Book Review: The Key by Simon Toyne (Sancti trilogy #2)

The Key is the second book to Santci trilogy, a sequel to Sanctus. This book is written by International best-selling author Simon Toyne, whose books have been translated into 27 languages, and published in more than 40 countries. The Key is a fast paced, conspiracy thriller, and it continued the story that began in Sanctus. I have read The Key, and I thought this is a good novel. Today, I would like to share some of my thoughts about this book in a review.

Synopsis:

Following the events from Sanctus, journalist Liv Adamsen woke up alone in a hospital, and discovered she lose her memory. Despite her amnesia, Liv felt something stirring in her, where a distant whisper breezing into her hears, calling her “the key”.

Meanwhile, a dreadful plague broke out in the Citadel, infecting the monks who lived within. To the monks, Liv held the key to alleviate them from this terrible plague, so the monks were determined to have Liv returned to the Citadel at all costs. However, the powerful faction at the Vatican City had a different perspective on the situation. For the ruler at the Vatican City, Liv posed a threat that could endanger the cardinal's plan to save the church from a financial disaster.

Being chased down by both the Citadel and the Vatican City, Liv's only chance was to seek assistance from a charity worker called Gabriel Mann. Together, they must evade their enemies, and solve the mystery of the key.

What I think about this book:

The Key is an electrifying thriller. This book introduced a new mystery to expand the plot from Sanctus. The author, Simon Toyne taut the strings of suspense in this book, as he gradually pealed off the layers of questions surrounding the central mystery, taking his readers on an exhilarating ride full of twists and turns, until the story reached a climax at the end of the book.

Simon Toyne wrote brilliantly in this book. There is a cinematic quality to his writing style. Every scene, from the descriptions for a harrowing ancient tower, to the breath-taking desert landscape, is depicted vividly and atmospherically. I also appreciated Toyne's use of short chapters in this book, it created a sense of urgency, encouraging the readers to continue reading this book until the end. Meanwhile, the use of short chapters also sped up the pace of the book. This is an addictive read, I could not stop reading this book after I passed the 300 page mark, because I was so eager to find out how the book was going to end.

While I enjoyed reading The Key, but I found the story in Sanctus more gripping. This is because The Key lacks the esoteric atmosphere from Sanctus. Sure, there is a new mystery in The Key, but for me the story in this book doesn't feel as interesting, or self-contained, as the story in Sanctus. Instead, The Key ended with a cliff-hanger. As a result, The Key feels like an interim book, a setup for a sequel. Having said this, I still think The Key is a good novel, and those who have already read Sanctus probably wouldn't want to miss this one.