SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY
George has brought something back with him from when he went to rescue Edie. Something evil. So it's up to him and his friends to stop it. Meanwhile Edie unravels the mysterious past of her mother.
PACING
The pacing is not really slow, I just felt that parts pertaining to side characters that were just introduced were kind of boring. Even if many of them were short parts, I felt they dragged the story down slightly. George still has plenty of action while Edie's story pulls us along by its suspense.
EDIE'S MOM-SPOILERS
We learn about how Edie's stepfather died finally. While Edie learns some surprising things about her mom. This does help her gain closure. She forgives her mom and realizes she only wanted to protect her daughter. It was tragic event to witness but it was nice that Gunner was there for her.
THE QUEEN'S WARNING
In the beginning of the book, the Queen confides in George. Turns out she is worried about Edie. She says dying has changed her. And yet I don't think Edie actually changes at all. She is the same stubborn girl, going off on her own and doing whatever she wants.
I almost felt like this was a plot point that was forgotten. Everything that comes from her mouth seems vague. Like how George and Edie are connected and something about ancient magic...or something. And she also mentions having lost girls before who were glints. But we never learn of them. So it felt empty.
VAGUE HISTORY
We get to learn a history lesson about where the ice devil came from. It's evil, and it was put away long ago, and now it's free. That's the gist.
BALANCE IN THE UNIVERSE
There is a running theme of balance having once existed in the universe. George is told he ruined the balance when he destroyed the dragon statue. And later on, he is told for every George there is a dragon. It sounded great when it was yelled by George later on but I didn't understand any of it.
Why did there need to be balance? Balance between good and evil I assume, but good and evil have been interpreted differently since humans have existed. Do we decide if things are balanced because of our idea of good and evil? And if its not us (since there are hints that there are goddesses and other forces at work) who decides what's good and evil?
And most of the explanation is given directly to the reader, and not even to George. Who doesn't seem to care to know why and how this so called “balance” exists.
GEORGE'S MOTHER
George randomly reveals that he has forgiven his mother for neglecting him and basically leaving him all alone after his father's death. He doesn't give any real reasons. He just says after the WWI experience, where he inexplicably felt better about his dad's death, he felt better about his mom.
I found this a lame attempt at wrapping up his problems. It just doesn't make any sense. He babbles about that's just how she is, maybe because she is an actress? In comparison to Edie, it was as if the author wasn't even trying. Like he decided Edie would get a long mystery full of suspense and George would get action scenes. So he better just throw that thing in there about his mom.
If there had been a few flashbacks where he realized the bad relationship wasn't all his mom's fault, that would have been better. Better yet, have involved her in the story somehow. She is in one scene throughout the entire series, and it's just a short phone call.
MORE STATUES
There are some other statues that make an appearance and help George. There is a scene between ones called “young soldier” and “old soldier” as well as the Clocker and the Queen of America. I think there was someone named Shack. I didn't care about any of them to be honest.
SPOUT
Gunner and Edie meet Spout, and George admits he is a friend. And he named him. The Queen doesn't seem surprised, saying the naming made him a special gargoyle. And Gunner just goes with it.
He barely even bats an eye. The fact that he has been at war with taints for so long and never heard of one changing sides was rather unbelievable. He should at least showed some skepticism. I mean, wasn't this an anomaly? In the first book, when Gunner tells George about taints and spits, he draws a firm line between them.
Also, we never learn more about how naming is so important. We just assume it is because the Queen says so.
EDIE & GEORGE
Edie does learn a lot in this book and it causes her to reevaluate her mother and the negative feelings she had for her. Basically she forgives her and lets go of the anger that has been with her for so long.
The problem is...she never really gives George any of the details. She only mentions one thing she learned that has to do with him.Once again, they are apart for most of the book, just like last time. So there isn't any development between them. I was disappointed, because I knew this was their last chance to actually further develop their relationship. Especially when Edie says she has to find her Mom, basically implying that she is alive. And yet there is no conflict between her and George. He doesn't' worry that she is wrong and is setting herself up for heartache.
WHAT IF?
I mentioned I had wished that George had regretted his choice to choose the “hard way” or at least doubted himself. He finally does it in this book. But it lasts for about a page and a half and Edie doesn't even respond.
I ONLY BELIEVE IN ME
Edie reveals how a bird saved her in her dream. And yet she tells the Queen she doesn't believe in goddesses or anything. Only herself. It just feels laughable, like she is being stubborn for no reason.
Statues can talk and move, she can see the past, travel through mirrors and George has a mutating arm. But when the Queen says the Raven that Edie freed is from Norse mythology she doesn't believe her. And to make it worse, the Raven decides to stay with Edie on her shoulder. The whole scene was funny, but in a bad way.
THE BLACK FRIAR
The friar returns and plays a crucial role involving Edie. But I was honestly disappointed in his character. When we first met him, he seemed mysterious and we didn't trust him. We were told not to. And yet we were never betrayed, or led to believe we were betrayed only to reveal it was all just a misunderstanding. I suppose we were supposed to be shocked when instead she was betrayed by someone else, but this character was a minor one and I couldn't say I was surprised. It's not as if we knew him well.
I liked how he protected Edie in the last book, but I still don't know why he did it. I almost wish they had made the Black friar go into the memories, instead of Gunner. So maybe Gunner could develop his relationship with George, and Edie with the friar. And maybe she could trust him, but George didn't and this could have added conflict to the story.
THE DRAGON
Turns out there is a statue of a dragon and he is the only one who is not evil. So he decides to help Gunner and George fight. I think the idea was an interesting one but the explanation is kind of vague. The dragon says he was the only one who wasn't corrupted.
DICTIONARY JOHNSON
Johnson is back in the story and he ends up protecting George in a fight. I know I was supposed to be shocked and sad at the outcome, but I wasn't. I just didn't feel like there was that close of a relationship between the two of them. The only statue he is close to is Gunner. The others are just minor characters.
CLIMAX
George and Edie work together to defeat the ice devil. The world starts moving again and then they head home to start their new lives together.
THE WALKER'S END
After defeating the Ice Devil, George manages to kill the Walker. I think it was supposed to comic relief after the serious fight. But I thought it was kind of lame. I get that Walker wasn't the main villain in this book, but he was seriously evil in the last two. And to make his ending the butt of a joke seemed to disrespect a character they had built up in the last story.
CONCLUSION
By far the best part of the book is Edie. Her story is a mystery full of suspense and tragedy and I was never bored.
Unfortunately, many of the same mistakes of the last book were made again, mainly Edie and George lacking any real relationship development by not having much time together. And George being neglected regarding his family problems. While I found his healing over his dad confusing (since his sacrifice would have seemed to bring him closer to Gunner) his healing over his absent mother was completely illogical.
Also, I didn't care about any of the side characters or understand their motivation (such as Dictionary when he protects George or the Queen who wants to protect Edie). Many new characters felt like they were thrown in for no reason.
I give “Silvertongue” two and a half stars.
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