A review by diannaherondale
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

challenging dark hopeful reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Once again this series exceed my expectations. Is he going to be able to repeat it a third time? That's yet to be seen, but for now, I am truly impressed. 

Thunderhead is one of those rare second books in a triology that expands the world in an unexpected but wonderful way while not disregarding the character development of the protagonists. 

While in the first world, Citra and Rowan had an interesting enough dynamic, none of them shone on their own. However, now with a little distance between them, each of them have grown into themselves and have their own ideals. Similar yes, but unique to them. Citra specially, was the one with the more character develpement, I really enjoyed her this time around. 

But the highlight of this book was of course, The Thunderhead itself. I really didnt expect to like a character that is technically an Artificial intelligence as much as I did but here we are. Like the diary notes of the Scythes in the first one, the thoughts of the Tunderhead were an insight into the world that the author built. And it was also surprisingly charming and sweet to read, contrasting to the hopelessness of the rest of the book, something that I really aprecciated.

And again, the worldbuilding and the pacing of the plot are the ones that keep you reading. Everything feels so well thought. The author put so many details that in other books, may have seem of little importance, but that in this story only make the world feels richer. 

The way the book ended, makes me feel like this is going to be a turning point in te develpement of this world as a dystopia or utopia. Until this point, I think that most of the characters, wholeheartedly believe that their world WAS an utopia and all their plans were about reinstating the status quo, but after recent events I anticipate that their strategy and beliefs are about to change.