…on Hallowed by Cynthia Hand {No Spoilers}

Posted February 2, 2013 by Asheley in Uncategorized / 15 Comments

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly #2
Published by HarperTeen
Publish Date: January 17, 2012

403 Pages
Source: Library

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn’t prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are. -(summary from Goodreads)

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand



My Thoughts:  In a very, very rare move on my part, I went directly from reading Unearthly by Cynthia Hand to reading this book. I am undecided on whether or not this was a good decision FOR ME. I am straight-up bookishly stressed out right now as I type out this blog post. I’m going to try and keep this spoiler-free. 

In case you missed my melodramatic, emotional thoughts on Unearthly, you can find them HERE.

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The first thing you need to know is this:
Clara is torn between Tucker and Christian FOR REASONS.
This is not a spoiler. (see the summary above)

At the end of Unearthly, I was just like Clara: torn between Tucker and Christian. I liked both of these love interests EQUALLY and I felt like I had good reasons for this. Going into Hallowed, I naturally felt nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I feel the same way at the end of this second book? Or will I have chosen a “team” by the end? Aaaahhh the stress, the bookish stress! I did the only thing I knew to do with that stress – I just leaped into reading and hoped for the best for myself (y’all have to pardon my melodrama).

Oh, and you guys, this book is fantastic! It really is. Tucker and Christian are just wonderful characters, again – they really are! Cynthia Hand does not make it easy for me. She makes it both horrible and wonderful for me at the same time! Hallowed was great and I enjoyed it a ton. BUT…


…at the end, I still wasn’t sure which “team” I was on. There was a certain scene near the end that had me all sobby! Remember, I told you all with Unearthly that I don’t want either of these hearts broken? I decided that I needed to think, and think hard about this book and this series and where it was going and how I was feeling. So I put the book down and completely covered it up, so I couldn’t even see it. That is not even a joke. I covered it up with a shirt from my bedroom. 

The second thing you need to know is this:
I thought ALL DAY after finishing Hallowed,
and I think I made a choice… 
…but then I may have changed my mind! Here’s how it happened. 

I thought all day. I made my choice. I felt SO GUILTY – gosh, I felt guilty! I felt like I was choosing between two friends or something. (How DUMB is that? They’re book characters, for cryin’ out loud.) Then, after a couple of days, I talked to a couple of my reading friends about my thoughts on Unearthly and Hallowed. I felt better. I really did. I felt solid. The more times I admitted that I was on a “team” the more I was okay with it.

But now, the longer the length of time between reading Hallowed and Boundless (which I haven’t read yet), I’m not so sure anymore. I’M NOT SO SURE ANYMORE. Am I really on a team? I DON’T KNOW!! 


I feel like I’m back to square one. But maybe not. Or maybe so? 

The bottom line: this series is ripping my heart out and dancing all over it! But it is SO GOOD. 

The third thing you need to know is this:

Let me clarify that the stress I feel about this series
isn’t really about the boys at all. Not really.

The bookish stress that I am STILL feeling about this series, even after Hallowedway more after Hallowed – isn’t really about Tucker and Christian at all. It actually has EVERYTHING to do with Clara choosing to follow her heart or follow through with her destiny in life, her purpose. 

The parts of Hallowed that support Clara following her heart are the parts that also support Clara and Tucker together, as a couple. The parts of Hallowed that encourage Clara following her destiny in life, her angelic purpose, are the parts in which Clara grapples with her back-and-forth feelings for Christian. Clara knows that Christian has a definite place in her life, but exactly what that place will be – that’s the big question. THIS is what makes this book so stressful for me, you guys. No matter what Clara decides, I feel like someone is bound to get hurt. 

I called it at the beginning of Unearthly – that my stress would be at crazy levels – but I had no idea that my emotions would be quite so intense and that I would feel so strongly about these books. My thoughts and feelings about Clara’s choice – which choice would be better for her, which choice would I rather her make, etc. – have made for really fantastic discussions between myself and some of my reading friends. And to be honest, I didn’t expect to have the nearly attachment to these books that I do. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the series finale, Boundless

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When I talked about Unearthly HERE, I mentioned that I felt like people would either read it really quickly or really slowly so they can take it all in. I read Unearthly slowly, taking it in as I went, and I thought a lot about it as I was reading. I tore through Hallowed, reading it much, much faster. I read it faster because – well, I’m not sure why exactly. This isn’t really my norm for reading, particularly for reading books that are thought-provoking or discussion-worthy. I wonder if I did myself a disservice by breezing through the book? I definitely feel stressed about the decision Clara has to make and some of the events that take place in the book, but I most likely would feel the same way if I would have read the book slowly because I felt stressed after Unearthly.

Remember, I’ve mentioned that bookish stress is the best type of stress for me to have – I love it – so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’m also not saying that Hallowed is a bad book. Quite the opposite, actually. It’s a remarkable book. I just feel like I could have danced a little slower with it, so to speak.

The element of romance is still very much alive and just as great with this second book. It’s better, even, which is what makes Hallowed so emotionally gut-wrenching for me in terms of the love triangle. I love that where we learn a ton about Tucker in Unearthly, we get to learn more about Christian in Hallowed. This makes things feels a little bit more even. This is important to me because in a love triangle that is as well-written as this one is, I want to be fairly and evenly informed about both parties. I think Cynthia Hand has done well with this.  

I love that more information about the angel mythology is revealed, because I find it particularly interesting. I love that there are more characters to become acquainted with, and I actually found that I liked the scenes involving the villain. He’s such an interesting character with such an interesting story, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with him and with these newer, really important characters in the final book. I’m expecting big things. 

I’ve seen quite a few people say that they wish they’d have read these books straight through – these are presumably people that read the books each around the time when they were published, so they had longer breaks between each book. I think this is so interesting because I’ve never seen a series before where such a large number of people have said the same thing – and I cannot find a connection between the people saying this. Personally, I know that I’m glad I waited until the series was completed before I started it BUT I do have to wait a few more days before I read Boundless. But only a few! And I’m super nervous! 

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Hallowed will appeal to fans of:

YA Paranormal Romance
Angels

Romance: HUGE love triangle!
Great Setting

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
is currently available for purchase.

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Have you started this series yet?
Or maybe you’ve just finished it?

Can you BELIEVE how stressed it has made me?
It’s ridiculous and wonderful and I love it.


Asheley

About Asheley

Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.

You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.

Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!

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15 responses to “…on Hallowed by Cynthia Hand {No Spoilers}

  1. I still need to pick up Boundless (hopefully my library has it available). I'm still wondering so much about Jeffrey and his place in all this and how it will impact Clara and her decisions-he still seems like such an enigma to me. I have assiduously avoided spoilers for Boundless but I am dying to know how everything resolves.

    • I read the whole book in one day and I loved it. As nervous as I was, I absolutely loved it. There was plenty of emotion, but tons of questions get answered. I hope your library gets a copy! That's how I read it. 🙂

  2. I finished Unearthly in a day and a half – it was SO ADDICTING. I'm excited to continue on with the series, but scared too. I *think* I know which boy I like better at the moment – but I've been hearing that things could possibly change! EEP. I better get on reading it 🙂

  3. Oh, boy. This series is really something isn't it? I am SO glad I waited so I could read all three books and the novella all in one chunk.

    Where we seem to differ is picking a boy. You seem to be sticking with your Switzerland affiliation. ( You're Staunchly Switzerland! Stalwart Switzerland!)I was and remain Team Tucker (as you probably know by now) but yes, I was glad that Hand gave readers the chance to get to know Christian better in Hallowed (even though I really missed Tucker's presence.)

    In many ways I think Hallowed is stronger than Unearthly. The romance is still there but so much more light is shed on the other important aspects of the story. I also loved the villain in this book, I just wish there would have been more of him. But even after saying that, I still somehow prefer Unearthly, in fact, having completed all 4 books in the series, I STILL love Unearthly the most. And I don't know that I can really give a good explanation why. It just IS.

    I am so curious to hear your thoughts on the final book in the series. I know Lauren and I have discussed our feelings on the series as a whole at this point, and we are both anxious for your opinion.

    And I hope you're going to read Radiant too! You know I love my secondaries and two of my favorites of the ENTIRE series are the stars of that novella:)

    • I think between Unearthly and Hallowed, I like Unearthly the most because Hallowed was just so difficult for me. But still so great. (Boundless has been my favorite of the series!)

      I do NOT like Angela. She and I just never sat well together. But I'm glad I read Radiant because I understood her better. I'll discuss this with you more – I RARELY just flat-out DO NOT like characters, but she is one that didn't click with me from the beginning. You'll probably laugh at me. 🙂

  4. Gah, right?! I feel your pain Asheley. I still don't know how I want Boundless to go or what future I want for Clara, and I've been thinking about it for over a year now. I love that Cynthia really makes us think with this one!

    • Cynthia REALLY does make us think! I think these first two books are great, but I read Boundless yesterday (yes, the whole book) and it was my favorite. All of these emotions, but so many questions answered and so much stuff happens. I don't often read series this quickly, but in this case, I'm glad I did.

  5. I think I'm the only one that wasn't in love with Hallowed. I think it has a lot to do with how I feel about destiny. I just don't relate to that. And, honestly, I hate love triangles – especially the really good ones, if that makes sense. I don't like trying to choose. I want it to be clear cut. That's just me, though. Also, it was way too emotional in Hallowed when you know who died. I couldn't handle that. Seriously.

    I'm way too nervous to read Boundless.

    • You know what? I went into Boundless NOT pulling for either side and I ended up enjoying the book a lot. It was emotional, but WAY less stressful since I didn't try to make a choice.

      I actually read Boundless in ONE DAY. Hallowed was the least favorite of the trilogy. Boundless was my favorite. I can absolutely understand all of the nerves! I was definitely feeling them after Hallowed – that's why I had to wait a few days. So glad I did!

  6. Bahahah I love how back and forth you are like I was! It's so nervewracking. I was all TUCKER! Well maybe Christian! No definitely Tucker! No Christian!

    But I like how you said "this book just isn't about the boys" ..because like it REALLY ISN'T but it's just so hard to not talk about them! lol

    • I agree! I did mostly talk about Tucker and Christian in all of my discussion cause they're so darn lovable – both of them! But they're just symbols for the underlying issue, which is free will vs destiny and all that. But it sounds much nicer and rolls off the tongue much better when we call it Tucker and Christian, right? Hahahaha

  7. First of all, I cannot stop laughing at you covering the book up completely. Too funny!

    Rereading your review makes me miss certain aspects of this series that weren't handled as well in the last book. From the love triangle to the "surprise revelations," I think the first two books were more balanced than the last. All three had romance, free will vs destiny, surprises about characters relationships/motives/purposes/etc. – but I feel like these were a little more skillful in the way they were all introduced. The last seems a little crazier and less satisfying as I reminisce over the whole series via your reviews…

    • Out of sight, out of mind, right?

      I think you're right. When I look back over this series, I really love the idea of the story and the angel mythology and the characters, but there are some parts that just make me flaming mad. Some of them, we've talked about and some of them, I've just gotten more and more upset the more I think about them. In terms of balance, I think Unearthly started out the series in the most balanced way but Boundless was like a seesaw or a carnival ride or something. The sense of "unresolve" that I feel about a few of the characters just kind of grows every day because I imagine them out there, just doing…stuff…and it not changing. I don't know if that makes any sense at all.

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