tillyleigh's review against another edition
2.0
This was a hard slog for me. The payoff after all the world building just...wasn't. Sad to have it go nowhere really
audreyshreve's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
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
rea_senmer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.25
lookitskatiex's review against another edition
3.0
Let me start by saying that I loved all the books up until this point. I loved that all of the villains had back stories that explained what made them as they were, such as The Red Queen. I loved that many of the characters were flawed in some ways, and made bad choices, such as Mhurn. I loved that some had terrible pasts but rose above it, such as Lazarus, and Lily. I loved that some had terrible pasts, but succumbed to a life of harming others as they were harmed, such as Thorne. I loved that Kelsea wasn't some sort of too perfect YA heroine who is equal parts sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously clever. And I loved that Elyssa wasn't evil, but simply shallow, and extremely selfish. People are formed by a mixture of their life events, and who they are intrinsically. This is, realistically, how real world good guys, and bad guys are formed. Most people aren't evil just to be evil. Most people have reasons, good or bad, for doing what they do. Heroes and villains aren't made in a vacuum, and Erika Johansen illustrates this in all three of her books. However...
I felt like it was unsatisfying to spend time with all of these characters only to end up finding out that, as far as anyone but Kelsea is concerned, none of the events ever really happened. She is the only one who remembers anything. All of her relationships and friendships have evaporated. Perhaps, the author intended to make a statement about what people have to be willing to give up to change the world (Lily had to be willing to die, for example, before she was allowed on the ship.), but it still doesn't sit well. I get that Kelsea's sacrifice was what made her different than others who would rule, but it didn't make the ending any more palatable. It made me feel like there was no point to anything I had read up until that point.
I felt like it was unsatisfying to spend time with all of these characters only to end up finding out that, as far as anyone but Kelsea is concerned, none of the events ever really happened. She is the only one who remembers anything. All of her relationships and friendships have evaporated. Perhaps, the author intended to make a statement about what people have to be willing to give up to change the world (Lily had to be willing to die, for example, before she was allowed on the ship.), but it still doesn't sit well. I get that Kelsea's sacrifice was what made her different than others who would rule, but it didn't make the ending any more palatable. It made me feel like there was no point to anything I had read up until that point.
michaelagillard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
bookishstone's review against another edition
5.0
This series is amazing. I'm in awe of what Johansen did with this series. It keeps you on your toes and eager to turn the next page. New favorite series.
kellsway's review against another edition
4.0
I get why the author ended this wonderful trilogy the way she did but I don't really like it....Hmmm. Some how i felt as though I was short change or cheated. Overall, it was a hell of a read. I don't regret the time invested in this baby.
Gonna take a drink and think about this a bit. My ratings may or may not change after some deeper thought.
Two Glasses back to back after this read
calluna_vulgar1s's review against another edition
2.0
Caveat: I did not finish mainly because I looked up spoilers.
But the vampire children army is still stupid. It could be the same thing if Finn (I do the audiobook so I guess at name spellings) had been hinted at AT ALL in book one.
There’s a fair amount about the Fetch in book one, and there seems to be little to no payoff.
I know how it ends. It’s like that shitty Next movie or the last Twilight book wherein like everyone dies and then poof somehow it’s all fixed. In this the somehow is Kelsea going back in time. Which isn’t the worst thing but the happy ending undoes all of the character progress and the point of those bogus history chapter headings (taken from the works of Father Tyler about the Glynn Queen, etc.)
I mean it felt like she should have somehow won in the end and fixed the kingdom. Instead her choices were to die in her castle or go back in time. It’s like the author wanted to keep the reader guessing in the most basic sense. When you nix the whole inevitably of the ending it’s just pointless. Unfulfilling. It’s not like I’m reading some random YA fantasy novel to find fulfillment, but you can have “lesser” quality books that feel fulfilling.
This is still not as bad as Charlaine Harris’s last three Sookie Stackhouse books. Harris was way too obviously trying to be unpredictable. When you try to be unpredictable without building a foundation you might as well just write random bullshit.
So my opinion isn’t the most helpful because I didn’t finish reading but usually the spoilers don’t really bother me. I guess it’s just when the spoilers culminate in ‘oh at the end she has a different life and everyone is alive.’ Good for Kelsea, bad for the reader.
Why have her mom alive pre-time travel? Why have her father be the guard she euthanized? The church stuff was very heavy handed and I hope at least the stupid vampire children army had a good go at the arvath and the holy father and all.
I’m done with this series.
But the vampire children army is still stupid. It could be the same thing if Finn (I do the audiobook so I guess at name spellings) had been hinted at AT ALL in book one.
There’s a fair amount about the Fetch in book one, and there seems to be little to no payoff.
I know how it ends. It’s like that shitty Next movie or the last Twilight book wherein like everyone dies and then poof somehow it’s all fixed. In this the somehow is Kelsea going back in time. Which isn’t the worst thing but the happy ending undoes all of the character progress and the point of those bogus history chapter headings (taken from the works of Father Tyler about the Glynn Queen, etc.)
I mean it felt like she should have somehow won in the end and fixed the kingdom. Instead her choices were to die in her castle or go back in time. It’s like the author wanted to keep the reader guessing in the most basic sense. When you nix the whole inevitably of the ending it’s just pointless. Unfulfilling. It’s not like I’m reading some random YA fantasy novel to find fulfillment, but you can have “lesser” quality books that feel fulfilling.
This is still not as bad as Charlaine Harris’s last three Sookie Stackhouse books. Harris was way too obviously trying to be unpredictable. When you try to be unpredictable without building a foundation you might as well just write random bullshit.
So my opinion isn’t the most helpful because I didn’t finish reading but usually the spoilers don’t really bother me. I guess it’s just when the spoilers culminate in ‘oh at the end she has a different life and everyone is alive.’ Good for Kelsea, bad for the reader.
Why have her mom alive pre-time travel? Why have her father be the guard she euthanized? The church stuff was very heavy handed and I hope at least the stupid vampire children army had a good go at the arvath and the holy father and all.
I’m done with this series.