Reviews

Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb

wranglerofwords's review

adventurous emotional informative reflective relaxing tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

allygogo's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ohallows's review

2.5

I'm gonna be honest the way that decisions about sex are treated in this book suck shit. tats sucks "if you don't sleep with me it's because you don't love me" / "people who love each other don't say no" that's simply rape actually!!! why are almost all of the men like this!! just like in liveship traders!!

katherinesummers's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ioana_oncea's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

sebren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mwellemeyer's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

ceresreads's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

Now, I completely get why rainwilds doesn't have the same level of fans as the rest of the trilogies,  even on book 2 i think 4 books is too many for the story trying to be told here and I also appreciate how frustrating some of the storylines are to read BUT I actually am enjoying most of my time here (with some caveats).

I completely see what the storyline with Thymara is doing, this whole coming of age, taking charge of her own bodily autonomy, the right to say no and most interestingly to me a discussion about womanhood. While it all makes sense, some scenes that we get as a result did grate on me I cant lie, the conversations Greft had with her about "choosing a mate" its all so sickening, he talks about Jerd like a thing to be tamed not a person and I don't think we get enough of Jerd's perspective really. I don't think the narrative frames her in a bad light (ultimately shes a teenage girl learning about desire for the first time when her whole life she never thought that was in the cards for her) but still. Having been socialised to accept that romantic and sexual relationships were not in the cards for her her behaviour makes sense, even when she does say things about how

Spoiler

thinking that rapskal had slept with jerd made her think less of him

and honestly shes the only one considering what this means for the women in the party when they are out here trying to SURVIVE in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. Like please we must be serious. Plus thymara's

Spoiler

voyeuristic phase was really really uncomfortable

 

This whole coming of age, taking charge of her own bodily autonomy, the right to say no
While it all makes sense, it did grate on me I cant lie, the conversations Greft had with her about "choosing a mate" its all so sickening, he talks about Jerd like a thing to be tamed not a person and I don't think we get enough of Jerd's perspective really. I don't think the narrative frames her in a bad light (ultimately shes a teenage girl learning about desire for the first time when her whole life she never thought that was in the cards for her) but still.

A real highlight for me was Sedric and Alise and that whole situation. The conversation they had together in chapter 12 was so good, seeing Sedric slowly unravel the unvarnished truth about the

Spoiler

abusive relationship he is in with Hest

was really well done. The way Alise

Spoiler

finally gets closure and that it isnt her fault things are like this in her marriage, she was targeted from the start! and not that i support cheating but GO ALISE GET YOUR MAN

and seeing Alise's skills and knowledge to start to come in handy more on their journey yea it's starting to solidify into an excellent arc for her.

One thing thats interesting to me is how this series puts in focus the outcasts of both dragon and rainwilder societies, they are deemed as less worthy of life and in book 1 they are happy to get rid of both of these groups seen as a drain on the community. In doing so, I think they have unknowingly given both these groups their best chance. Noone else will have the dedication of these keepers, and these dragons will work to survive because of their hope for Kelsingra. 

s0metimesireadb00ks's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

lizardking_no1's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25