Penryn should be dead. At least, that's what everyone--her mom, her sister Paige, and Raffe, the angel with demon wings--thinks. After being stung by a monstrous scorpion creature, Penryn wakes up from her paralysis, and is ready to continue surviving in a world overrun by angels. But when Paige is captured by a group of people thinking she's a monster and disappears, Penryn scours the streets of San Francisco to find her. Her search brings her deeper and deeper into the angels' secrets as she discovers that their plans might be even more malicious--if that's possible--than they were led to believe. Entangled in a complex net of angel politics, survival and longing for a certain angel, Penryn knows she has to act fast, and make the most impossible of choices.
I think I'll start off by talking about "World After"'s thriller of a plot. The storyline of this sequel is fast-paced and exciting throughout, with hardly a dull moment. There's always something happening, whether it's escaping the inescapable Alcatraz or penetrating the angels' twisted, decadent parties at the aerie. There's a lot that happens emotionally too, especially between Penryn and Paige as Penryn learns to truly see her little sister as the girl she is, trapped in the body of a monster thanks to the angels' experiments. I also feel like the plot in the sequel has escalated since the first book. To be honest, I don't really recall the storyline of "Angelfall" very clearly, maybe because it wasn't too memorable, but I definitely feel like Ms. Ee stepped it up in "World After," concocting shocking revelations about the angels' plans and upping the stakes in their deadly and dangerous war.
Penryn as a main character is a pretty butt-whooping heroine, one who's clever, brave and undoubtedly has a good head on her shoulders. What I especially like about her is that, despite the fact that she's dealing with a freaking angel apocalypse, unwarranted feelings for an angel, and a little sister who is thirsty for blood, she keeps her calm. Penryn's the type of girl who knows what she needs to do, and understands that no amount of whining or melodrama can change her situation. At the same time, though, she isn't 100% stoic and invincible--Penryn is still a seventeen-year old girl, young and vulnerable, and that's what makes her relatable as a main character. What made me roll my eyes a little, however, was how she expressed her undeniable attraction to Raffe. Sure, he's beautiful and all--he's an angel, for heaven's sake--but the amount of times she described him as "Adonis-like" was a little too much for me.
Speaking of Raffe, his and Penryn's romance in "World After" kind of left me wanting more! Their relationship definitely underwent a lot of development throughout the sequel, with quite a bit of carrying-in-the-arms and blush-worthy moments between the two. I also thoroughly enjoyed their witty banter, which helps to define their relationship in subtle and amusing ways. I do wish that there was a little more of Penryn and Raffe together, though, and I can't wait to see how their romance develops in the next book!
All in all, "World After" is an exciting sequel to "Angelfall," with a fast-paced storyline, likable heroine, and an enticing romance. If you're looking for an apocalyptic adventure, or, for some reason, like angels and the like, I'd recommend checking this series out for a good read!
Rating: 4/5
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