Archenemies // Review

Is it just me, or does anyone else get second hand anxiety when a character is snooping around. Especially in movies, but in books too. I am just internally screaming, “RUN! Run while you can!” and the internal screaming doesn’t stop until that house is loooong gone. Just me? Ok… 

So today we are going to be chatting about Archenemies by Marissa Meyer. There will be spoilers for Renegades (see my review HERE). You have been warned.

Time is running out.
Together, they can save the world.
But they each other’s worst nightmare.

In Renegades, Nova and Adrian (aka Insomnia and Sketch) fought the battle of their lives against the Anarchist known as the Detonator. It was a short-lived victory.

The Anarchists still have a secret weapon, one that Nova believes will protect her. The Renegades also have a strategy for overpowering the Anarchists, but both Nova and Adrian understand that it could mean the end of Gatlon City – and the world – as they know it. (from Goodreads)

Little flash to the past here, but back in Renegades I loved how I could see the the good and bad to both sides. The Renegades weren’t inherently good or evil, and neither were the Anarchists. Well, say goodbye to that. Bye, bye hopped on a train to nowhere.

Archenemies totally destroyed my internal conflict of who is right and who is wrong. Now I think both sides are wrong. The amount of shady stuff going on— not good.

The way Renegades ended with Uncle Ace waltzing in was so shocking. Did not see that coming at all. I think Ace entering the picture really messed with the ideals of the Anarchists. I mean, Ace’s theme song is basically Ace knows best *sung in the tune of Mother Knows Best from Tangled for dramatic flair*

Related: Uncle Ace is hecka possessive. Like calling Nova “little Nightmare” sounds so diminutive. Nova is literally spying for you, yet you call her little Nightmare which makes her sound young and small. Stop it. Your manipulation does not fly here.

Can I get a gullible?? *echo effect* The Renegades don’t even try to confirm Nightmare is dead. Well, we saw her bleeding, so she must be dead. Who let these people be in charge?? Seriously, who?? 

The Renegades complete lack of investigative skills is beyond me. They don’t ask any questions. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, but I feel like they would want to know who their recruits are beyond the initial “cool you turn into butterflies!”

I was hoping for some more development of the supporting characters. But no, that is still on hold. This book was very much the Nova and Adrian show. 

The part where Nova was trying to seduce Adrian physically pained me. In Renegades they were the right amount of awkward, but this was too much. Archenemies was the type of awkward that pains me, yet I can’t seem to look away from the train wreck. 

I am having a hard time being invested in Adrian and Nova’s relationship. Until they reveal their secret identities and emerge from their own pits of lies and deception, I can’t seem to 100% root for them.

That being said, there were still some really cute moments. I will forever love when the one with rough edges in the relationship teaches the soft one how to shoot. 

Archenemies was not for me. It honestly just felt really slow. A lot of the softer moments I dug in Renegades were replaced with awkward flirting, and the plot didn’t captive me. Idk man, just didn’t vibe as much. But I still am curious enough to read Supernova. 

Have you read Archenemies? What did you think??