Mortal Vengeance II: To Reel or Not To Real? by Alejandro Torres De la Rocha Book Review

Mortal Vengeance II: To Reel or Not To Real? is a sequel that asks a really uncomfortable question: what really happens when the survivor becomes the TV star, and when their pain becomes entertainment?

The book is a mix of reality TV, dark humour, and fears.

Spoiler-Free Plot

Fame always takes something in return. Three years after the massacre at Excelsior Academy, the survivors are not just survivors anymore. They are the stars of a hit reality show. Alex, Melissa, Monika, Mario, and Lucia live their lives in front of the cameras, and a producer named Shane wants more drama every single day.

Furthermore, the problem is that the group is healing. They go to therapy and are trying to move on, and that is boring for TV. So Shane decides to make the drama herself. She pushes the new cast members to start fights, fake romances, and break the survivors down on camera.

After some events, it turns out the cameras are not the only ones watching. But while everyone chases the next viral moment, something darker starts moving in the background. An old face from the past is found dead. Threatening notes start to show up. And Shane can see it all from behind the camera. Is she just trying to catch a good story, or is she invested in all of this more deeply than anyone thinks?

The question arises: is it someone from the old Excelsior who never got their justice? Is it someone copying the original killers? Or is the real danger the show itself, which keeps filming when people are scared?

Read the book to find out who is really watching, and who is hunting everyone.

My Take On Mortal Vengeance II

I was not expecting this book to be this much different from the first two. The whole story was well written, like a reality show. It has scripts, confessional booths, and old interview clips. At the beginning of the book, I thought that it was all for fun, but as I went deeper, it all made sense.

The book reminds you that you cannot be relaxed for a long while. These kids had suffered a lot.

Shane is the character I loved to hate. She sees someone’s worst moment and sees content to record. She is always thinking three steps ahead of everyone. She seemed to enjoy the pain of the people while just watching it. We all have such people around us who enjoy someone’s pain, and that was a worthy thing to think about.

My favourite characters are still Alex and Monika. Alex is still strong and funny, but now afraid of himself. He had been laughing off his pain and hard times, but when it was his time to show anger, that was scary. He is neither a hero nor a villain, but somewhere in between, and that’s what makes him human. I felt a bit bad for Mario. He tries so hard to be part of the group, but it seems like nobody cares. He even makes jokes to cover the fact that he is lonely.

The writing is still Alejandro’s style, which is sharp and psychological, but this time it is faster and funnier. He still takes you inside why people do what they do, not just what they do. The book also has some really scary moments, and they work better because they come right after a joke, when you are not ready. The setting and the character development are all on point.

It is a big book, and I will be honest: some parts move slower than others. But the tension always comes back, and when the story gets dark, it gets really dark.

If you read the first two books, you need to read this one too. If you did not, start with those first, or you will miss a lot of the history. This book is recommended to readers who like thrillers with a bite, dark humour, and stories that make you think about the world we watch every day.

Mortal Vengeance II is a story about fame, guilt, and what it costs when your worst moment becomes a show.

Age Rating

This book is recommended for ages 16+.

Trigger Warnings

Graphic violence, murder, abuse, grooming references, suicide, and LGBTQ+ themes.

Catch up on the series: read our reviews of Mortal Vengeance and Mortal Vengeance: A Grim Tale, and our interview with Alejandro Torres De la Rocha.

---