quite a few people.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was an interesting conclusion to the series. I don't know whether I'm glad I continued this series or not, but, again, I think the author has some fantastic ideas. I just wish they were more focused. Book one is by far the best in the series, and I think the original concept got lost along the way. I don't know if I will read more from this author or not. I kind of want to see if she has any other interesting ideas and whether her writing has grown since this series, but I'm worried I'll just end up disappointed.
MY THOUGHTS
I've made it to the last book in the series! This had a lot more going on than the previous books, but I still don't think it was as great as the first book in the series.
Cassie is now Balthazar's wife and she fears the day spring comes and Balthazar wakes up to impregnate her. She spends her days locked in the marionette cabinet, her nights outside under the stars. But she's not giving up, she's found a secret location where Ettinette, Balthazar's first wife, tried to escape. At the same time, Ethan is alive, but he is in the other dimension and far from Cassie.
While the last few books have been lackluster because nothing happens, this book has a lot happening. Almost too much because I wasn't sure what was happening sometimes. The pacing is fast, and some times things felt too coincidental (i.e. a person they know just happens to be there when they need them). Like the last book, we occasionally get Ethan's perspective. He has to journey from Canada to Maimi in the frozen world, but almost all of this is skipped over. We also see some short chapters from Tobias' and Jessamine's perspectives, which I liked because they do need closure in their stories.
This book combines many of the elements of the previous books. Many of the locations make a return. The parallel universe aspect is much larger in this book than the previous book, which made it a lot more interesting. There are also quite a number of twists and surprises along the way. I alluded to events feelings coincidental, and that comes partially from the fact that almost every character that has appeared in this series makes an appearance in this book. I do think Anya Allyn has a lot of interesting ideas, though. Really, this is unlike any other series I've read before, and she's created a very unique series. I just wish it was more focused.
While I have previously struggled with Cassie's character, she has certainly grown throughout the series. She has been in incredibly frightening situations, and she handles them with a lot more strength and bravery than I ever would. This book further explains that Cassie was always meant to be a part of this mess which, again, bothers me. I'm not the biggest fan of books that say characters are fated to do such and such. I prefer it when they are ordinary people put into extraordinary situations. When characters are fated to do something, it makes their strength less outstanding, because they were always going to do it.
Now, about that ending. The ending is a huge surprise and a huge risk. It's the kind of ending that may upset quite a few people.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was an interesting conclusion to the series. I don't know whether I'm glad I continued this series or not, but, again, I think the author has some fantastic ideas. I just wish they were more focused. Book one is by far the best in the series, and I think the original concept got lost along the way. I don't know if I will read more from this author or not. I kind of want to see if she has any other interesting ideas and whether her writing has grown since this series, but I'm worried I'll just end up disappointed.
May 30, 2022
3,5/5
Je suis assez déçue. Quand j'ai commencé cette série, j'étais vraiment à fond et j'ai adoré l'ambiance des deux premiers tomes. Le tome 3 était moins bien à mon goût mais j'ai quand même apprécié. Le tome 4... J'étais assez mitigé. L'aureure a de bonnes idées mais j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait trop de choses. J'ai perdu de l'intérêt pour le personnage de Cassie et j'étais déçu de ne pas voir plus de Henri qui était un de mes personnages préférés. La fin m'a laissé un goût amer. Sans l'épilogue, ça allait. Ethan et Cassie meurent mais se retrouvent et on peut supposer qu'ils se retrouveront dans une prochaine vie et que Cassie se souviendra assez pour ne pas refaire les mêmes erreurs. Mais dans l'épilogue, il semblerait que la boucle continue et que rien ne change ! Je ne vois pas qui bénéficie de ces boucles sans fin étant donné que personne n'y gagne... J'ai quand même apprécié ma lecture dans l'ensemble, mais j'aurais préféré que ça se termine autrement.
Je suis assez déçue. Quand j'ai commencé cette série, j'étais vraiment à fond et j'ai adoré l'ambiance des deux premiers tomes. Le tome 3 était moins bien à mon goût mais j'ai quand même apprécié. Le tome 4... J'étais assez mitigé. L'aureure a de bonnes idées mais j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait trop de choses. J'ai perdu de l'intérêt pour le personnage de Cassie et j'étais déçu de ne pas voir plus de Henri qui était un de mes personnages préférés. La fin m'a laissé un goût amer. Sans l'épilogue, ça allait. Ethan et Cassie meurent mais se retrouvent et on peut supposer qu'ils se retrouveront dans une prochaine vie et que Cassie se souviendra assez pour ne pas refaire les mêmes erreurs. Mais dans l'épilogue, il semblerait que la boucle continue et que rien ne change ! Je ne vois pas qui bénéficie de ces boucles sans fin étant donné que personne n'y gagne... J'ai quand même apprécié ma lecture dans l'ensemble, mais j'aurais préféré que ça se termine autrement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2020
Chronique complète : https://ombrebones.wordpress.com/2020...
Pour résumer, Music Box est le dernier tome de la saga du Carrousel Éternel et le conclut avec brio, sans céder à la facilité. L’autrice tombe définitivement dans la science-fiction à tendance post-apocalyptique et s’en sort assez honorablement. Toujours en équilibre à la frontière de plusieurs genres littéraires, il est clair que cette quadrilogie est un olni (objet littéraire non-identifié) qui ne plaira pas à tout le monde. Toutefois, elle vaut clairement le détour ne fut-ce que pour l’expérience qu’elle constitue.
Pour résumer, Music Box est le dernier tome de la saga du Carrousel Éternel et le conclut avec brio, sans céder à la facilité. L’autrice tombe définitivement dans la science-fiction à tendance post-apocalyptique et s’en sort assez honorablement. Toujours en équilibre à la frontière de plusieurs genres littéraires, il est clair que cette quadrilogie est un olni (objet littéraire non-identifié) qui ne plaira pas à tout le monde. Toutefois, elle vaut clairement le détour ne fut-ce que pour l’expérience qu’elle constitue.
June 15, 2020
I am sad it's over. I will miss this world. Definitely not an expected ending but I like how the author added her thoughts at the very end of where she envisioned the characters will go that she did not include in the actual book. I feel she could have added one or three more chapters just about after the ending.
Thank you Anya for creating this word. It was very different from other books and no way to guess how many of it would go.
Thank you Anya for creating this word. It was very different from other books and no way to guess how many of it would go.
November 15, 2017
Can i change my mind?
So...I actually ended up loving this book although I have to admit the ending was nothing what I expected! It was a complete shock, I guess I wasn't expecting how many twists that came up but still it was a really good book and I really enjoyed reading this last one.
So...I actually ended up loving this book although I have to admit the ending was nothing what I expected! It was a complete shock, I guess I wasn't expecting how many twists that came up but still it was a really good book and I really enjoyed reading this last one.
February 17, 2018
Awesome!
Not the ending I envisaged but totally hooked on this series. You really need to read them all within a short time frame otherwise you could lose the thread as a bit confusing sometimes and a lot of information to retain from previous stories. Overall I highly recommend these books.
Not the ending I envisaged but totally hooked on this series. You really need to read them all within a short time frame otherwise you could lose the thread as a bit confusing sometimes and a lot of information to retain from previous stories. Overall I highly recommend these books.
August 11, 2019
This series was terrible. No continuity or character definition. I'm someone that once started, I have to finish whatever it is, whether it's a bad movie, book or a whole series. I couldn't finish them fast enough.
I wish the author the best of luck with her future attempts and maybe they will improve over time.
I wish the author the best of luck with her future attempts and maybe they will improve over time.
July 9, 2018
Great storyline
I started reading this expecting ghosts and demons, but never would've expected what I found. These books were an amazingly great read! I will read more of Anya's work.
I started reading this expecting ghosts and demons, but never would've expected what I found. These books were an amazingly great read! I will read more of Anya's work.
July 14, 2018
Great ending to a great series
I really like Anya's writing style especially how it changes ever so slightly from book to book. This is a great series and I am excited to read more of her books in the future!
I really like Anya's writing style especially how it changes ever so slightly from book to book. This is a great series and I am excited to read more of her books in the future!
October 13, 2021
Loved the whole series but the ending did not provide closure. My question..... Did all the events keep happening again and again and again? It would have been nice to see Cassandra break the cycle somehow, get a happy ending and send the serpent queen to a cold place away from her.
August 30, 2024
Je suis assez mitigée sur ce dernier tome...
J'avoue avoir été un peu perdu pendant une bonne partie du livre, les voyages entre chaque monde.. et pourtant j'ai A-DO-RÉ les parties où Jessamine apparaît, elle m'avait manqué, ainsi que la maison de poupée.
J'ai aussi adoré la fin😊😊
J'avoue avoir été un peu perdu pendant une bonne partie du livre, les voyages entre chaque monde.. et pourtant j'ai A-DO-RÉ les parties où Jessamine apparaît, elle m'avait manqué, ainsi que la maison de poupée.
J'ai aussi adoré la fin😊😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2017
Absolutely Perfect
I have loved reading this series so much. An absolutely stunning installment of a series that has fast become one of my favourites of all time.
I have loved reading this series so much. An absolutely stunning installment of a series that has fast become one of my favourites of all time.
January 6, 2018
Good story, kept me wanting more.
Wish the story wasn’t over yet. Although it was good to see where the author saw the characters ending up.
Wish the story wasn’t over yet. Although it was good to see where the author saw the characters ending up.
November 30, 2019
Just was not feeling it with this book. The previous books were great but everything went kind of loopy in this one. Such a shame since it was a great series.
March 27, 2020
Completed the series. I was intrigued by it and cared enough for the characters to follow them to the end.
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