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Our Dark Duet
Our Dark Duet
Our Dark Duet
Audiobook10 hours

Our Dark Duet

Written by V. E. Schwab

Narrated by Thérèse Plummer

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

A New York Times bestseller

The bestselling sequel—and conclusion—to Victoria Schwab’s instant #1 New York Times bestseller This Savage Song.

Kate Harker is a girl who isn’t afraid of the dark. She’s a girl who hunts monsters. And she’s good at it. August Flynn is a monster who can never be human. No matter how much he once yearned for it. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

Nearly six months after Kate and August were first thrown together, the war between the monsters and the humans is a terrifying reality. In Verity, August has become the leader he never wished to be, and in Prosperity, Kate has become the ruthless hunter she knew she could be. When a new monster emerges from the shadows—one who feeds on chaos and brings out its victim’s inner demons—it lures Kate home, where she finds more than she bargained for. She’ll face a monster she thought she killed, a boy she thought she knew, and a demon all her own.

A gorgeously written dark fantasy from New York Times–bestselling author Victoria Schwab, and one to hand to fans of Holly Black, Laini Taylor, and Maggie Stiefvater.

“Explosive.”—Brightly

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 13, 2017
ISBN9780062683342
Author

V. E. Schwab

V. E. Schwab is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, ranging from middle grade to teen to adult. Her books have garnered critical acclaim and been featured in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, the Washington Post, and NPR; have been translated into more than a dozen languages; and been optioned for television and film. Schwab, an avid traveler, received her MFA from the University of Edinburgh, where her thesis was about the presence of monsters in medieval art. She lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

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Reviews for Our Dark Duet

Rating: 4.148185465725807 out of 5 stars
4/5

496 ratings31 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A very satisfying end to the duology. It was quite fast paced and full of twists.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book was just kind of meh for me. I felt like it was waaayyy too dramatic and Kate and August just didn't gel with me this time. I just didn't really care all that much. The conclusion was great though. I enjoyed how everything came together and the resolution of the Chaos Eater and Sloan, and Ilsa. Yet, something was lacking for me..the writing didn't pull me in as much, and I wasn't as entertained by this as I was the first book.Overall, just okay. Not the best thing I've read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Our Dark Duet
    by Victoria Schwab

    A new type of monster gets created in the town where Kate had escaped to at the end of the first book, but she gets into its path and is caught. While she escapes, the monster leaves a piece of itself behind. But while possessing Kate, the monster discovers Kate's hometown and the power its darker side can give it. As a self-proclaimed monster hunter, even though influenced by this monster, fighting its hold on her, Kate knows she has to follow it back to Verity and destroy it.

    Great plot for a really good series, and while the story started off slow, it quickly picked up. Some of the plot was a given, there were surprises, and eye-widening events. Too bad this is the last of the series, but it is open enough for there to be another.

    And I must give a lot of love to the narrator, Therese Plummer, she did a marvelous job with the story and character voices! I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. I listened to it through Scribd.

    While there is language, violence, and gore, it's not too bad and I think readers 14 and older would really enjoy the series.

    4 stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was amazing! I never thought this would be better than book 1, but I was wrong
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This one had the same pacing and intensity as the first one, which was great! That being said, I was not a huge fan of the way some things happened, and why some characters acted the way they did. It felt like the author had a good idea for a new monster, but wasn’t sure how to make it fit with where the last book ended. But hey, that’s just my opinion! Overall, still a good follow-up to This Savage Song.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Great narrator, I didn't care about thr story that much. Victoria has been a miss so far for me, great plots but I never like the execution
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What was that ending ? like am I the only one who feels like you just woke up from a crazy dream.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Victoria Schwab is one of the most amaZing writers. I love everything she puts out. But I will admit that this particular story, Killed Me. Never has she made me cry, so saddened by the out come. This book has it all and if you don't fall in love with most of the characters, you're heartless yourself. I hate spoilers , just know this was minimal in romance, but heavy on the heart and does tug on your heart strings - it rips your heart out and devours it with one bite. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Omg such an epic and amazing conclusion. I swear the last page killed me! The narrator did an amazing job, I loved the story even more with her voice! Totally recommend it’s a beautiful story, with action and friendship!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    not gonna cry not gonna cry not gonna cry not gonna cry
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mix emotions with this book. I am not sure if I liked the ending or not.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    There were too many questions left unanswered. Too little character development. Too many antoganists and surprisingly, too little energy from my part to care for these characters. Had potential from the previous book...but no thank you.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Not my favorite monster story. I really felt like I trudged through just to get to the end. It wasn't awful, I just didn't really enjoy it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This duology is fantastic. I found myself bound to every word and unable to stop listening! The characters are dynamic and fully formed... the world is..wow. It's a world that makes sense in all of the parts that seem that they shouldn't. I couldn't recommend these books more.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A great if not perfect sequel in this series (a "bilogy"? "duology"?) with a similar structure as the first book.
    It picks up after a length of time wherin Kate is in a new city with a new set of friends but still fighting monsters though she only knows what little combat training she learned in high school P.E. class (which she tends to mention a LOT). August is still in Verity but moving up the ranks of his adoptive father's taskforce, being emo about how emo but also how not emo he is, and has a new metal-plated violin with a bow that is also a sword??? (where they found a master violin maker that could also defy the laws of what makes a violin actually work isn't part of the story and also magic etc). They still think of each other - because this is Romeo and Juliet with monsters - but without the communication grid between cities, they have nothing but nostalgia to go on. Then things happen as they tend to do which causes a new monster to be formed, who then finds out about a larger food source in Verity via Kate so Kate uses it as an excuse to be a dick to those who gave her things for free and follows the monster because she's strong and brave and true and stubborn to the point of stupidity like all YA heroines. Anyway, more things happen that are exciting and then sad and then maddening and then more sad but also exciting. There's no happy ending here.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I started the two-book series, so I thought I might as well finish it. I stand by my comment in my review for This Savage Song: Schwab has a real knack for creating monsters.Our Dark Duet picks up a few months after the events of This Savage Song. August has become a soldier for Flynn’s army, taking up his brother’s former position. Kate is living in a new city, still fighting monsters. After an encounter with a completely new type of monster, Kate decides to return to Verity to warn August and the Flynns.I still liked the monsters that Schwab created, but Kate and August’s relationship still doesn’t draw me in. It’s not badly written or uninteresting. I find that I relate to Schwab’s adult releases better, and that is all just a personal preference.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'll be reading more from this author. I loved its fast pace, engaging characters swirled in darkness and light and the struggle to be who we want while maintaining our duty to the world and those around us.

    At least that's what I got from it. August is the finest monster I've read about in a while. In this book, he's made more even more complex by his decisions, duties, and desires. Kate, at the beginning of the book isn't in Verity and she's struggling with her new bonds to others and ultimately, the reasons she has to escape them.

    And after all that, Kate's dealing with a monster in her brain, which I frankly loved. It illustrated the struggles we all go through to not--well--strangle each other on a daily basis.

    Unfortunately, this started off too slow and choppy, and I can't quite determine why. The first 100 pages or so felt a bit like a struggle, albeit an easy one, or this would've been a 5 star read for me. It suffered a little too because while the internal struggle was real, the first had more complex relationships between the good & evil, where here the enemy was quite clear.

    Also though this book isn't romance, the main characters clearly deeply care about-and maybe even love one another-and that's clear. That makes this tale all the more bittersweet.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    EXCUSE ME. How dare you.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This review may contain spoilers for [This Savage Song].In the wake of her father's day, Kate Harker has been hiding in Prosperity and fighting the occasional monster outbreak in that city. But when a new monster appears on the scene, she'll be pulled back to Verity to face everything she left behind. Meanwhile, August has had to step up into a leadership role as Verity begins to fall apart and is losing what little humanity he has. As darkness closes in, will he be able to save the city from itself?A satisfying conclusion to this duology filled with monsters, excellent fight sequences, and an ending that pulls no punches. If you've read some of Schwab's other fantasy works you can see her skills at work here with well-crafted characters and well-defined rules for this universe. Also, there was a significant gap between when I read the first book and when I read it's sequel and I was able to jump into the narrative without a refresher and still follow along. Recommended if you liked the first book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    There was a strange place, between knowing and not knowing. A place where things could live in the back of your head without weighing down on your heart.
    Why do you do this to me, Victoria Schwab?

    The Writing and Worldbuilding

    I loved that we got to see outside of Verity, and I hope that if we ever get more in this world—P L E A S E—that we'll get to see even more.

    The plot was awesome, almost better than This Savage Song, and I was totally invested throughout. Unfortunately, the emotional parts just didn't hit me nearly as hard as they did in the first book, though not for lack of trying.

    I absolutely loved the addition of the Chaos Eater. It really upped the stakes and expanded the world.

    I also loved the little poetic interludes in the perspective of the Chaos Eater. Those were super cool and unique.

    The Characters

    August: It's no surprise that I love August and will always love August. I really appreciated how his character changed and grew in this, becoming more mature, but also more tortured in a non-angsty teen kind of way. Also, I guess he does have a sex drive *wiggles eyebrows up and down and bites lip*

    Kate (and sort of Alice): Kate was great in this too, and I loved her arc and final stand with Alice, her Malchai doppelganger, who was an excellent addition.

    Sloan: Good ole Sloan, being creepy and obsessive. Honestly, I didn't really care much for him last book, but he really stood out in this one.

    Soro: I didn't really care much for them tbh though I appreciated that Sunai can be non-gender-specific.

    Conclusion

    I seriously loved this, and Schwab has once again cemented herself as my queen and goddess. If you haven't read this one yet, D O I T!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Perfect ending, to paraphrase VE Schwab's words: hopeful but sadly not happy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this conclusion but I enjoyed the first book more. I felt too removed from the characters in this and thus didn't feel the same emotional involvement. In the first book August's struggles with what he is and his wish to be human made him a sympathetic character that you felt for. And the same for Kate who is not a nice person but who you could understand.In this they are both less sympathetic - Kate has turned into Buffy the Vampire Slayer but without her charm. And August is just I am a monster and that's what I must be to fight. So for me the end just didn't have the emotional impact that it should have had.I do like Ms Schwab's writing though and will be picking up "Vicious" at some point.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Note: Spoilers for the first book in this duology, This Savage SongBook Two begins with Kate Harker, now 18, living under a fake name in the capital of the region of Prosperity for the past six months, since leaving August and the region of Verity behind. She has joined a group calling themselves the Wardens, dedicated to chasing monsters. The Wardens aren’t hunters, but “hactivists” who dig through surveillance sites trying to find evidence of monsters. Then Kate goes after them. Of the Wardens, Kate says, “They weren’t Flynn Task Force soldiers. Or coddled Colton kids. They were just - normal. They had lives outside this one. Things to lose.” She almost thinks of them as friends, although she resists the idea. You can get rid of monsters, but you can’t get rid of the burdens relationships impose. She keeps reliving the moment when August went dark, for her: “He sacrificed a part of himself - his humanity, his light, his soul - because of her. She could handle her own blood. She didn’t need anyone else’s on her hands.”Back in Verity, August, 17, now heads a task force that is in charge of identifying and culling sinners from the refugees who have been streaming into the South ever since Callum Harker, the leader of the North, was killed. (Performing music causes the essence of sinners to rise out of them.) There is also a new Sunai, Soro, who is heartless compared to August. Soro possesses an unshakeable resolve, a belief that the Sunai existed solely to destroy monsters and eliminate the sinners responsible for them. With him there was no waivering, no doubt, and no mercy.August has now repressed the very large part of him that wants to be human: “August would never be human. He knew that now. It wasn’t about what he was, but why, his purpose, his part. They all had parts to play. And this was his.” He is “aided” in his denial by the voice of Leo, his Sunai brother who seems to live on inside him ever since August killed him. Ilsa, the other Sunai, wants August to keep trying to keep his violence at bay, but she is literally voiceless now after the attack by the Malchai monster Sloan.Sloan was almost dead - stabbed by Leo in the first book, but he was rescued by another Malchai, Alice. Sloan is now head of the North, with Alice his second. They have a force of “Fangs” working for them. These are humans who swore allegiance to the Malchai, because they “worshipped the monsters like gods, or simply decided they’d rather submit than flee.” Fangs committed most of the daylight crimes, and ushered new monsters into the world with every sin.The Harker regime thus lives on: Sloan was born of Callum’s crimes and Alice was born of Kate’s. Sloan has the Fangs bring him girls who look like Kate for him to kill and eat. “He didn’t hate Katherine, he simply loved the thought of killing her. And he resented her for taking the one life that should have been his: her father’s.”Meanwhile, a new sort of monster is born in Prosperity - a “chaos eater.” It turns humans against each other, and then feeds on their violence. Its influence spreads like a virus. After Kate chased it, part of it entered her. Ironically, she is indeed becoming a monster like she always thought she wanted. She is not quite there yet. But the Chaos Eater can see into her head, and she can see into it’s head. And she sees it is heading for Verity.Kate comes back to Verity to warn August. To her horror, she discovers Alice, who looks and acts like a very twisted version of Kate. She also gets cornered by Soro, who is about to reap her soul when she gets rescued by August. She is taken to the Flynn compound, where she warns them about the new monster.Kate sees right away the change in August. She asks him, “What happened to the August who wanted to feel human? The one who would rather burn alive than let himself go dark?” August replied: “I’m willing to walk in darkness if it keeps humans in the light.”Kate snorts and accuses him of parroting Leo, and also of lying to himself. August explains, “I just got tired of losing. It’s easier this way.” “Of course it’s easier,” said Kate. “That doesn’t mean it’s right.”August counters: “I miss it every day, Kate, but there’s not place for that August anymore. …. this world doesn’t need that August. It needs someone else. . . . I can’t protect this world and care about it. That’s the only way to do it. Because it hurts too much. Every day, every loss, it hurts.”Kate understands. August marvels that Kate saw him, the real him, and stuck by him all the same. They try to kiss, but as they get more passionate, they discover that lovemaking is like music - it causes Kate’s essence to rise out of her, and August almost reaps her by accident. That avenue is therefore not open to them. Nevertheless, as the story comes to a tense denouement, they find another way to be together, one that meets both of their needs in a way they never expected.Evaluation: This bittersweet saga is full of unusual plot elements that give the reader a great deal to ponder. The author is crazily creative. I would have rated it higher had I not previously read the author’s next, even-better saga, the “Shades of Magic” series.Note: This is not really a standalone.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    When I first read [b:This Savage Song|23299512|This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)|Victoria Schwab|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1445529989s/23299512.jpg|42855493] I kept wondering how it'd feel like to have your soul reaped by a Sunai, your heart snatched up and eaten by a Malchai or your body devoured by a Corsai
    Now I know.

    It's exactly how it feels to read the ending of this book.

    Victoria Schwab successfully broke my heart, my soul and every limb in my body beyond repair.

    I must admit when I started this book, I was going through a horrible reading slump, and by the time I reached 30% of the book I knew that if I forced myself to read any more I'd end up hating this masterpiece, so I put it in the "No I'm not DNFing you, I just need some space, I swear we'll get back together soon" shelf.
    I'm so glad I did that, because when I picked it up again I dived into it and fell more and more in love with it every time I turned the page.

    This book was so beautifully written and so well executed it hurts.

    I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this book, every point of view has something interesting in it and I wanted to know everything about everyone.

    I loved the idea of the Chaos Eater. It was this terrifying monster that turned humans against each other, yet it was such an interesting thing. I found myself wanting to know more and more about it. Then, the more I knew the more it seemed impossible for them to defeat it.

    Which is why the ending made perfect sense...
    BUT that doesn't mean it didn't make me weep like a toddler.

    So to sum it up, this book was an amazing piece of art that broke me to pieces then left me without picking me back up. It's definitely on my top ten most heartbreaking endings
    If you haven't read this book I highly recommend it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kate returns to Verity to tell August about a new monster. This novel is the ultimate battle, so many will fall. Does good or evil reign? There's hope at the end, but the battle is brutal.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    ***Possible spoilers below. You’ve been warned***The plot was off to a pretty slow start in this one. Before I start, I’d have to recommend you read This Savage Song before going to this book. You would need the foundation that was set up in This Savage Song to really benefit and enjoy reading Our Dark Duet.As mentioned before, the plot was off to a slow start. Kate and August are on both different ends of the spectrum but have changed drastically. They’ve definitely ‘grown up’ so to speak. Kate becomes monster hunter extraordinaire. August leads his own squad in the FTF. Kate’s part of the story was definitely more interesting. Despite trying hard not to warm up to people she manages to have her small group of friends (but of course, shuns them anyway despite one of them trying to reach out to her numerous times). I love this quality in Kate. It makes her so much more realistic and puts her way from the group of those ‘stone cold butt kickers that apparently have no soul’. That being said about Kate. Oh. Lord. That ending. Kate dying with August nearby got my stomach into knots and twists. I can’t believe it. It was beautifully written though and a suitable ending for her. Kate was pretty much a pariah and a lone wolf. August was one of the few that was able to get to know Kate at a more deeper level. It was only fitting that she meets her end with that one person by her side. Beautifully done. I didn’t really think the romance scene between Kate and August was necessary. It was a minor filler that didn’t need to be added. I never saw August and Kate that way. They were too different and didn’t have that nice ongoing chemistry together. Fighting partners, yes. Partners in love? No I don’t think so. So more about characters dying. Am I the only one that felt a punch to the gut when Ilsa died? Ilsa was a character I really loved in these two books. She went down in a blaze of glory though (albeit, a shocked blaze of glory.)You have to admit, Sloan is one of the better villains I have read in a long while. I like him teaming up with Alice even though villains they are, they are looking out for themselves. He’s creepy, malicious, calculating, and cunning. He’s a perfect villain.The last half of the book, which was filled with action, blood, explosions and all the good stuff set the pace for the great ending to a wonderfully written duology. I know fans out there are asking for more, as it’s not the end of the adventures for August and Soro. For me, it’s just enough and it’s a perfect ending. Well done Ms Schwab! Now I’m off to read your other works!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This Savage Song was included in a past Owlcrate box, and I have to thank them for broadening my book horizon because this isn't the typical book I'd read. I liked This Savage Song so much that I bought the sequel - Our Dark Duet. It took me a while to finish this book, not because it gave me the creeps (which it did), but because I had an inkling how it would end. But unlike other books wherein I questioned how it ended (cough, Allegiant) I understood why the story had to end that way. With good world building and a cast of characters that you'll despise and fall in love with, this duology broke my heart but left me hopeful.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    found the first half of this book very slow but, thankfully, the pace quickened once Kate arrived back in Verity. I enjoyed the development of Kate and August, and the end broke my heart because I had grown to care for these characters. Despite not enjoying this book as much as the first, this was a fitting end to an enjoyable series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm Speechless. When I finished reading Our Dark Duet, the sequel of Monsters of Verity, I needed a couple of tissues. Yes, I'll admit I shed a few tears. The author, Ms. Schwab noted that the book took a lot out of her. It took a lot out of me too. The book ends with the beginnings of hope, but as Kate Harker would say, everything has a cost.The atmosphere of the first book, This Savage Song, was very dark and is carried through into the second installment. The characters August and Kate are reunited under the worst of circumstances and things quickly spiral from bad to worse. This book will drag you in and wring you out. Both books, are well plotted. The characters are so vivid it is not difficult to imagine them. The advisories the are intelligent and menacing to a point where you hate them but can't wait to see what they are up to next.Would I read these books again? Yes. After I've recovered from the first time around. Well done Ms. Schwab.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed Our Dark Duet less than I did its predecessor, This Savage Song, but I can’t tell if that’s on me or the book.Kate Harker has made a new life outside of Verity, hunting monsters. But a new and dangerous breed of monster will send her back hunting back to the city of her past. Meanwhile, August Flynn is trying to forget her earlier desires to be human. He has a part to play, and human isn’t what he needs to be.Okay, so. Do you remember my review of This Savage Song? No? Suffice to say that I spent practically the entire review praising the book for not having romance. Guess what Our Dark Duet does. Go on, just guess. If you’re thinking that Kate and August kiss, bingo! It comes out of bleeding nowhere, and I am so effing mad about it. Why did they have to kiss? Really, someone please explain this to me. What on earth does one half baked romantic subplot add to this book? It got me so pissed off that I went on a twitter rant about heteronormativity. Just because one person’s a girl and one person’s a boy doesn’t mean they’ll be attracted to each other or interested in a romantic relationship! Urgh! And that was literally all their was to this kiss. I’ve calmed off somewhat since I read the book, but believe me I am still annoyed. One of my favorite things about This Savage Song was the pacing. I raced through it, reluctant to put it down even while I was in exam season. Our Dark Duet didn’t have the same effect on me. With only seventy pages of the book left and nothing I had to get up for the next morning, I put the book down and went to sleep.I wasn’t as fond of the characterization either. I have the feeling that Schwab was going for a tragedy, a book that would stomp on your heart and make you feel things. But I didn’t feel things. Even with some significant character deaths, I was just sort of like, “Well, that happened I guess.” When it comes to August, I think his character arc just wasn’t as compelling here. He’s trying to not be human (which is sort of a flip from the last book), and it doesn’t end up feeling like he goes anywhere new. When it comes to Kate, there were some seeds of her desiring to connect more with other people, but I feel like there were a lot of wasted opportunities with her character. There’s not a lot of focus on any of her relationships except for August, and I feel like the main way Schwab was developing that relationship was with That Moment (the kiss), which doesn’t make Kate magically more connected to other people. Physical intimacy isn’t the same as emotional intimacy.Our Dark Duet also feels like a strange end to the series. I suppose it’s the end of a plot arc and potentially some character arcs. I guess it works in that regard, but it still leaves a lot up in the air. I didn’t find it a satisfying conclusion, but from the plethora of positive reviews, my opinion seems to be in the minority. Hopefully other fans of the series will have a better time with this one than me.