The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Type of Read:
Fantasy/Dystopian

Plot Summary:
Paige Mahoney made it out of the compound that enslaved and brutalized clairvoyants just like her. Now she feels pressure to not only fight back against the evil that captured them, but to free the clairvoyants from their world wide suppression. The only way to do that is to become the leader of the class of outlawed clairvoyants, unite the wayward group into pursuing a common enemy and bring down the secret tyranny that rules them all. Of course this is easier said than done...

Strengths:
For one thing, the world Shannon creates is impressive. It has a dystopian/steampunk feel to it, yet it is set in the future. London itself is wrought with history, but Shannon adds a sordid past of clairvoyants and hidden invaders that sulk in the shadows. It is a rich world that is slowly revealed in vivid detail as the story continues. The mysteries and customs of the London Underground are creepy and fascinating, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Another positive is the nonstop action. Normally when I read books where nothing seems to be easy for the protagonist, it gets a little old. ("oh look, they have yet ANOTHER stop to make before the quest is over...") The characters make dumb mistakes that lead to trouble. Paige, on the other hand, make decisions that are based on solving a problem or a mystery. She is curious and wants to get to the bottom of things. There are elements that fight against her, but every scrap she gets into is relevant to the story in some way. The action sequences were well written and kept the story moving at a fast clip.

Weaknesses:
There isn't many weaknesses in this book. The only one I can think of is the lack of recap. I will admit that I should have re-read the first book before I read this one, but I just couldn't wait! I had to go on a few websites to jog my memory of what happened because there would be references to events and people that were obviously important, but I only had a vague memory of what went on.

One of the things that I couldn't quite remember or wrap my head around is the fact that there is a complete section of London that belongs to the clairvoyants and their black market trade, and yet the government allows them to continue existing. If clairvoyants are outlawed and government officials go to all the trouble of tracking them down with high tech scanners, why don't they just raid the area? They could just go through like a fisherman with a net and scoop up as many clairvoyants as they want. Are the clairvoyants that well hidden that only the members of the underground know about it?

Opinion and Recommendation:
In my humble opinion this book was better than the first. Usually, there is a slump in the action or in the storytelling when it comes to the second book in the series, but it was as if Shannon hit her stride in this book. I enjoyed seeing Paige in her element, and I really enjoyed the criminal activities happening in the background. (I have a thing with thieves and outlaws...I blame Robin Hood) There are a few questions that nag the back of my mind, but hopefully they will be answered in the next book. I would recommend purchasing this book if you you like fantasy and grown up dystopian. I know I will be buying it soon!