I haven’t read the full book yet, but my current opinion is: Cytonic is not a gripping, edge of your seat, OMG what happens next book. But it a very, VERY fun read and I’m really enjoying it.
I’m enjoying it a lot more than I did SA or the other two books in the series. Not because those books were bad -they’re awesome - but because those books are more serious in many respects. They’re much darker in tone. I have to put a lot more emotional energy into the books, because I’m constantly worrying about the characters, or hurting over deaths, or any of a dozen other things.
Cytonic, in contrast, is FUN. Yes, there’s danger still, albeit of a different sort. But overall this reads as a cross between a D&D campaign and an adventure novel. It’s similar to why I love BoM. There’s just a lightness to the narrative in this book, even though the darkness is still present.
So while I don’t feel like I NEED to read the next chapter, as I often do with a Brandon book, I WANT to because I’m having fun and can just enjoy the story without being terrified (in a good way) of what will happen to the characters next. Like Spensa gets to just enjoy flying, I get to just enjoy reading. It’s a much needed breather for both of us.
And I do mean needed. This is the first book where I really connected with Spensa and felt she was growing. From the beginning, Spensa has always been in survival mode. She had to be. Now she finally has a moment to breathe - and in that moment she’s finally getting a chance to figure out who she is and what she wants. I understand why some disagree with the choice to remove a major source of danger, but I don’t think Spensa could grow into herself if she didn’t have the momentary safety to do so.
TL;DR: I love the book so far and I’m taking my time reading it so I can fully enjoy the experience. I don’t know that this will be my favorite book - that’s probably still Skyward - but it’s the read that’s been most fun for me.