Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - Guardian of the Gate (Prophecy of the Sisters, Bk 2)

Guardian of the Gate (Prophecy of the Sisters, Bk 2)
Guardian of the Gate - Prophecy of the Sisters, Bk 2
Author: Michelle Zink
The ultimate battle between sisters is nearing, and its outcome could have catastrophic consequences. As sixteen year-old Lia Milthorpe searches for a way to end the prophecy, her twin sister Alice hones the skills she'll need to defeat Lia. Alice will stop at nothing to reclaim her sister's role in the prophecy, and that's not the o...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9780316034470
ISBN-10: 0316034479
Publication Date: 8/1/2010
Pages: 352
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 14

3.6 stars, based on 14 ratings
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review
Read All 3 Book Reviews of "Guardian of the Gate Prophecy of the Sisters Bk 2"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

ambeen avatar reviewed Guardian of the Gate (Prophecy of the Sisters, Bk 2) on + 2 more book reviews
I am a huge fan of the first book. I read it in two days because it was so intense and interesting. Very much like the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray, but awesome in its own right.

Unfortunately with book two, I was struggling to the end. I wanted to love it like the first, but I just couldn't. My main problem is that the book moves slow as molasses and feels simply like a filler book so that it is a set of three books instead of two.

I do not blame the author at all for this. I feel like it's a trend in YA for there to be at least three books, so publishers are signing authors on for 3 book deals when the author only has a two book story. I have seen this with several trilogies here lately. Wake trilogy by Lisa McMann, Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Airhead trilogy by Meg Cabot (although this one was a little less obvious/drug out compared to the others) and now Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy. I feel like the publisher gives us a powerful first book and then gives us the next two books which are each interesting on their own, but if they cut the crap, could be combined into one. I don't know if this is just because more books=more sells/profit or if it is just because 3 is a nice number. Either way I wish that publishers would sign authors on with a relatively open contract so that we could avoid the dragging and extra preparation/planning/plotting the characters are forced to do boringly. The books end up feeling contrived, and I know, for me at least, I am less inclined to buy the books instead of getting them from the library or for a $1 on a used book site after it's been out a while.

I highly recommend the first book in this series. Skip the second (the author nicely covered details from the first book to refresh the reader so I'm sure this will also happen in book three) and read the third which I'm holding out hope packs in a lot of action and gets to the point already!
skywriter319 avatar reviewed Guardian of the Gate (Prophecy of the Sisters, Bk 2) on + 784 more book reviews
Ever since Lia uncovered the ages-old prophecy that threatens to separate her and her evil twin sister, Alice, forever, Lia and her friends have been in England, honing their magical skills and preparing to learn more about the prophecy. However, Alice's and the Souls' powers have grown, endangering the lives of the people Lia loves most. With the help of Dimitri, a handsome and protective member of the Grigori, Lia and her friends journey to Altus to find the location of the lost book pages to the prophecy. It is not long before they learn that the journey will be far more difficult and dangerous than they anticipated, however, with a whole slew of frightening magical creatures on their heels...and even in their midst.

In GUARDIAN OF THE GATE, Michelle Zink successfully introduces new elements to this ambitious historical supernatural story in a way that will impress fans of the first book. The same problems I had with the first book, however, still exist in this one, with the result that it will keep die-hard fans reading while most likely not bringing in a newer audience.

GUARDIAN OF THE GATE removes readers from the late nineteenth century as we know it. Instead, we are brought into an in-between world full of mystique and danger, mythical creatures and a love that, if not exactly realistic, is at least delicious in its passion. Fans of James from Book One might be thrown a little by the introduction of Dimitri, but his devotion to Lia is a strong one, although his reasons for his dedication could have been better explained.

Lia is, as always, an admirably independent character when it comes to her unfair share of bad news. Unfortunately, her first-person narrator was rather rough and uneven: at times she lapsed into omniscient voice, and at others she too easily explained to readers what would have been more effective had the characters showed us their intentions and motivations themselves. Likewise, GUARDIAN OF THE GATE also had the similar weakness of Book One in that the plot moves so slowly that, combined with the uneven narration, it became all too easy for me to put this book down right when I shouldn't have wanted to.

It may not be without its faults, but overall, Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters series is an exciting blend of historical fiction, supernatural, and the gray areas of conditional relationships. If you're a fan of haunting writing and do not mind the slow pacing and incomplete character development too much, this series is definitely one to consider.


Genres: