If you thought Gracie was broken in the last book, you haven’t seen anything yet. We all new Grace was broken in All Fall Down. Grace thought that finding her mother’s killer would free her from the guilt that haunted her. Instead of setting her free, it locked her in chains. She realizes that she caused the death of her mother and can’t bear the guilt. It is a constant burden the entire. She also learns numerous secrets, which only add the burden she carries. To make matters worse, she lacks the support group she had in All Fall Down. Grace sees all the pain that happens around her and believes she is the cause of it. She continues to distance herself from the friends that only want to help her leaving her even more broken inside.
See How They Run was amazing. Coming into this book, I was worried. I only remembered a whiny Grace and forgot All Fall Down’s cliffhanger. I should have known better than to doubt Ally Carter. Yes, Grace was whiny in this book, but it felt more justified. Instead of seeming lack a brat who couldn’t move on from the loss of her mother, she became a broken and grieving character who caused the death of a loved one. She became a crushed and scarred character that didn’t feel like she deserved any love. This caused her to distance herself from all her friends. The supporting cast of characters we had come to love in All Fall Down played very minor roles. None of them was given the chance to develop, despite the fact that they could have become well defined characters. Instead, Grace pushed them away as it became more apparent that she needed them. This book also had romance that wasn’t really in the last book. Sadly, the romance disappoints me because Grace isn’t mentally strong enough to handle a relationship. While this book is disappointing when it comes to characters, it isn’t when it comes to plot. The book instantly grabbed my attention and took me for a rollercoaster ride. The plot was nonstop suspense as each event introduced new questions and further complicated the plot. See How They Run also made better use of the setting. Embassy Row is a place where a wrong move can set up an international nightmare. The actions of these teenagers had some major repercussions and created a looming sense of terror (at least for those with some sense of diplomatic relations). This installment also expanded upon the setting by providing an almost fairytale history and mixing it with a bit of politics. I give this 323 page book 4 stars.