Book Review: The Dazzling Heights

Author: Katharine McGee

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Release Date: 08.29.17

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:
“New York City, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amid high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…

Leda is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden—even if it means trusting her enemy.

Watt just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?

When Rylin wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there also means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.

Avery is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him…no matter the cost.

And then there’s Calliope, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.

But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. After all, in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.”

NOTE: Before jumping into my review please keep in mind that this review will contain spoilers for the first book in this trilogy, The Thousandth Floor! If you haven’t started this trilogy yet then avoid spoiling yourself and ruining the reading. My spoiler free view for The Thousandth Floor can be found here, or if you have read it then you may proceed below! 

I’m shocked to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by this sequel. If you’ve already seen my review for The Thousandth Floor you would know this was a tentative read for me. I had low expectations going into it and yet I actually really enjoyed the direction this story took! The Dazzling Heights took this story into a dramatic and emotional tangled web that I got trapped in instantly. My emotional investment has grown exponentially and I would even dare to say that I have some love for this trilogy now. 

The biggest shocker of my new found love was that a lot of it was manifested in Leda. I couldn’t stand her in the first book; she was annoying, shallow, and frustrating. However, somehow, in the span of 400 pages I’ve changed my opinion about her completely. Her development (along with the other characters’) was written brilliantly. I found myself falling in love with the cast of characters, and this world so easily. It was hard not to get trapped in this complicated web of drama, romance, and secrets.

Onto the romance…I loved the hateful romantic tension between Leda and Watt. I love how their feelings were structured gradually and reluctantly to create the perfect impatient burn. Their development together, and individually, completely turned this story around for me. 

However, I’m not sure what I’m feeling about Avery and Atlas. They’re cute enough together but it feels so impractical! I wish all the best to both characters but their current relationship feels almost forced for the drama. Atlas seems so distant and undeveloped that it’s difficult to see him with anybody.

ALSO ON THE NOTE OF RELATIONSHIPS. RYLIN AND CORD!!! AHH!! I ship them (of course), but for now their sweet and soft friendship won my heart. I loved seeing these two genuinely being friendly and caring for each other. It made my heart melt more than some of the actual romance. I hope we get to see more of Cord in the next book, I would love more about him. Is it too much for me to dream he gets his own POV?

If anything, I would love to see him get a POV instead of the new character: Calliope. Her personality felt close to Leda’s in the last book and I didn’t enjoy her addition. She was selfish, annoying, and she never felt like she belonged in this story. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that she’ll become more tolerable in the next book, but even then it’s annoying that it takes an entire book of a character being terrible before they get development that makes them bearable (cough cough like Leda).

On a happier note, I’m looking forward to finishing this trilogy and picking up the next book! I love the new direction this story took and the web of lies has me hooked. I cannot wait to see how everything goes does in the conclusion!