The Vanishing Stair
Ratings149
Average rating4
Loving this story! So glad I waited and could roll right into the second book.
Can I just say that I appreciate Maureen Johnson, not just because she is funny (she is!) but because she create a trilogy and managed to avoid the “waiting room” trap the second book always seems to suffer from. I find that second books always feature: not much happening, the characters being split up in some way, and no real resolutions.
Not in The Vanishing Stair! I don't want to give out any spoilers, but...damn. Stuff happens.
Finger crossed for the last book because this one seems more like a filler...
It's a series so I will just keep everything under a spoiler tag.
I simmered in how I felt about this book. Unfortunately for me in some ways it missed the mark. I still had a lot of fun reading it. I finished it within a couple of days. Some pros: I absolutely adored that Stevie was able to dig deeper into Ellingham Academy mystery. There was still some things that she discovered with the deaths of present day students. To me I felt like we got a lot more revealed about the past which I really enjoyed. I have also listened to this on audiobook and found the narration for different characters to be great. The things that bothered me about it was the interactions mostly between Stevie and David. I won't be surprised if they are together in the final book because they've had this off and on thing. As I said in my update I know we are working with seventeen and eighteen year old logic here. I am just so frustrated by David and his total lack of understanding towards Stevie at times.Stevie has had to deal with:• Being thrust out of her school once she felt like she has meaningful and close relationships with people.• Being put in really tough place by an adult who does not want her to share why she is back at school, how she got there, and the motivation he has from it. This is just a prime example of a powerful adult exerting his power over her. • IDK DEALING WITH THE FACT THAT SOMEONE DIED!David knew how she got there. He knew there was some sort of connection with his father. Instead of approaching Stevie about any of this he waits to have this implode after they've kissed. He makes her feel guilty for withholding information from him. I can't imagine how anxiety inducing it would've been for Stevie to not share these things with anyone. You have someone who has a lot of power who has made you fearful. Where is the understanding David?Anyway, can't wait for 2020.
This has a lot in common with [b:Truly Devious 29589074 Truly Devious (Truly Devious, #1) Maureen Johnson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498501619l/29589074.SX50.jpg 49916452]. Compelling lovable secondary characters (I would still die for Nate and Janelle, in fact now more readily than ever). Pacing that mirrors Stevie's experience of anxiety. Reveals, some more surprising than others. And of course, a cliffhanger ending.I know a lot liked this more than the first book, but I don't feel the same. To me, Truly Devious felt more well-rounded on its own. Whereas with The Vanishing Stair, sometimes it felt like Johnson was leaning too hard on either the prior book or the third (yet to be published) book to determine what she included in the second.My other qualms are more, “it's not you, it's me.” I didn't care for some of the reveals and dynamics: - I have an aversion to the “unreliable (probably at least in part because of substance abuse) middle-aged woman perspective” trope, and I think that's what Johnson gave us with Fenton. - The reveal of Ellie dead in the tunnel reminded me of Turtles All the Way Down. In both instances it felt gruesome and ridiculous. It was also strange to see this specific horrific thing included in YA contemporaries by author friends. Like, did they discuss this?- David and Stevie kept acting as though they had a lot of history. But they really didn't have much at all? They disliked one another for a good chunk of the first book. They made out a few times. But it was framed like they were integral in each other's lives. David literally told Stevie that she's all he's got (p. 221). Maybe the point is that teenagers are angsty and dramatic, but I just felt like I was missing something.I still think the series is funny and relatable, while also being a good murder mystery, which can't be an easy balance to strike. The Vanishing Stair was definitely interesting enough for me to feel some mild panic about [b:The Hand on the Wall 29589087 The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3) Maureen Johnson https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561249776l/29589087.SY75.jpg 49916473] not being out yet.
Recensie van audioboek (via Storytel)3,5 sterretjesJeij dat deze al uit was toen ik [b:Truly Devious 29589074 Truly Devious (Truly Devious, #1) Maureen Johnson https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498501619s/29589074.jpg 49916452] net uit had. Boe dat deel drie er nog niet is.Maar bij deze zit ik toch minder op mijn honger dan bij boek 1, want er werd wel met heel wat antwoorden gestrooid. Er zijn nog genoeg onopgeloste zaken, dat wel, maar ik heb net genoeg antwoorden om tevreden te kunnen wachten op boek 3. Maar het moet nu ook niet meer te lang duren ;)Enige minpuntje is dat ik me in dit boek een beetje irriteerde bij bepaalde acties van het hoofdpersonage, vooral dan hoe ze anderen behandelt. Ze is super kwaad dat iemand iets niet aan haar vertelde, want dat is liegen, maar als zij net hetzelfde doet of eigenlijk serieus over de lijn gaat, dan moeten die haar maar begrijpen. Euhm, neen.Maar verder dan derest, weer een leuke, mysterieuze reis met dit audioboek.
Pros:
- This book starts off right after the end of Truly Devious which is great because we were left with a horrible cliffhanger. Stevie is still on the case of the Ellingham murders, but she also has to deal with what is happening in the present at Ellingham. I continued to appreciate the juxtaposition between 1936 and the present throughout the book, but this book was definitely more focused on the present.
- Second books in series can often be challenging since there is so much hype and potential to live up to, but I'm happy to say this book still kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was going on and how everything was connected.
- The side characters in this series continue to be some of the best characters and really add so much to the story. I think they are what make this story great, it isn't just the mystery of Ellingham and Stevie trying to solve ALL THE CRIMES. It is also who she has around her and their life stories. I truly care about David, Janelle, Nate, and Vi and what is going on with them, even Mudge had some great moments in this one (I really wish we could learn more about all the other students that are there but we focus on Stevie's circle).
Cons:
- With the cliffhanger ending to this book, I am pretty mad that I have to wait another year to find out what actually happened. But based on what we learned in this installment, I have a few questions about it will take an entire book to solve everything that has happened. I feel like Maureen Johnson may have revealed too much too soon in this second book.
Why do you do this to me, Maureen Johnson? I can't wait AGAIN to find out what happens next! So cruel.
Maureen! You saucy minx! That ending! I thought this was a two book series and I'm not bereft. Also, I saw your Michelle McNamara allusion and I loved it.
