Truth of the Divine (Noumena) Paperback – 23 Aug. 2022

Damn this book is... a lot. But in a good way. It gets intense but it never pushes you over the edge, you're always invested enough that no matter how horrible things seem for our protagonist (and holy shit Cora needs some therapy and just maybe a break, poor girl) you're itching to find out how they make it out of this situation. The protagonist can't die (permanently) after all. This book did not make me cry, but it made me think, and that's sometimes better. It made me take a step back and re-evaluate things. and after all was said and done it felt jarring to return to real life, where there are no aliens forcing us to consider these questions, just regular old burocracy. I felt emotionally wrung out, like I too had experienced all of this and returned home after a long journey. I felt the urge to check in on my loved ones and tell them that I love them.And I love this book. This book is, objectively, brilliant. It's only the second novel by Ellis and she's already strapped me in headfirst in this mixture of social commentary, human characters, and the very accurate depiction of having a brain that low-key hates you, which I very much can relate with. If I was required to criticize this book at gunpoint, I'd probably say that there were not enough ampersand/Cora moments where they get to just exist together but on the other hand, hey, that's what fanfic is made for.I have no idea how she's gonna manage to pull off a happy ending, but I desperately hope these characters manage to receive one after everything. A big theme in this story is hope, and how even the tiniest glimmer is enough because it has to be enough sometimes, and personally I feel like it would be a betrayal of that theme to not have some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. (Plus I'm kinda just a sucker for a happy ending 😅). However, life often is not that kind, and a bittersweet ending would convey the meloncholy present within this entire narrative.In short, Truth of the Divine is a sequel that is going to be sticking in my head for a long time, and I look forward to seeing what Ellis has in store for us with the rest of the Noumena series.

I read Ellis' first book and found it acceptable, but nothing more. It was an interesting setting but the writing and story left something to be desired. Nonetheless, I decided to read the second book in the series.I am very glad I did. There is no question that Ellis has grown as an author. This book deals with everything in a much better way and makes the reader be uncertain about many things as the story progresses. It deals with trauma and PTSD in a very believable and real way (unfortunately I can compare it to personal experience) without overdoing it or not doing it enough. Some of the new characters are excellent. The ending is great. I'd now say it's worth reading the first book only to read this one after.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, definitely an improvement on the first one (which was pretty good anyway). Really well written and lots of thought given to the real-world consequences of the sci-fi narrative.My only complaint (kinda) is that it was upsetting to have the main character(s), who are all very likeable, have to go through a chain of absolutely miserable events. No doubt, this book will hurt your feelings. Still eagerly waiting on the sequel though, because apparently I love suffering.

No Spoilers!Developing naturally on themes from Axiom's End Ms Ellis addresses many issues nipping at the flatulent body of the current zeitgeist, though with a commendable, compassionate and hopeful thesis for humanity running all the eay through it. And t'boot, this exploration of ideas is so deftly handled by Ms Ellis, even amid breathlessly frantic storms of intense action and conflict, secrets and lies, surrender, abandonment, attornment, and awakening.I don't usually write reviews but this one really got my giddy up. If you haven't read Ms Ellis' first book Axiom's End go and get that, and then get this!

Wow. This book did things to me, which make it hard to review. It dealt with (and brought up) so many emotions it took me several days of just sitting and processing... which I think is a high compliment to any kind of fiction. Love and its many complex forms, pain and trauma and our reactions to it... I think I'll still be processing it for a while, and I can't wait to read the next. It's one of those books that seared me, and that I highly and deeply recommend.

Interesting book, kept me entertained, loved it was set in the early 2000's .

One of the best stories, Sci fi or otherwise, I’ve read. Compelling tale, great characterization, deep exploration of what it means to be human and a person. Highly highly recommend.

Axiom's End was a light yet fast paced and entertaining ride if we wondered what if an intelligent person decided to take over Transformers? It had stakes, it took a little investment to get into it, but then it became a very joyful experience.This second time, it's a gut-wrenching, soul-crushing hellish machine that keeps you hyped for a very satisfying conclusion from page one. I just couldn't stop reading/listening.It reflexes on such complex and relevant themes, like mental health, xenofobia, racism, trauma and violence in such an adult, sober way. Cora is totally relatable, but I warn you that she can be TOO relatable sometimes, so read this carefully. I will totally read the next one. It has become an instant favorite.

I had important things to do on sunday, but I was absolutely unable to get away from this book. It made me incredibly addicted. It was so hard to concentrate on work, all I wanted to do was finish the damn book. I don’t experience this kind of addiction towards a book often (the last time being Naomi Novik’s „Uprooted“).I am glad that I read on wikipedia beforehand that this was the second book of a trilogy. If I hadn’t known that there was yet another book to come, I might have been frustrated with the ending. This was my only beef with the first book as well – it took some time until I learned that the story wasn’t finished, thus I didn’t know what to to with all the loose ends.I love the new characters in this book and I love how Ellis writes with so much emotion. There‘s a lot of action, passion, trauma and racial themes. I am looking forward to the last book and I would absolutely not mind, if the relationship between Cora and Ampersand goes even further.

I was excited to read the sequel to Axiom's End and this book exceeded my expectations. It's hard to put it down. The secondary characters feel more fleshed out than in book 1, the themes are compelling, the story is rich and the writing feels very alive. Cora is a great protagonist, her struggles are relatable and realistic, you can feel the author wanted to get it right.Some aspects of the story are still a bit confusing to me, there can be a lot of information to diggest and a lot of background characters.Also, I was grateful for the trigger warnings, a lot of heavy stuff happens and I was glad not to go in there unprepared. It's a good idea to get the free ebook extract so you can read the TW before buying the book.

I love this author and the inventive mirror which she has held up to humanity. The relationships, conflicts and characters in this book held me in rapt attention until the end.