*Warning* This review is for the third book in a trilogy. Consequently, the content of this review will have spoilers for the previous two books
Although they have their faults, I love the first two books in The Lone City Trilogy and consider them my favorite YA Dystopian books. I put off reading The Black Key for longer than I care to admit, but I wanted to enjoy the story uninterrupted so I waited until vacation. Was it worth the wait? Well, the first two-thirds was.
The first chapter where Violet and Raven visit the holding facilities to rally together surrogates to their cause gave me goosebumps. I loved how Violet goes undercover to the house of the lake to find Hazel. I love how others are inspired by Violet. However, this book begins to crash about ¾ of the way through. The ending was faster than an Olympic sprinter with more loose threads than my first attempt at embroidery. Many Important plot elements were left with little to no resolution whatsoever.
In the first book of the trilogy were learn that childbirth kills surrogates. Violet is friends with, Lily, a pregnant surrogate from the bank, who appeared in the first two books. Lily is mentioned at the beginning of The Black Key but never appears. Normally a simple mention would be enough for me, but it was how Lilly was mentioned. Violet says she is going to save Lily’s life.
What to do about the surrogates who are already pregnant is a huge moral dilemma that actually rings true to reality. I spent five hundred pages holding my breath waiting to see how the author chose to address this issue. *Spoiler* After the Society of the Black Key succeeds in their revolution, they don’t mention the pregnant surrogates at all. Shouldn’t this be high on the new government’s priority list? I know this is a delicate topic and it would probably affect sales if the author took a side, but literature is supposed to challenge the reader! *End Spoiler*
Another missed opportunity occurring at the “climax” of The Black Key was the consequences to some of Violet’s actions. She makes some decisions in the heat of the moment with disastrous results. However, Violet doesn’t have to face these consequences because they weren’t really her fault so life goes on as usual. *Spoiler* The night before the auction Violet shatters a key in a mirror at the Extor’s palace. Lucien is discovered as the lead of the Black Key Society because of it and is executed. I liked how Violet’s acting on emotion got her into trouble. However, I don’t appreciate Ash telling Violet it’s not her fault because she didn’t know the Royals would connect her breaking the mirrors with Lucien’s involvement in the Black Key. Having Violet immediately drop all guilt over Lucien’s death nulls the entire reason for killing him in the first place. Character death should have lasting consequences, but everything mostly goes to plan without Lucien! Why get rid of him if it doesn’t permanently affect the narrative other than having some characters be sad for two pages? *End Spoiler*
The lone city and the rule of the nobility is the only system of government these people have known for hundreds of years. History has shown us one system cannot be overthrown without a new one to take its place. Otherwise, there would be great chaos and perhaps another war. Towards the middle of the book Violet discusses with Lucien what will the government look like if their revolution succeeds. Lucien admits he would like a democratic form of government, but others would want revenge on the royalty. How does The Society of the Black Key resolve this issue? *Spoilers* At the end of the book, the establishment of a new system of government is described in three sentences. “There is a meeting held that night about what to do with the remaining royals. Many, as Lucien had said, want executions across the board. Others, like Sil, insist the royals should pay with hard labor” (pg. 286). This isn’t enough. *End of Spoilers* A complete turnover of the current government isn’t an easy DIY task. It requires collaboration, time, arguments, and struggle. I cannot bring myself to believe things are going to turn out well for the lone city after the revolution with what little I saw of its development.
It’s painful not to enjoy the last taste I have of a series when the bites before it were so good. What bothers me the most about this book is that it could’ve been better if there was more time given to work certain parts out, like what to do with the Pregnant surrogates, or who establishes the new government.
