Dec 31, 2016jennydreadful rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
It's tough to recommend books from this author, not because they are bad, but because they are full of a lot of pain, gore, and disturbing situations. Like with the first book of this series I can't really say that I loved this book, yet I got to the point where I just couldn't put it down. At first I was turned off by what I believed a change in the writing style that was just too maddening at times. Thankfully it delved back into familiar territory after moving past the attempt on Hitler's life and I breezed through the rest of the book. Zebulon is developed even further in this volume and I was greatly moved by some of his trials and tribulations (especially with his time spent in the suburbs). There is some rather breathtaking writing in this book and I wished that I had my own copy so I could highlight my favorite bits. I totally got the impact of Zebulon's experiences and relationships on his psyche and felt a fondness for this faulted character who really is the antagonist of his own tale in many ways. I know this book (and the one before it) won't be for everyone, but I'm very glad I stuck with it to the end. I encourage anyone interested to not be put off by the horrible things described and to see the beauty of this story in all its forms.
Comment
The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch. Volume Two, Empire Decayed