Review: Enigma by Tonya Kuper (Schrodinger’s Consortium #2)

Enigma (Schrodinger’s Consortium #2)
Tonya Kuper
Published: July 3, 2017 (Entangled Teen)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Kris

Rating (out of 5): 3.5 stars

Note: While review will be spoiler free, it does make reference to previous books. If you haven’t started this series yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1, Anomaly.

It has been a few weeks since the events of Anomaly—Josie and Reid are on the run. Josie is dealing with the fallout of her actions in Anomaly and the very fresh and new relationship between her and Reid. Faced with a choice to continue on to The Hub (the mole infested base of the Resistance) or to a safe house, Josie knows that going to the Hub is the only choice she has if she wants to help protect her family. When they arrive at the Hub, Josie and Reid have to decide who can and cannot be trusted. With a less than cooperative Resistance Council, a mole well versed in mind games, and more than one surprise, Josie will be tested and pushed to her limits.

The second book in the Schrodinger’s Consortium series picks up right after the events of the first book and dives right in. Like Anomaly, the magical construct of the Oculi remains the strength of the series. As Josie’s power develops and we get a bit more history of the Oculi, The Resistance, and Consortium, I found myself more and more fascinated by the world. There is an almost political thriller lean to Enigma that help build the tension and certainly kept me interested.

So, why not a higher rating? I think the characters still need a lot of work. While Josie and Reid are fully developed characters, the secondary characters are still a bit flat. There is so much potential in so many of the characters that never really materializes. Josie suffers from being a bit too much of an “It” girl (pop culture savvy, smart, beautiful but not really aware of it, witty, etc.), and Reid, while swoon-worthy and valiant, is just a little boring. There is no edge to these two, despite some of their actions and the events surrounding them. As in Anomaly, I would have loved to see more about the adults in the story. I was just so much more interested in their history and how they got to this point than what Josie and her compatriots were currently going through.

There is some great action in Enigma and the search for the Mole is narratively excellent. However, the pacing is a bit uneven. The ending felt rushed and overall the story felt incomplete to me. The world building takes a back seat to the development of Josie’s powers, romantic tension, and introduction of new characters. I also think we never get a real solid understanding of the Consortium, which is probably the biggest issue I have with Enigma.

Despite those issues, I can easily recommend Enigma for fans of YA. The sci-fi spin on the story, the fairly realistic portrayal of teens, and the twists and turns all make for an entertaining read.

Sexual content: kissing