First Impression:Dolamore greatly impressed me with her vision in Magic Under Glass. With that ending, I have been holding my breath with anticipation for the sequel.While Reading:Magic Under Stone is a dazzling sequel in some regards. In others, I must sadly admit some disappointment.If you remember, Erris, our hero, is a fairy prince who through a cruel twist of fate was imprisoned in a clockwork body. Our heroine, Nimira, at the ending of Magic Under Glass had set Erris free... well, sort of. Now with Erris in an in-between state, the duo set out to complete what they had started.Dolamore casts her tale beautifully. Barely skipping a beat from the first book to its sequel. Even though it had been many months since I have been in this world, Dolamore's writing is as breathtaking as I remember it to be. Lush settings. Multi-faceted characters. Being back in this world was like coming home.So I feel so glowing about these aspects, where does the disappointment part come into play? Mainly the ending. Magic Under Stone suffers greatly from the wrapped with a pretty bow syndrome. Erris and Nimira's relationship is almost nonexistent throughout the book... only to then go from zero to 60 in a few pages. It was sad to see all the emotional investment I had in these characters from the first book not play a bigger part in the sequel. I wanted that grand romance back. The pretty bow syndrome then continues on with our villain. A character, who in the beginning, had great potential. I was so sure that he would be the cause of one epic climax. And hopefully, one heck of an evil laugh. But alas, that wasn't the case.Final Verdict:For those of you who have been waiting for what seems like forever to see this story conclude, you will be pleased. Dolamore is in top form. But with the rushed ending and everything feeling like it had to find its conclusion, Magic Under Stone feels like it needed to be shaped differently. Satisfying read. But I did want something more from it.
