Intrigued but confused, it kinda took too long to get to what became the big ending. That conclusion seemed like the premise of the whole series, which was what left me feeling a little disappointed, though having enjoyed the rest of the book, I still think this is a worthy read (and the third book takes the reader on another journey that is entertaining enough that you should entertain this book too!)

I hate to say this about a Sylvain Neuvel book but I ended up putting this one down at about 35%. I read book 1 in the series a little on autopilot. It was fine but I was definitely underwhelmed compared to other books I've read by the author. I thought it might get better in book 2 but I just wasn't invested. I may give this one another chance in the future when I'm really in the right mind space for a dense book like this but for now it's a DNF.

I really enjoyed this book! It was unique and very fast paced. While I did like this prevoiuse books better, I really enjoyed the ending of this series and how they connect!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sylvain Neuvel and MacMillan Tor/Forge for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

I enjoyed this one even better than the first in the series. This is Mia’s story - she now has a daughter of her own Lola who is just as rebellious. It is 1968 and Mia is pushing the space program and works behind the scenes to birth it. We get more information on the ancient Kibsu as well as chapters devoted to the Trackers and their hunt for the Kibsu.

The way Neuvel weaves real historical events, along with mystery of the Kibsu and the suspense of the Trackers hunting them down, not to mention the interpersonal relationships of parent/child is truly spectacular. The story is riveting, moves along a great pace and I devoured this.

Interesting side note - each chapter is a song title and the list is on Spotify for those who want to check it out.

Now it is on to the third and last one in the series…

Book Review

Title: Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel (Take Them to the Stars Book 2)

Genre: Historical, Science Fiction

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I read A History of What Comes Next quite a while ago and absolutely loved Mia’s journey to find herself and accept her role within the 100 and the epilogue where we see Mia become a mother. Now, this book is continuing Mia’s journey with her enemy bearing down on her once more but unlike before Mia isn’t going to run away, she is going to stand her ground and I couldn’t wait to get into it. The opening to Until the Last of Me was interesting as we are reintroduced to Mia and her now seven year old daughter, Lola. Mia has been trying to give her daughter a normal life before she loads the pressures of the Kibsu onto her but when she bumps into a Tracker one day despite him not recognising her they flee. In these years, Mia has witnessed a man going into space and the Moon landing but not done much to advance the technology further. Now, she has the idea of visiting the outer planets thanks to Lola and realises that they can do it but only when the planets are aligned as they won’t be able to carry enough fuel to get there and will need to slingshot themselves from one planets to another. They now have eight years until the alignment and then they won’t get another chance for almost two centuries so they move back to America to give it a go. We also learn more about the Trackers through their mother who has given birth to three identical sons, Raphael, Uriel and Samael. Her two older sons are like their father and crave violence but her youngest, Samael has more patience and the ability to control the violent urges with in him much like Lola and I have a feeling this might be significant later on.

As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, I was feeling conflicted as Lola reads and feels like an exact copy of Mia in the first book but her focus in on a bow uncovered in China covered in symbols belonging to the Kibsu. She believes that there might be a message there about their true purpose and how to achieve it and wants to translate it even though this isn’t Mia’s goal. I also enjoyed reading from the Tracker’s perspective since each of the three brothers feels like a unique character despite all being clones of their father. It is Uriel who discovers a possible connection in Egypt as he believes a century old priestess was actually three generations of Kibsu pretending to be the same person. The only reason to do this would be if something important was there like the orb they are looking for. The brothers decide that Raphael will go kill their mother, Uriel will head to Egypt and make preparations there while Samael follows up a lead in Miami meaning he might interact with Mia and Lola in the near future since they are in California.

As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, things are taking a different turn as the Kibsu are falling behind in their knowledge as humans have overtaken them for the time being, but Lola has some ideas but is reluctant to work on them as she is going through her rebellious phase, much like her mother did in the first book. Uriel and Samael are now in Egypt but we learn that Raphael was killed in Prague before he could get to their mother, this makes Samael feel both relieved and guilty, relieved for his mother who he helped escape but guilt at losing his oldest brother but he knows there are more of them making Uriel the Prime now. However, compared to Samael, Uriel is completely airheaded focused more on money than their purpose meaning that Samael is essentially the Prime despite being the youngest of the brothers.

As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, things get interesting again as Mia has become obsessed with the bow now while Lola is believing there is more to life than being a clone of her mother. It is Mia who figures out that the writing on the bow isn’t a poem but a map, however, things take a drastic turn when Lola screws up badly. Lola at a party ends up taking some drugs and thinks she kills a lot of people turning herself into the police, which is very bad since the Kibsu can never have their blood taken as it will expose what they are. Mia goes to retrieve her daughter but literally has to fight her way out of the police station before explaining to Lola that they are moving to Russia making a brief stop in Berlin first. It is in Berlin that Mia learns her mother was keeping a lot of secrets from her and was investigating the origins of their kind. This deeply hurts, Mia but they head to Russia to continue their research, but Lola feels more like an outcast than ever since she doesn’t really speak any Russian unlike her mother and is completely isolated but understands she only has herself to blame for it given her earlier actions. Meanwhile, Samael in Egypt discovered that he can’t control his violent urges in the heat and tries to stay out of it as much as possible. He also learns of a painting of the Priestess holding an orb which he knows is the same one they have been hunting for. He also believes that there might be some worth in talking with the Kibsu before killing them as they have a lot of knowledge that could be useful to them.

As we cross into the second half of the novel, Mia and Lola are continuing their research into the bow which has led to China where they need to see the rest of the poem to figure the direction out. Mia comes up with a plan but it is going to be tricky when Lola goes out and gets the pictures herself with a far simpler plan and they finally learn the full inscription written on the Eight’s bow. Mia was right as it is a set of directions to something using the stars to guide them but before they can set off on this new adventure, tragedy strikes. Rioting breaks out in China and Mia is unceremoniously killed in the crossfire completely devastating Lola, who ends up returning to America and wallowing in her depression for the longest time. During this time she does met a man and falls pregnant with the One Hundred and One but she isn’t ready to let go of her mother yet.

As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Lola figures out the directions the bow gave her and begins following them spending this last few months before becoming a mother herself with the memory of her mother. However, things aren’t going to plan as she gets abandoned in the desert, attacked by a wolf and almost dies but she is led to the place the Eight was pointing her too. She has also uncovered the very place that Eight instructed her to dig up and I believe that the orb is here. Uriel and Samael have also been following the trial of the Kibsu, especially those that lived in the spotlight and are being led to the same place but whether they will interact is unknown. Uriel isn’t taking to being the Prime, falling into vices like drink and drugs but Samael continues moving forward but when Uriel vanishes one night he knows he can’t continue without his brother. Heading into the final section of the novel, I am expecting Lola and Samael at least to come into contact with each other as the orb is discovered and maybe they won’t kill each other but send a message to their home planet but I’m not sure what is going to happen.

As we cross into the final section of the novel, the ending honestly intrigued and infuriated me at the same time. Seeing the Kibsu and Trackers come face to face for the first time but each doing so to protect someone else was amazing. However, it was infuriating because it took so long to get here with little action or interesting scenes in between. That being said, the ending was terrifying as they realises what their final battle has done and what it means going into the last book. I’ve tried to keep this vague for anyone that hasn’t read the series yet but this book definitely suffers from middle book syndrome and honestly could have been condensed to about 100 pages a split between the first and last book, so in my opinion it should have been a duology not a trilogy but I am excited to see how Neuvel ends this series in For the First Time Again.

I have read all the book in the series. The history, science fiction and strong female lead really make this series worth reading. Interesting and lovely. I hope someone options this for tv.

infuriatingly, i did not realize this was the second in a series when i requested it so i don’t really know what to do with this. a platonic three stars

This series is so original, both in terms of plot and structure and I really like it. In this second installment, the focus isn't so much on manned space flight, but more so on the journey of Voyager to map the solar system as never before. The action also moves between Mallorca, Algiers, Egypt, Iran, Russia and China as we see the never ending chase between the Trackers and the Kibsu. I thought the relationship between Mia and Lola was really well done and indeed, Lola's character arc was particularly interesting here. I also appreciated a bit more focus on the Trackers and their motivations. The plot here ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger, so I am very intrigued to pick up the finale and will definitely recommend the series so far.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a book about what comes next… and again after.

The first book was one of my favorites & I’m happy to say this one did not disappoint. The author weaves the scifi narrative deftly into the historical setting & I was deeply invested from the first page to the last.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Tordotcom for the eArc!

I love this book, the whole series! I listened to them again on audible, and the full cast narration is an amazing delivery!

In less than 24 hours, I devoured the two books of the Take Them to the Stars trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel. This second book in the series, Until the Last of Me, held itself up to and in ways exceeded the standard set by the first book. Continue reading down below to see my full review.

There are several things I like about this series. Neuvel does a great deal of research and it shows! While I like sci-fi, I’m not really a science/engineering-minded person. The way Until the Last of Me is written makes these aspects not only palatable but also interesting. Coming from a history and linguistics background, as Neuvel also seems to, I loved the historical and linguistic elements of the novels. This second installment delves even more into the historical and literary, which I appreciated and enjoyed.

Small additions, such as the chapter names and the periodic changes in narration, help to add to the depth of this novel. Much of the conflict has to do with Mia’s family’s multi-generational responsibility to “take them to the stars.” Being rooted in this history, the chapter names, which were songs that were from the year that the events take place, help to ground the narration in the “present.” On the other hand, I loved the addition of the infrequent chapter from the point of view of the family’s ancestors from various points in history. Especially in Until the Last of Me, the past becomes increasingly important for the plot.

Pacing and Characters
Until the Last of Me is also well-paced. Certainly, it is different from A History of What Comes Next in terms of content. The first book was more focused on scientific espionage and the space race. This book starts with continued interest in the science aspect of getting into space. At the same time, the pace is different and slightly faster than in the previous novel. While it still focuses on space exploration, it doesn’t feel as much at the forefront. In a way, it has more movement, both in the plot and in the actual characters. Mia and Lola are continually moving from place to place to outrun the trackers and to chase the past.

Neuvel does a great job of giving diverse personalities to all of the characters. One may expect that the different generations of the family should be the same or even similar given their upbringing and purpose. These characters Mia, Lola, and even their ancestors we have as narrators seem so unique and distinct from each other.

Overall
I cannot recommend this series enough. Until the Last of Us has something for everyone. You do not get bogged down by science or history-heavy narratives. Again, I want to point out the clear amount of research Neuvel did to write these books. It shows and it was *chef’s kiss* delicious. I’m looking forward to how Neuvel closes out the trilogy in the final installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Sequel to A History of what Comes Next was a book i was really anticipating, because I read a book time reading the first one. Unfortunately this one did not work as well for me.

It was a very fast read, like the first one. But this time it felt a bit repetitive. The historical part that made me love the first book was not as appealing here.

I felt like they were going nowhere for a big chunk of the story. but then it goes to places I did not expect. It leaves at a place that left me curious and I will probably be continuing with the series.

I loved the playlist accompanying the book, the name of each chapter is the name of a song from the year in which the story is happening. I got to add many new songs to my personal playlist.

I recommend you give this series a chance if you are interested in the space race and like sci-fi.

This is such a great series! I love how Neuvel takes real life events and either incorporates them into the book or changes them up a bit to propel the story; it's really quite brilliant. Characters are wonderful and I NEED the third book!

The first book in this series started off strong and petered out, nowhere near the quality of the Themis Files. This book, while I enjoyed it a tiny bit more, had the exact same problem...started strong and fizzled.

Until the Last of Me is the exciting sequel to Sylvain Neuvel's Take Them to the Stars series, and I loved every word. Until the Last of Me is Lola's story rather than Mia's, and I am here for it. Mia might have infiltrated Hitler's Germany, but Lola is the stronger of the two heroines. She has guts with a modern sensibility. Samael is equally fascinating. Their cat and mouse game morphs into an intriguing chase. Plus, the surprise ending is a bonus. I cannot wait to see how it all ends.

What an incredible continuation of an already fascinating series of books. I loved everything about this even more than the first one. I feel like I connected more to the characters and I had more knowledge of historical events in this one, making it easier to point and say "Hey I understand that". Beyond that, the ending was incredible and I absolutely cannot wait for the next, and I assume final, book.

Headlines:
Feminist stem sci-fi thriller
Ancient meets contemporary
Space programme

Okay, I jumped into this second installment hoping I'd be able to remember my place in the story and who was who with the characters. Neuvel wrote this in a way that readers will remember with ease this Kibsu race of women with a tendency for maths, space, killing and evasion.

While the whole premise of this story is about history repeating itself and how that played out with these generations of women, the story landed back with Mia and her daughter Lola. After the last book, the reader has a sense of what is coming to these women but also there was so much newness in the plot as the years went from the 1960s to the late 1980s. It was so interesting seeing the space race play out and Mia's subtle contribution but desire for more.

Lola was a whole other kind of daughter not seen in the previous story. She was rebellious, hard-headed and perhaps with less of a sense of Kibsu than her matriarchal predecessors. I winced over many of the decisions Lola made but it made for good reading; I am left wondering about Catherine...a lot.

The ancient had a place in this story, how the Kibsu women influenced their time and how they were able to communicate with Mia and Lola. I found that fascinating. The trackers were prevalent and hella messy. Violence always followed these guys but the Kibsu were not innocent by any means.

Suffice it to say, I am fascinated by this story, the historical-sci-fi-thriller pitch of the tale feels so fresh and I look forward to the conclusion.

I really loved how clever this book was. I think I enjoyed it slightly less than book one in the series but I once again loved reading from Mia's perspective and seeing her life as a grown-up. So far, this is a really fun play on the great race to space. With some really interesting musical references intertwined throughout. I can't wait to see what the next instalment has for us.

Neuvel continues his exciting and interesting series of the Kibsu. Their job to get man to space before a great evil comes. This second book turns everything on its head and leaves us waiting with trepidation to see how it ends in the third, forthcoming book.

Hay que reconocerle a Sylvain Neuvel que tiene un estilo de escritura ágil y absorbente, capaz de tenerte pegado a sus páginas. Sin duda, le ayuda a conseguir este objetivo que la mayoría de sus obras están plagadas de diálogos y de acción, aunque también tiene algunos momentos, como los interludios de este mismo libro, para la divulgación. Until the Last of Me es la continuación directa de A History of What Comes Next, pero mientras que en la primera entrega las protagonistas hacían todo lo posible por acelerar la carrera espacial, en esta ocasión aunque se persigue el mismo objetivo la aproximación es totalmente distinta, casi arqueológica.


Y es que a pesar de que la misión es llevar a la Humanidad a las estrellas en el futuro es posible que la respuesta se encuentre en el pasado.

El ritmo de esta segunda entrega de la serie Take Them to the Stars es endiablado y a lo largo de sus más de trescientas páginas asistiremos a unos cuantos giros de los acontecimientos que no nos esperábamos. Me apasiona como Neuvel es capaz de mezclar situaciones y personajes reales con su mundo inventado para darle más consistencia y credibilidad, pero sobre todo me ha gustado cómo los personajes intentan liberarse de los papeles encorsetados que durante siglos y siglos habían interpretado sus antecesores.

También es de agradecer el guiño al lector que supone que cada capítulo tenga como título una canción y que haya creado una lista de Spotify donde se encuentran todas reunidas.

Es muy curioso que en vez de centrar su atención en los preparativos para la llegada a la Luna, quizá el momento más importante (y final) de la carrera espacial, Neuvel vuelque todos sus esfuerzos en hacernos entender lo apasionante que resultaron tanto el envío de las sondas Voyager como su periplo por las estrellas. Me lo imagino mientras escribía esas páginas con sus ojos brillando, porque se percibe en cada frase que es un tema que le apasiona.

¡Y todavía nos queda la última entrega por disfrutar!