blacksphinx's review
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This extremely slow-paced gothic fantasy kept my attention the entire time. I am curious of how the overall story will turn out, and I do care about some of the characters.
But I cannot in good consciousness recommend it to anyone due to an important character being an offensive Magical Negro trope. I know this book is 20 years old, but at NO point did the author ever stop and go, "maybe describing the only Black character in my story as smelling like human feces every time she appears is offensive?" She has mystical powers that are considered immoral by the other characters! She speaks in broken english like a minstrel show character! Her hair is described as being tangled and dirty! She walks around topless and seduces a white man, promising to teach him magic in exchange for having sex with her! It's really bad.
But I cannot in good consciousness recommend it to anyone due to an important character being an offensive Magical Negro trope. I know this book is 20 years old, but at NO point did the author ever stop and go, "maybe describing the only Black character in my story as smelling like human feces every time she appears is offensive?" She has mystical powers that are considered immoral by the other characters! She speaks in broken english like a minstrel show character! Her hair is described as being tangled and dirty! She walks around topless and seduces a white man, promising to teach him magic in exchange for having sex with her! It's really bad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Racism, Child death, Grief, Suicide, Death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Misogyny, Homophobia, Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Bullying, and Sexism
Minor: Pedophilia, War, Xenophobia, and Blood
sohva's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The premise was very interesting, but the book slugged a bit and the characters weren't very interesting.
chawlios's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
eb00kie's review against another edition
4.0
I found it a refreshing mix of originality and myth. It brings up questions about power and prejudice though it was a little shaky on aspects of world-building.
Tobin was an engaging character as a boy, and believable, that charms, without being without fault. His Brother is also an attractive mix of fantasy and horror that astounds and draws one in, with his mood-swings and tantrums as well as his sad history.
The wizards, Lehl, Arkoniel, Iya and Nyrin bring a different philosophies of life supported by great and different power along with their respective gods, engaging the reader on a rather accesible problem of ethics, vice and morals.
The third dimension of the book, that of normal people is sadly rather general and a little simple, but draws the reader in with optimistically simple human sketches of dominant general personality trits.
All in all, the book was a pleasant diversion from the application process.
Tobin was an engaging character as a boy, and believable, that charms, without being without fault. His Brother is also an attractive mix of fantasy and horror that astounds and draws one in, with his mood-swings and tantrums as well as his sad history.
The wizards, Lehl, Arkoniel, Iya and Nyrin bring a different philosophies of life supported by great and different power along with their respective gods, engaging the reader on a rather accesible problem of ethics, vice and morals.
The third dimension of the book, that of normal people is sadly rather general and a little simple, but draws the reader in with optimistically simple human sketches of dominant general personality trits.
All in all, the book was a pleasant diversion from the application process.
cnapple's review
3.0
I have a hard time summing up how I feel about this book. The central concept is an interesting one, and is a fresh twist on the genre standard hero's journey. I also apreciate the melding of fantasy and horror genres, something i don't often see done well. There were parts of the story that were very tense and creepy, and rightly so, the opening events are truly horrific. I have to add that Tobins childhood home gave me a serious Jane Eyre vibe.
The characters all feel very authentic; no one is idealized, and their reactions to the events of the plot are complicated and very human. That may be one of the things I find unusual about it, that the players in this fantastical tale all feel so mundane (not necessarily in a bad way, just an odd one). But while I appreciate the complexity of the characters I haven't yet managed to latch onto one I really identify with. As for the world building I feel like the reader is left largely in the dark - the history of magic and the oreskas for example - which I hope is intentional and part of some sort of reveal later on.
The writing is solid for the most part, but I have some issues with the pacing. There are parts that contain a lot of information and background to the extent that I feel they could have been pared down, while other sections - particularly Tobin's big reveal and return to Ero that I feel could have borne closer examination, particularly in regards to Tobin's emotional state. I'm also a little skeptical of the handling, thusfar, of homosexuality and the uneven responses of the characters. Tobin's sexuality in particular I hope will be addressed with further thought and sensitivity later in the trilogy. And finally - and only semi-seriously - I have to ask: does it still count as a bechdel's pass if one of the female characters thinks they are male?
All in all it was an interesting and worthwhile read, and I plan to continue with the trilogy. It hasn't really sucked me in yet though.
The characters all feel very authentic; no one is idealized, and their reactions to the events of the plot are complicated and very human. That may be one of the things I find unusual about it, that the players in this fantastical tale all feel so mundane (not necessarily in a bad way, just an odd one). But while I appreciate the complexity of the characters I haven't yet managed to latch onto one I really identify with. As for the world building I feel like the reader is left largely in the dark - the history of magic and the oreskas for example - which I hope is intentional and part of some sort of reveal later on.
The writing is solid for the most part, but I have some issues with the pacing. There are parts that contain a lot of information and background to the extent that I feel they could have been pared down, while other sections - particularly Tobin's big reveal and return to Ero that I feel could have borne closer examination, particularly in regards to Tobin's emotional state. I'm also a little skeptical of the handling, thusfar, of homosexuality and the uneven responses of the characters. Tobin's sexuality in particular I hope will be addressed with further thought and sensitivity later in the trilogy. And finally - and only semi-seriously - I have to ask: does it still count as a bechdel's pass if one of the female characters thinks they are male?
All in all it was an interesting and worthwhile read, and I plan to continue with the trilogy. It hasn't really sucked me in yet though.
gkneveu's review against another edition
4.0
I've been meaning to read this book for ages. If my sister hadn't lost it *ahem* I would have read it a lot sooner. I'm really glad I did get around to finally reading it because it was a great book.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it is truly Young Adult Literature. This is what I think real YA books should be. It isn't YA because it has a pointless romance plot or annoyingly angsty characters it's YA because the themes are too mature for children. I, at least, would not have been able to read this as a kid. Sure, it was about a child but it was dark, scary and had some sex scenes in it. But unlike many "teen" books, the sex felt completely necessary to advance the plot. It also briefly dealt with homosexuality. I'm not saying that this is a "mature" topic by any means, but it is dealt with maturely in the book. I also appreciated that the implications that one of the main characters is gay was not beaten into the reader's head.
I really like the overall theme of sacrifice and questionable acts done for a belief in some sort of "greater good." The characters sincerely believe in what they are doing but they are forced to commit evils in order to achieve it. I would say that Tobin and Ki are an exception to this. I would have liked to see a little more moral ambiguity in these two.
My two main complaints would be 1) pacing and 2) some minor issues with the writing. For pacing, I thought that the book was slow in some parts. I kept forgetting how old Tobin was and was continually surprised by how slow time was passing in the book. I felt that there were stretches of time that could have been glossed over because not that much of interest was happening.
For the writing, it certainly wasn't bad. My only issue was that it was repetitive at times. The same description or sentence structure would be used too closely together and it was a bit jarring.
Overall, really good book. I read it fairly quickly and often read for long stretches of time. I appreciated greatly that there weren't annoying cliff hangers at every turn (another symbol of a "teen" book) but it still managed to captivate my attention. I also liked the seamless changes of perspective from chapter to chapter.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it is truly Young Adult Literature. This is what I think real YA books should be. It isn't YA because it has a pointless romance plot or annoyingly angsty characters it's YA because the themes are too mature for children. I, at least, would not have been able to read this as a kid. Sure, it was about a child but it was dark, scary and had some sex scenes in it. But unlike many "teen" books, the sex felt completely necessary to advance the plot. It also briefly dealt with homosexuality. I'm not saying that this is a "mature" topic by any means, but it is dealt with maturely in the book. I also appreciated that the implications that one of the main characters is gay was not beaten into the reader's head.
I really like the overall theme of sacrifice and questionable acts done for a belief in some sort of "greater good." The characters sincerely believe in what they are doing but they are forced to commit evils in order to achieve it. I would say that Tobin and Ki are an exception to this. I would have liked to see a little more moral ambiguity in these two.
My two main complaints would be 1) pacing and 2) some minor issues with the writing. For pacing, I thought that the book was slow in some parts. I kept forgetting how old Tobin was and was continually surprised by how slow time was passing in the book. I felt that there were stretches of time that could have been glossed over because not that much of interest was happening.
For the writing, it certainly wasn't bad. My only issue was that it was repetitive at times. The same description or sentence structure would be used too closely together and it was a bit jarring.
Overall, really good book. I read it fairly quickly and often read for long stretches of time. I appreciated greatly that there weren't annoying cliff hangers at every turn (another symbol of a "teen" book) but it still managed to captivate my attention. I also liked the seamless changes of perspective from chapter to chapter.
sovietgnome's review
4.0
Man, it's great to finally read a fantasy novel that is more about the characters than the politics. Flewelling takes a fairly standard fantasy setting, sets up an interesting history, and throws compelling characters into her new world to make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Some of the best fantasy I have read.
meljon's review
5.0
Excellent series. In my top 10. This is the first book I read by this author, and she is a new favorite of mine. Now on to read everything else she has written...
wetdryvac's review
5.0
Consider this to be a review of the three book series, as each book is fantastic, stands on its own, and seriously builds both world and story. Some really grim stuff in here, but absolutely worth every word.