The Electric Heir defies words. It's stunning. I hadn't planned on reading it in one day, but you know those books that don't let you go? That demand to be read? That pretty much sums up The Electric Heir. It's a book about survival and abuse, about the challenge to dismantle the harmful rhetoric swirling around us. Not only is it emotional and poignant, but it is also a book about resistance and sacrifice. How do we process our trauma and survive? How can we witness and examine what is happening?

Overall I am just so impressed and still in emotional shock from The Electric Heir. Our struggles to process what happened to us and figure out who we want to be. Using fantasy as a lens, Lee examines charismatic abusers and our difficulties to recognize our own abuse. It is emotional and will wrench your heart, but it's absolutely affirming to see on the page for people who went through similar situations. That feeling that no one will hear you or believe you.

When I read The Fever King earlier this year, I loved the way Lee included additional material between chapters that was almost Handmaid's Tale-esque. It gives the sense as a reader that all of these events occurred a long time ago and we're just watching them unfold. I thought The Fever King was phenomenal and was thoroughly impressed that The Electric Heir ended up being even better. The author never shied away from dealing with the difficult themes brought up in The Fever King and taking them further in this book. They addressed consent, sexual abuse, mental illness, and eating disorders, gracefully and realistically.
The story picks up about six months after The Fever King ends, with Noam mourning Dara and set down a path of danger and sure self-destruction. When Dara arrives back in Carolinia, very much alive, but no longer able to wield magic, Noam throws himself back into fighting Lehrer. But Lehrer always seems to be just a few steps ahead. And is everything in Carolinia and the rest of the world really what they believe it to be?

I have to admit, the first quarter of this book made me sick. I have a feeling that was the intended affect but man do I hate reading that stuff. It was really unsettling to have such a vivid inside look at Lehrer’s grooming and abuse. And I was so fucking frustrated at Noam, but again, isn’t that the point? To show us that victims come in all shapes and sizes and the only person who deserves hatred and disgust in the perpetrator. I had to catch myself a few times and reinforce that information.

There was a good portion of this book that I wanted to vomit - Lehrer/Noam scenes i’m looking at you. And there was a good portion that made me cry - literally anything that involved Dara (why does my sweet baby never get happiness?).

With all this being said, I really don’t feel like I understand Noam’s motives. He knew what Lehrer did to Dara and he’s still... I don’t know. It didn’t sit well with me.

Additionally, that big thing that happened to Dara that made him less Dara was kind of glossed over AND it happened off-screen. I wish we delved more into that part. (Trying to be non-spoilery).

Overall, I think this book wasn’t entirely for me. It was a strong book, with a strong message. And it’s definitely one of those ‘it’s me, not you’ moments. I’m sure others will love it. For me, it was around a 3.5 star read.

God, this book killed me in all the best ways. Thought, if you want to read it, please read the trigger warnings above and also check them out at the authors website here, because I´m aware that they are just a wall of text and Lee handles them a lot better on her own homepage. This book is dark, and even if you are afraid of spoilers, you don´t want to be caught unaware. Also, I really have to praise both Lee and her publisher for having these list of content warnings on both her homepage and inside the books itself. That is so necessary and should be a lot more common in publishing that it is.

With that out of the way, let me repeat: yes, the book is dark, but it handles it´s topics with great care. It´s hard to read but it never seems like misery porn, everything works inside the narrative and while it hurts it also never mistreats its characters. It´s at its heart a story about overcoming the abuse happening. To try and make the world a better place despite the darkness happening in there. It´s full of hope, even if there are no easy answers and no easy roads to take.

I wanted to scream at the characters a lot of times, most of all Noam, my angry, favourite boy, who thinks he knows everything and can solve everything on his own. He is an idealist in a world which just isn´t idealistic and I hurt for him as much as I´m angry about some of his choices and most of all his explanations for this choice. I love complicated characters, and he is one of the best written characters I´ve seen so far.

We also get more of Daras point of view in this book, and since he was always my favourite, I´m really happy about that. Noam has the more complicated storyline, having to deal with the fact that the things he believed about the world aren´t quite as what he thought (not helped at all by the mind rape he suffered) and Dara is kind of a counterpoint to that, having gone through the same abuse and already being at the point where he can admit that he has actually been abused. Not that this makes it easier for him, he just has to face different problems.

They are both at the same side, and yet on totally different points of the way, trying to reconnect and failing and the question on whether a reconnection, a new relationship between them is even possible, s one of the driving points of this book.

It´s a story about war, about the wounds left from abuse, about how an abuse victim becomes an abuser (Lehrers past shaped him into who he is, after all), about healing and fighting even when it seems hopeless. It´s one of the best books I´ve read this year, because even when it hurts, it also clings to hope and found family and light even in the darkest days.

4.25 stars

I rated book 1 the same but I much preferred this one. There were more things happening, more fast-paced action, understandable since it doesn't need all the introductions into the world, characters etc.

In conclusion, even though I did find that the big, final part should have lasted a little longer, it was a really good read and am disappointed to let go of these characters.

A great sequel to The Fever King! I found myself still feeling the book to be great, but still had some issues. I just can't find myself truly connecting with the characters. This was the same for me with the first book.

ARC provided by publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

***Trigger warning : intergenerational trauma/genocide, violence, abuse, attempted rape, mental health/suicide, slut-shaming, victim blaming, emetophobia, drug and alcool abuse, parental death and ableist language. *** If you are trigger by any of those topics I suggest you go on Victoria Lee's website and check the full list of trigger warning. This book is really hard to read even when I was not personally affected by those topics, so if you are, please go check it before you go read it!

I have waited for that book since I finish The Fever King!! I even cried when I learned I had been accepted for an e-arc of this book! And I didn't wait in vain! The electric heir gave me exactly what I wanted for that story. The dual POV between Dara and Noam made the story even better then in The Fever King. Switching between both boys story, their feelings, pain and suffering (because that's really what this book is about) gave so much more to the story then if we had only follow one POV.
The way Victoria Lee had developed the character in this book is unbelievable. The work she had put into them can be feel in every page. You feel for all the characters, even Lehrer! This is exactly what made this book different from any other book I had read before. I'm not sure I have ever cared so much about fictional character then Noam and Dara. I could have taken another 500 pages of their story even without any plot as long as the character development was still as good as it is in the first 500 pages.
The plot is also really dam good in that second half of the story. I was not able to put the book down, because I needed to know what was about to happen to my favorite characters! Following the boys and the crew in their journey to destroy the government and revolution Carolina was trilling. It made me want to start a revolution as well!
The ending killed me. But also made me happy. A weird kind of feeling. Their could not have any other way to end this. No better ending for Dara and Noam was possible.
I cannot talk about that book without mentioning the work place behind in order to fully represent the trauma and violence. Like I said before, I am not personally affected by any of the topics mention in the trigger warning section, but the way Victoria Lee have written this book make you feel deep inside your heart and soul what it is to be a victim of those abuse. Her work is perfect in every sens of the word.
I will never stop recommending that duology to anyone who's passing my way. It's an unbelievable story and I think everybody should read it.
If you haven't read The Fever King yet, please go grab that book and follow the journey of those precious boys! I wish I could adopt both of them and give them a wonderful life!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC copy of this book in return for a fair review.

Phew boy! This book guys. The Fever King was one of my favourite books of 2019 and The Electric Heir one of my most anticipated for 2020 and I am so thankful I got the ARC copy.

If you thought The Fever King was going to tear you apart then you are not ready for what this sequel is going to do to you and before I get fully into this review I think it's very important to talk about the content warnings as this book is a lot darker. There is explicit conversations about rape, alcohol and drug abuse, victim blaming, eating disorders, mental health and suicide as well as genocide and a lot of physical abuse. If you have any questions about these then you can check out Victoria Lee's website or come to me. I think this book is amazing but it is incredibly difficult to read and everyone should have a safe reading experience!

I don't think I can really do this book justice no matter how many times I rewrite this review but I'll try.

The Electric Heir picks up about six months after the end of The Fever King and follows Noam and Dara as they try to take down Leher, Noam from the inside under the guise as Leher's new protege and Dara on the outskirts who has returned to Carolinia alive but stripped of his magic.

This book is a lot more character driven then the first and takes a deep look into what it is like to be at the mercy of your abuser and what it is like when you have gotten away and have to try to put yourself back together again. It is not an easy read as Noam and Dara are constantly fighting, eachother and others, to bring Leher down and finally get their shot at a happy ending.

The only small flaw I had in this book really was the ongoing fight between Carolinia and Texas which at times I found a little hard to follow none the less this is a brilliant character study into survival and healing which left me sobbing at the end.

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

When I say I am a shell of a person after reading this, I am dead serious. I absolutely loved this book! I found it to grab me more then the first book and honestly this was the best ending I could’ve asked for, even though I am quite sad it’s over! The expanse of emotions I felt while reading is is absolutely insane. At some moments I was smiling like crazy, and laughing my head off, while at others I was full on messy crying, and most of all I was so angry. Victoria created a villain that was so well crafted that the amount of hatred I felt for him cannot be explained with words. On another note, she showed how you will survive and for that I am so thankful. This book added so much to what was previously said and It honestly made me love the Fever King even more then I did before!

This book has definitely left a mark on me and I’m so thrilled for when it comes out in March so that everyone can scream along with me!


P.S The fact that Victoria added content warnings was honestly so amazing and I appreciate it immensely!

CW: pedophilia, abuse, i recommend checking the author's website to stay safe

This book was at once an excellent sequel and a mildly disappointing conclusion to the duology.
I again found myself enamored with the fascinating and innovative dystopian world that Lee imagines for us. This series really restored my hope for YA dystopians. Victoria Lee has created some of the most captivating characters I have ever had the pleasure to read about and the fact that this sequel was so charcter heavy was a wonderful way to round out the various arcs Lee explores in this series.

In this installment some time has passed since the ending of The Fever King and Noam has been living under Lehrer's mind control and is being successfully groomed and manipulated by him. I think Lee crafted the perfect villian with Lehrer, his despicable actions unfold so slowly in the first installment that I too was enthralled by him at first and I think Lee hammers home an important message about how powerful, likeable people use their reputation as the perfect shield while they engage in monstrous acts behind the scenes. I also appreciated that this narrative addressed how gross immortal + human teenager stories really are. Seeing Noam grappling with understanding that he has been abused and trying to escape while also falling victim to his own matyrdom was at once heartbreaking and frustrating. In direct contrast we get Dara' perspective and he has been living without Lehrer's influence and is at a completely different stage in his recovery, seeing these two victims of abuse trying to overcome their abuser and stop the cycle of violence and abuse and corruption was incredibly powerful, it was a really difficult and uncomfortable subject but I think Lee really said some important things with this novel.

While I think Lee did an amazing job with these characters and their arcs, I couldn't help but feel like the other aspects of the plot were very poorly fleshed out. There is a rebel fraction trying to overthrow Lehrer as chancellor but we really never find out much about them or Dara's involvement with them beyond a few scheming sessions. I just think the politics and the war aspect of the plot was really too understated and I needed more from that side of the story, and the world could have been expanded a bit more. I stand by the idea that this should have been a trilogy.

Overall it was great. Noam and Dara have my heart. Brillant, nuanced exploration of child abuse and grooming, and what it means to be a survivor, amazing character arcs, fascinating world, mildly disappointing plot but the writting and characters made up for what the plot lacked. 4 stars

My review will be posted December 6!

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The Electric Heir is the remarkable sequel to The Fever King which was published earlier this year. I immediately added The Fever King to my list of favorites for the year. I love an original plot and the world that Victoria Lee has created is stunning and unique. In the first book, Noam wakes from a magical illness to discover he has a new latent ability. It also changes everything he has believed in the past about witchings. The end of the first book left a pretty huge cliffhanger... I'm not going into it here because I don't want to ruin the first book... only continue reading past this point if you are okay with SPOILERS!

Oh this book! So... Noam has remembered everything about what Lehrer has done. He's struggling once again to fight for what he thinks is "right". Fortunately, he's also figured out how to prevent Lehrer from controlling his mind... or has he? See... one of the things I love about this book is that it's not just about "magic" and "Politics"... this book is really about consent and surviving.

The characters in this novel are struggling to survive so many things. It's amazing that Lee manages to create such a likable cast of characters while still giving them realistic and heart-breaking challenges. This is serious stuff... no joke. Both Noam and Dara are struggling with consent, surviving a variety of abuse and surviving loss. One of those things would be so overwhelming that one might want to just die - but these characters are clawing at the edge of a cliff and trying not to fall off.

Lehrer is the villain of the story. But the thing is, Lee is such a great writer that there are moments when, as a reader, I was drawn right IN and became just as uncertain about what was going on as Noam was. I think that's the sign of a really well-crafted villain. Yes, he's horrendous at times, but he can also be sweet and caring... and GOD! I felt so bad for ever liking him! But, I credit Lee with that... this is an author that can put together some remarkable characters, and I got real feelings about them!

What Noam and Dara have in common... is also what seems to drive a wedge between them. Dara has already escaped from Lehrer and he wants nothing more than to impart some wisdom on Noam... and get him out of harm's way. But, that's just not how the world works. And really, it's not how "surviving" something works. I wish it was as easy as someone saying, "you really need to stop this now." If you've ever been on the receiving end of abuse, I'm sure you'll understand what I'm trying to say. (I'm aware that I'm not putting it together really well.) Everyone who goes through any type of situation that abusive is going to have to battle to find their own way through it.

There were parts of the path for Noam and Dara that were absolutely heartbreaking to read... in particular the way they were drawn together and needed to push each other away at certain times. I think Lee has done a remarkable job of writing about the way these two characters find their strength and fight their battles.

Wonderful book, difficult subject matter at times... but this series is remarkable and I would recommend it without hesitation to anyone.

I spent the first 50% confused, unable to remember what had happened in the previous book. It was hard to get my bearings, particularly as I was pretty sure Lehrer was the villain (he is) and Noam was sleeping with him. Also, Lehrer is (stated very clearly in the book) 124 years old, and Dara’s adoptive father – aka the boy Noam fell in love with and dated in the first book.

I probably wouldn’t have been so confused if there had been a “previously” introduction. Usually, I re-read series before new installments, but didn’t have a chance this time and almost DNF’ed because I had no clue what was happening and the relationship felt so wrong.

However, once I got my bearings and far enough into the story for everything to be recapped, it was much better. And the relationship was shown to be controlling, abusive and started under Lehrer’s mind-control powers.

It’s a really sensitive, in-depth exploration of abusive relationships, and the incredibly complicated emotions that arise out of that. It tackled why you might stay and the things you tell yourself to rationalise what’s happening as well coping mechanisms. It was also very clearly portrayed as a bad relationship – this being the first thing I straightened out.

It was brilliantly done, with the sort of depth and clarity you’d expect from a book solely focused on the topic. However, there’s also action and an uncertainty of who can be trusted alongside the chemistry between Noam and Dara.

Overall, a great evaluation of abusive relationships, though I recommend reading it very soon after the previous book so you don’t get confused.

GR review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2925493684?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

✨ 4/5 ✨

Whew, this series was such a journey and I guess I acquired two new sons along the way.

This sequel is a study of survival and is definitely more character-driven. The plot was a weak point for me and I wasn’t in love with it but I don’t think it mattered too much at the end of the end because there was so much to take away from this book.

I fell in love once again with Noam and Dara and I just want them to be happy and healthy. Their character arcs are so interesting on their own and in relation to one another. They both had so much room to grow, either apart or together, and Victoria Lee played it out so well. In this book, they are both trying to come to terms with their own trauma and coping mechanisms.

A lot of important discussions on healing and being a survivor of abuse are tackled here and for once we’re shown an immortal x teenager relationship in the creepy light it deserves.

Victoria Lee has also crafted one of the best YA villains I’ve read about. He is charming, loved, makes some points but is still despicable, vicious and terrible. I just loved the exploration of his character, where he came from and how that played out later in his life. But it’s never given as an excuse for everything he’s done.

Through this story, the author opens up the discussion of “does the end justify the means” and puts forward a tactful exploration of the endless cycle of violence and abuse.

This was an amazing series and it filled the void of YA Dystopia I had in my heart. I hope a lot more people will pick it up and give it a chance.

I read a lot of reviews from the first book saying there were tough things to read and I didn't really think so. But I thought this one was tough just because Noam does a lot of stupid things and trusts a certain someone to much.
It was a good ending.

A powerful sequel. The book is loaded with the topics of abuse, so be warned. The author gives this disclaimer as well. That being said, be sure to read book 1 first. The story is a powerful look at abuse, survival and how those things look different for each person. Noam and Dara are great characters. Outside those themes lies a unique world where a virus kills most and gifts magical powers to survivors.

This book was everything that the first one was but more. More drama. More action. More gore. More discomfort. The Electric Heir was heavy in its scenes of abuse and mental illness, yet still rich in its beautiful prose and creativity. The plot was fast-paced and although some scenes walked along the edge of being too terrible and raw and sickening, they were important ones all the same. You couldn’t help but sympathize for your heroes, even when you wanted to reach through the screen and shake them until they realized that they were wrong, and you couldn’t help but hate your villains, regardless of their small moments of compassion. And although every second of this book had me frustrated, tense, angry and engaged and on the edge of my seat, I was gifted a perfect ending that made the whole thing worth it. Read The Electric Heir. Do it. Commit yourself to this world, because it’s the best way to spend your time.

I have scrapped and rewritten this review so many times it’s ridiculous, how can I review a book that is so good and so personal? None of my words can possibly do this book justice. Every time I try to say what makes this book what it is my mind either blanks or what it comes up with just isn’t enough to convey why I love The Electric Heir so much. So this is a short review not for lack of this to talk about but because this book renders me speechless. I’m writing this with tears in my eyes.

“The boy in this mirror was steel and frost and a bloodied knife. And he wasn’t afraid of anything.”

Part of the reason why it’s hard to a proper review is that as a survivor reading this was such a personal thing and a gift. It may not have always been an easy ready given what it deals with but fuck if it wasn’t cathartic. It’s hard to put into put into words how much it meant to see Noam and Dara fight and survive and ultimately get their happy ending. To know that they are – we are – worthy of it.

I know ultimately this review isn’t really much of one so I guess that I can only ask that you take my word for it. This duology is fantastic and if you thought The Fever Kings was good, The Electric Heir is out of this world. It reads like fanfiction in that it is everything you could possibly want out of the sequel and more.

“I’m staying with you,” Dara said. “Until the end.”

there are too many thoughts circulating about this book. i was dying to read it after the fever king, and it didn't disappoint, character-wise. victoria lee really placed her heart and soul into the electric heir and it shone through beautifully. for one, noam and dara were both abused by lehrer, and, although they fought to acknowledge their abuse, they were able to overcome it and come out on the other side. this tale of hope is so inspiring. their relationships with ames, bethany, and taye were so wholesome: i love them so much. the plot might have been lost to the characters, as it wasn't airtight and felt repetitive and anticlimatic, but that wasn't the point of the book. the point of the book was survival and it was magnificently breathtaking. i'm glad dara and noam survived, and at first i wasn't too happy about them ending up together because they fought all the time and didn't seem healthy for each other, but i'm so glad that lee decided to make them resolve their issues - dara apologized to noam for being selfish and rude (although explainable, not justifiable). another interesting point was dara loosing his magic; it was fascinating to step into his head - yay, dara's point of view was refreshing! - and learn the struggles he faced not knowing what other's were thinking or who was behind him. i don't know why the character of calix leher is so complex because nothing is more wonderfully frustrating to a reader than a complex character. was his torture so psychologically damaging to him that it made him cruel and a pervert or is it something deeper? what was his true relationship with his brother? none of this justifies his actions, but maybe a step deeper into his head will make us understand the true shadows of what makes up calix leher, especially since he is one of the villains you love to hate and yet still don't entirely understand his motivations. maybe he really is sick and disgusting, or maybe not: he's a character that enfolds too many layers, each darker and more twisted as you peel them back, but it might be worth it. anyway, this was a shining star in the sea of books nowadays, and it was inspiring to hear victoria lee's voice shimmer through the book as she told not only noam and dara's story, but also weaving in her personal story of survival.

An electrifying and thrilling continuation in the series! Lee succeeds in upping the stakes by exploring the life outside of North Carolina and what dangers exist as Noam and Dara struggle to survive. While the dual-POVs might take readers a while to adjust, the payoff in this satisfying sophomore novel is so worth the wait and anxious nail-biting.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Victoria Lee's writing is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to read more from her.

This duology is one of my favorite series. I think Lee tackled the hard hitting subjects of sexual abuse and other mental health issues very well and although some parts were hard to get through, I appreciated the way she handled it all.

In the first book, I completely fell in love with Noam and Dara both as individuals and as a couple. They remind me of me and my husband a little bit because we were brought together by trauma and helped each other through it and still deal with struggles. They want to help each other but aren't co dependent. I love them both so much and am so happy they had their happy ending. I would really love an extra story about them a few years after the events of The Electric Heir.

I think the ending felt a bit rushed and that is really my only critique. I'm happy that this was a duology but Lehrer's end just seemed to happy too quickly and too easily. I wasn't really satisfied with it.