Confessions of a Readaholic: (re)Review: Torment by Lauren Kate

(re)Review: Torment by Lauren Kate

Torment by Lauren Kate

Release Date: September 28, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Series: Fallen, Book 2
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Read my (re)review of Fallen HERE.

How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for?

In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean – and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future . . . and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened . . . what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?

I'm rereading the Fallen series because of a blog tour that I'm a part of coming up in November for the release of Unforgiven in paperback. I'm glad that I reread Torment, because I clearly didn't understand much of it reading the book the first time round. It might be me getting older and actually comprehending stuff, but yeah–I wasn't left perplexed by the end as I was four or five years ago. Also, that's also probably the reason why the third book Passion didn't make too much sense. Now I get to go into that with a clearer understanding!

Oh geez, Luce's character tormented (get it?!) me throughout this book. I wanted her to be a stronger heroine compared to the last book; a girl with a little more backbone. I got my wish (somewhat), but ugh, it seems like that confidence made her even MORE unlikeable. Why do you have to be so stupid? I mean it absolutely drives me nuts, the way this girl thinks: Daniel AND Cam told me not to leave campus for some reason, and they keep on talking about my "protection"...meh, imma roll out. What could possibly happen? I mean, the last time I left some chick tried to kill me, but that was just a coincidence, right? RIGHT?

Oh god, the idiocy of this child.

Again, like the last book, the other characters were amazing compared to Luce. I loved Shelby–she was the quirky, outspoken one taking over Arriane's place...kind of–and Miles. I was reading my first review for Torment (only some slight cringes along the way...maybe I'd started to write better reviews? Who knows), and apparently I hated him. Well, damn, I'm doing a complete 180˚ because I LOVED him this time round. I don't know why, but I think the pretty sickening lovey-dovey way that Daniel gives up everything for Luce (ugh, somebody also needs a stronger backbone!) and his over-obsession with her–which is, okay, kinda understandable because of the whole in-love-with-her-for-several-centuries thing–slightly changed my view on him. For now I'm leaning more towards Team Miles, although I'm sure it'll never happen. Miles is sweet and I seriously don't know why I hated him so much to begin with–probably my obsession with Daniel–but, I'm hoping to read more about him in the coming books. I even liked Cam a lot more in this book! I love the truce that the angels and demons made, because I enjoy it when opposite teams join forces. I can't remember much of what happens in the next book, but I'm hoping this sort of collaboration continues.

With the main character slightly more annoying than the first book, I would recommend Torment for the plot and other characters. I'm enjoying rereading the series so far, and this one–on top of having probably the most gorgeous cover–shows that the stakes are higher and nothing is as it seems. I'm looking forward to digging into Passion next, and then finally getting to Rapture to see how it all ends.