If you’ve been under a rock and not reading The Arcana Chronicles with us since Poison Princess was our Boozy Book Club pick like three years ago, Day Zero may not make a lot of sense to you. But for those of us who have been chomping at our bookmarks to get a new tidbit from Evie, Jack, Death and the gang, these companion short stories were a feast.
Day Zero happens before the Arcana Chronicles officially begins with Evie and Jack’s story in Poison Princess. Each short story (or in some cases, entry) is the unofficial/official chronicle of the Arcana players on the day of The Flash.
Dead of Winter (book 3 in the series) introduced us to many more players in the game, and so this compilation couldn’t have come at a better time: when we really need to know more about the alliances and foreknowledge of the players that are left in the game.
Some of the entries are purposefully vague, left so by The Fool to keep us off the track of the surprises that Kresley Cole has in store for us. The Hanging Man, anyone? Mmmhmm.
Other entries are so well-placed, even well-plotted as short stories, that I wanted more. Much more in fact. I could have read entire novels on some of these characters, based on just a few pages of their last day as regular kids.
My Favorites
Death
Of course, Death. After being the monster, the antagonist, the threat of the first part of the series, Death swiftly and adeptly becomes the unrequited love interest, the tragic hero of the entire saga. So naturally his perspective of the days and weeks leading up to the war is what we #TeamDeath girls are after.
And oh boy. That shower scene. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, KC?
“I touched, and by all the gods, I’ve paid. Naturally, the one game I’ve vowed not to be seduced, she turns out to be breathtakingly beautiful.”
GAH STOP. I WILL COMFORT YOU, DEATH, FOREVER OK????
The Emperor
Oooooo a baddie. I love the realizations that some of the players have when the Flash happens and the game is upon them. Knowing who and what the Emperor will become, it’s so satisfying to see him before the game begins … seeing him be a total asshole.
Fortune
This was one of those short stories that I could have read over and over again. Kresley Cole is superlative at creating scenescapes and at action. I could easily visualize every piece of falling glass in her Brazillian penthouse.
Temperance
If Kresley Cole is great at creating a scene and writing action, she is even better at this. Calanthe’s and Joule’s meeting and budding romance, her using him while falling for him all at once, his innocence, his protectiveness. THIS is what I mean when I say I could read an entire series devoted to some of these characters. I could four more books of The Tower and Temperance.
If you haven’t picked up Day Zero yet buy it here and read it before Arcana Rising drops next week. We are going to have an epic hangout on Monday, August 29th to discuss it all!
More Boozy Book Club Info
