a_very_dyslexic_reader's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Murder, Homophobia, Bullying, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
tourneuse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
‘The first half suffers from the absence of the impressive Akkarin, but it's a convincing account of an outsider's struggle to grow up in a magic school.’
I wrote the above when I was a teenager and it’s sort of true but very misleading. This is the slowest book in the trilogy. After inadvertently discovering in Book 1 that High Lord Akkarin, Sonea is made his apprentice and forced to keep his secret. As he never takes apprentices, the other pupils are extremely jealous of Sonea and bully her for her background in the slums. Akkarin takes less than zero interest in her - which stunts her education - even sending her out into a corridor after finding her hiding from her bullies. No wonder that when he does invite her to dinner, isolated as she is, she hangs on his every word. So does the reader. Despite what is, in hindsight, Akkarin’s atrocious behaviour, he is written so much more interestingly than Sonea’s fellow students, mirroring the problem she has in the story. Some highlights are supporting POV characters Lorlen and Dannyl but their chapters are separate subplots.
I’d like to reread it but I loved it at the time and the adult knowledge that it’s so inappropriate might ruin it for me.
I wrote the above when I was a teenager and it’s sort of true but very misleading. This is the slowest book in the trilogy. After inadvertently discovering in Book 1 that High Lord Akkarin
Spoiler
practises the illegal Black Magic, as her punishment for doing precisely nothing wrongI’d like to reread it but I loved it at the time and the adult knowledge that it’s so inappropriate might ruin it for me.
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse
singalana's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Bullying and Homophobia
Minor: Chronic illness, Blood, Death, Injury/injury detail, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol
nemof403c's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Sexual harassment
syllareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Homophobia
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