‘Seventeen-year-old Tark knows what it is to be powerless. But Okiku changed that. A restless spirit who ended life as a victim and started death as an avenger, she’s groomed Tark to destroy the wicked. But when darkness pulls them deep into Aokigahara, known as Japa’s suicide first, Okiku’s justice becomes blurred, and Tark is the one who will pay the price…’
First you should know that The Suffering is the second book to The Girl From the Well. The Suffering takes a few years after The Girl From the Well ends.
One thing is clear from the start: there is so much character growth in Tark. We don’t know what happened in those years between this book and the last. It’s like Tark’s matured a lot and I really like him now, to be honest.
I was told that The Suffering is considerably creepier than The Girl From the Well, and they were right!! Holy crap, did this book ever creep me out. I actually had to stop reading this book due to its creepiness.
A big difference between this book and the last is that Tark is now the point of view we see this story from. He’s no longer the weak kid that slept all the time. And that the main point of view has shifted. No longer does Okiku have the main focus. Although she’s still a big part of this story, Tarquin is the point of view we read this book from. I do miss Okiku’s view of things, but reading everything from Tark’s view is great.
I like how when something new is introduced to the reader in the story – or to Tark – Chupeco takes the time to quickly explain what an object is – i.e. within a few sentences, she’d explain what it is and how worked. Chupeco doing that– it’s seamless in how she did that. How she does it off hand, she doesn’t really make a big deal of it. She still lets the story be told.
I feel like Chupeco got a little more detail oriented in this second book, and honestly, that’s great. It’s the details in stories that are important. While there were more details, there weren’t too many that the story became boring. There were just a right amount of detail. And the detail’s that were pointed out at the right moments were just fabulous. Details on a freaky person…it’s just great. I love the detail in this book.
And some of the scenes are so freaking heartwarming, that I can’t even handle it. My heart is NOT USED TO THIS. I love the moment with Okiku got near the end of the book. Like, I’m almost crying thinking back to it. It’s just so freaking sweet, my heart is going to burst. I want to talk more about it, like, what was Okiku thinking in those moments?? I NEED TO KNOW.
And the ending! Oh my gosh. I absolutely love the ending. I am a sucker for happy endings. Truly! I wish there were more to Okiku and Tark’s story. I do. The ending that these two have in this book, even if it is the ending to their story, they have a great new beginning, and we have a great, amazing, ending.
Anyway..enough about me loving this book. Here’s a link to The Suffering on GoodReads, because you need to get your hands on this book, as soon as freaking possible.
Thanks for reading! Until next time,
Adele
Adele Is Reading 