Review: The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
“Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to.”
The Basics
Title: The Ballad of Never After (Once upon a Broken Heart #2)
Author: Stephanie Garber
Published: 2022
Publisher: Flatiron Books — Macmillan
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, High fantasy, Romance, Fantasy romance, Young adult, Young adult fantasy
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Book Synopsis
Having learned of Jack’s duplicity, Evangeline is loath to ever trust him again, but trust him she must if she wants to have any chance of lifting the most recent curse that has befallen her husband, Apollo. Together, they traverse the Magnificent North searching for the three missing stones required to open the Valory Arch, the place in which they believe the cure to Apollo’s curse lies. As the two spend more time together, Evangeline finds her resolve to keep him at arm’s length dwindling, and against her better judgement, she finds herself not only trusting but also caring for him. Loving a Fate, however, always comes at a cost, and the price exacted from her will prove to be far dearer than either of them could have imagined.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A true delight from start to finish. Romance, magic, and adventure: this sequel to Once upon a Broken Heart has it all.
The Ballad of Never After was my most anticipated read of 2022. Ever since finishing Once upon a Broken Heart, I had been eagerly counting down the days until its release, but with this excitement came a touch of apprehension. What if The Ballad of Never After failed to live up to the extremely high bar set by its predecessor? Afterall, it would not be the first book to succumb to the dreaded second-book slump. Fortunately, The Ballad of Never After did not suffer this for, for it proved to be just as good, if not better, than Once upon a Broken Heart. Indeed, it is a book so captivating as to be unputdownable. Once you begin reading it, you will struggle to stop. I, for one, devoured all 400 pages in a single day, sacrificing sleep and productivity so that I might see what, if any, resolution to the book’s events is provided.
The highlight of this book and what makes it such an addicting read is Evangeline and Jacks’ relationship. Owing to his betrayal in the previous book, Evangeline initially distrusts Jacks and regards him with a healthy dose of suspicion. Gradually, the two progress from reluctant allies to friends to something altogether more. They have an undeniable chemistry – the type that refuses to be ignored. They banter and tease, and between them exists a palpable tension teeming with yearning. Moreover, they seem to genuinely care about each other, as evidenced by several aww-inducing moments throughout the book (the scene in the Hollow was almost too cute to handle – IYKYK 😉). They also complement one another beautifully, with each balancing out the other. Evangeline brings out a hint of good in Jacks, and he bolsters her confidence. Given all of this, you cannot help but root for them as a couple and hope that they receive their happily ever after.
While the romance between Jacks and Evangeline might steal the spotlight, there are other compelling subplots taking place concurrently, most notable of which being Evangeline’s quest to find the three magical stones needed to open the Valory Arch. Her hunt for the stones takes her to such whimsical-sounding places as Merrywood and the Hollow, as well as such not-so-whimsical-but-rather-frightening-sounding locations as Slaughterwood Castle. Along the way, she encounters dangers, leading to several edge-of-your-seat moments, and she uncovers some shocking truths that shed light on events from the previous book. She also experiences periods of joy and utter happiness, as well as moments of despair and heartbreak. It is both an emotional journey and vicarious adventure for the reader. We learn more about the Magnificent North, traveling to its faraway reaches and delving into its history, and our understanding of the characters, both in terms of their backstories and inner selves, deepens.
Speaking of the characters, they are quite the crew, and the most intriguing of the bunch is Jacks. He is a bit of an enigma, at times playing the hero and other times the villain. Nonplussed by morals, he does not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to achieve his ends, but beneath this maleficent façade lies a sprinkling of good that occasionally glimmers through the cracks in his hardened veneer. Nonetheless, you can never quite shake the feeling that trusting him entirely might not be the wisest decision, especially for Evangeline.
Evangeline is a likable lead. She is down-to-earth, plucky, and loyal to a fault. Ever the optimist, she always sees the good in people, refusing to believe that anyone, Fates included, is ever wholly bad. This glass-half-full mentality teeters on naïveté and lands her in some perilous situations, owing to her willful blindness to the faults and ill-intentions of others. In spite of (or perhaps because of) her flaws, she endears herself to the reader, making you invested in her story and outcome.
The secondary characters are also well-penned and enhance the overall story, contributing to the plot in meaningful ways. Chaos, the vampire who is as alluring as his stare, imbues the story with intrigue and foreboding. Luc and LaLa add a dash of humor and warmth, and Apollo unleashes conflict and fear.
Bringing the characters to life, as well as weaving everything together, is Garber’s writing. Her prose is engaging, easy to understand, and every bit as whimsical and magical as the Magnificent North. Garber threads in minute details to make people and places come to life in your mind’s eye. Further contributing to the story’s sense of realism and immersion is its use of the first person. The book is written entirely from Evangeline’s point of view in the first person, which has the effect of making you feel as though it is you, not Evangeline, who is experiencing everything. This narrative style also brings with it an inherent sense of mystery and suspense, for with our knowledge limited to that of Evangeline, we are as in the dark as she is with regard to what will happen next. This, of course, makes the story all the more riveting and engrossing.
The not so good
While not bad per se, it is worth noting that the book ends on a huge cliffhanger. My first thought upon finishing the books was “What?!” followed shortly thereafter by “I can’t believe I have to probably wait at least a year to find out what happens next.” So, dear reader, consider yourself warned – if cliffhangers aren’t your thing, consider holding off on reading The Ballad of Never After until the next book in the series comes out later this year.
Overall
Garber has truly spun a magical tale with The Ballad of Never After. It is the type of book that you can quite easily (and happily) get lost in, as it is such a spellbinding and transportive read. It is a fairytale-esque book perfect for young adults, as well as us not-so-young adults.
Have you read The Ballad of Never After? If so, let me know what you thought of it in the comments section below!
