everthereader's review against another edition
4.0
Review Posted On:Marvelous Eden of Books
Spoiler Free Review:
If you're looking to read some historical fantasy with con artists as main characters with unique abilities, an amazing female friendship and friendly banter, this is the book for you. Honestly, this might be one of best young adult historical fantasy debuts I've ever read. The historical setting along with the interesting fantastical abilities and dynamic characters, this was a wonderful debut.
The book takes place in an alternate Boston in 1919. There are people called hemopaths and are seen as a threat. Hemopaths have strange abilities that can bring objects to life through art, create illusions through poetry, and even allow a person feel certain emotions by singing or performing a song. I found a wordsmith to be the most unique, creating illusions through poetry was a really cool concept.
Racism was also brought up towards African Americans and the main character Ada. I was hoping there would be more of a discussion on racism but I'm glad it was brought up. On top of that, the treatment off immigrants in America was also mentioned. I'm really glad that along with the paranormal elements, there was also some historical aspects as well. I'm not going to say much about the plot, but it was very fast paced and there are plenty of plot twists and also a few character betrayals. Though I think the cool concept and world is what really made the story line interesting.
Along with the plot and world, Soria created some great characters as well. Corinne and Ada, the two main protagonists reminded me a lot of Nina and Inej from [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1459349344s/23437156.jpg|42077459]. If you liked their friendship in Six of Crows, you will be bound to feel the same way about Corinne and Ada. Ada is more of the responsible one, she's someone who really thinks things through. She's very intelligent. but more quiet of the two. I loved that she was a person of color and a main characters, another sad rarity in young adult literature. On the other hand, Corinne is loud, cunning and clever. She can be very rash in decision making. but she's also the life of the party. Put both of them together and they are nearly unstoppable.
Hands down, my favorite part about this book was the friendship between Ada and Corinne. Their banter was so snarky and hilarious, but both were also very loyal towards one another. They've been best friends for four years and you can tell that both are lost without each other(as cheesy as it sounds, it's true). The friendship was what truly drove the story and I loved every page of it.
I really enjoyed the side characters as well. Saint is an adorable cinnamon roll, he's the quiet little painter in the corner. The two love interests weren't that bad either. I liked that Ada had a seven month relationship with her love interest prior to the beginning of the book. No insta-love, thank goodness. I could have done without the romance, honestly if we just focused on Ada and Corinne's friendship and banter, I think I would have loved this book even more. But I was really glad that the romance never took up the entire plot, it was always stayed a sub plot.
All in all, if you're looking for an intriguing world with unique magical concepts, con artists, historical elements, and bantering friendships, I would highly recommend picking this book up on its release date.
Rating: 4.25/5
Spoiler Free Review:
If you're looking to read some historical fantasy with con artists as main characters with unique abilities, an amazing female friendship and friendly banter, this is the book for you. Honestly, this might be one of best young adult historical fantasy debuts I've ever read. The historical setting along with the interesting fantastical abilities and dynamic characters, this was a wonderful debut.
The book takes place in an alternate Boston in 1919. There are people called hemopaths and are seen as a threat. Hemopaths have strange abilities that can bring objects to life through art, create illusions through poetry, and even allow a person feel certain emotions by singing or performing a song. I found a wordsmith to be the most unique, creating illusions through poetry was a really cool concept.
Racism was also brought up towards African Americans and the main character Ada. I was hoping there would be more of a discussion on racism but I'm glad it was brought up. On top of that, the treatment off immigrants in America was also mentioned. I'm really glad that along with the paranormal elements, there was also some historical aspects as well. I'm not going to say much about the plot, but it was very fast paced and there are plenty of plot twists and also a few character betrayals. Though I think the cool concept and world is what really made the story line interesting.
Along with the plot and world, Soria created some great characters as well. Corinne and Ada, the two main protagonists reminded me a lot of Nina and Inej from [b:Six of Crows|23437156|Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1459349344s/23437156.jpg|42077459]. If you liked their friendship in Six of Crows, you will be bound to feel the same way about Corinne and Ada. Ada is more of the responsible one, she's someone who really thinks things through. She's very intelligent. but more quiet of the two. I loved that she was a person of color and a main characters, another sad rarity in young adult literature. On the other hand, Corinne is loud, cunning and clever. She can be very rash in decision making. but she's also the life of the party. Put both of them together and they are nearly unstoppable.
Hands down, my favorite part about this book was the friendship between Ada and Corinne. Their banter was so snarky and hilarious, but both were also very loyal towards one another. They've been best friends for four years and you can tell that both are lost without each other(as cheesy as it sounds, it's true). The friendship was what truly drove the story and I loved every page of it.
I really enjoyed the side characters as well. Saint is an adorable cinnamon roll, he's the quiet little painter in the corner. The two love interests weren't that bad either. I liked that Ada had a seven month relationship with her love interest prior to the beginning of the book. No insta-love, thank goodness. I could have done without the romance, honestly if we just focused on Ada and Corinne's friendship and banter, I think I would have loved this book even more. But I was really glad that the romance never took up the entire plot, it was always stayed a sub plot.
All in all, if you're looking for an intriguing world with unique magical concepts, con artists, historical elements, and bantering friendships, I would highly recommend picking this book up on its release date.
Rating: 4.25/5
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author. I thought the characters were well developed and the story kept me engaged. There is plenty of danger and action with a magical feel to everything because of what the main characters, Ada and Corinne can do.
I loved the friendship that Ada and Corinne had. No matter what, they were there for each other and they truly made the story so good. I really liked the historical feel to this one and thought the cast of characters helped to move the story along.
I will definitely be looking for more from Destiny Soria in the future!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
I loved the friendship that Ada and Corinne had. No matter what, they were there for each other and they truly made the story so good. I really liked the historical feel to this one and thought the cast of characters helped to move the story along.
I will definitely be looking for more from Destiny Soria in the future!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
jdsquared's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rosandebie's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a while to get into, but it was a very pleasant and interesting read. The characters are interesting and the world Destiny Soria has created is captivating.
kyliereads341's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'm not usually moved to strong emotions by books but this one has me
Beautifully written prose and mystifying storytelling and characterization mixed with the realities of industrial life in 1919. I'm not a historical fan normally but this book was a treat to read.
Spoiler
crying over characters fates and relationshipsBeautifully written prose and mystifying storytelling and characterization mixed with the realities of industrial life in 1919. I'm not a historical fan normally but this book was a treat to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Torture, Blood, Gun violence, and Racism
Minor: Gun violence and Violence
jacieandbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Finally! Love that the main characters are the best kind of best friends, sarcastic bitches! Great wruting, a few cliché twists but I can live with them.
kayu99's review against another edition
4.0
Ada and Corinne are a wonderful duo and example of strong female friendship. The historical setting came alive, and the plot was intricately crafted.
unacalle's review against another edition
5.0
This review and others and be found on my blog The Fangirl Reads
Rating: 5/5
This. Book.
OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT AND I WANT TO READ IT AGAIN RIGHT NOW I LOVED IT SO FREAKING MUCH. I AM FULL ON FANGIRL TRASH FOR THIS BOOK AND I LITERALLY CANNOT. DESTINY SORIA NEEDS TO WRITE MORE BOOKS BECAUSE I WILL BUY THEM ALL.
*ahem*
Basically, I FULL-ON, NON-STOP, HEART-EYES LOVED this book and I'm going to tell you why.
Let's break it down:
What I Loved:
•The Magic System. It's fascinating. Hemopaths are able to manipulate what they see or how they feel, but it's done through various forms of art: music, poetry, painting and in one hilarious example, theater. Iron is their kryptonite and it is illegal for them to practice their powers - but they do. Basically, its AWESOME. I have never had a magic system completely drag me into a story like this before - as soon as it was explained, I wanted to know more. I have never read a book with magic remotely like this before and so many questions and potential scenarios popped into my head that I had to keep reading.
•Ada and Corinne's Friendship. Ugh. Yes. The friendship between our two heroines is the primary relationship of the novel and it is FANTASTIC (I'm going to over-use that word in this review but just go with it). They are both strong characters but they are complete polar opposites - yet they are such a team together. They're dedicated to each other. They look out for each other. They know how the other operates and all their idiosyncrasies. They are what you want out a best friend and partner in crime.
•The Romantic Relationships. There's two romantic relationships that get a great deal of focus in the novel. One is an established couple trying to navigate through the directions that their relationship is going, something that I haven't seen in YA that still managed to make me fangirl. The other couple got me from the moment they met; they might as well have had a flashing sign over their heads flashing my name. (Hint: my all-time forever OTP of OTPs started our with her interrogating him at knife-point within five minutes of meeting - it's not on that level but in that vein). Both relationships progress in a realistic fashion and had me at my shameless fangirling best. There is a third kind of sort of couple that I'm going to talk about more in a minute.
•The Pacing. Iron Cast has that perfect balance of action and calm. The story moves like lightning, every scene moves the story forward, even if isn't apparent why. It's also addicting. This book was like crack for me. I would have finished this in a day if I didn't have to work for a living.
What I Liked:
•The Diversity. Ada is bi-racial - her father is Portuguese and her mother is from Mozambique (and she is lovely and I adored her). There are flashes and moments where she talks about her upbringing and the differences in what life affords Ada and Corinne, who is white and comes from an extremely privileged background; they're both at a disadvantage being hemopaths, but Ada even more so because of her race. It adds a layer to both the novel as a whole and the girls' relationship There are also two LGBT characters, neither of which is there for the sole purpose of being "the gay character" - I was used to this trope when I first started reading YA back in the mid-2000s, when diversity wasn't really though of in YA and what was there was something that 14 year old me wasn't going to read (I grew up a lot since then). I thought the "reveal" of both of these characters' sexuality, which are hinted at at various points throughout the novel, to be obvious from the first hint and the eventual reveal lacking a bit of punch.
•The Historical Aspects. I loved the time period - I'm somewhat obsessed with the fashion of 1910s and 20s, which was one of the reasons that I was so eager to read this book in the first place. I also love that Prohibition is a looming reality and that the Iron Cast is very much a speakeasy before they became popular (#hipster). The history major in me wanted more historical detail - though that could happen with pretty much any historical fiction book I read.
What I Didn't Like:
•Nothing but the fact it ended.
All in all, Iron Cast is an A+ historical fantasy featuring a friendship between two very strong young women and a kick-ass magic system.
Rating: 5/5
This. Book.
OH MY GOD I LOVED THIS BOOK. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT AND I WANT TO READ IT AGAIN RIGHT NOW I LOVED IT SO FREAKING MUCH. I AM FULL ON FANGIRL TRASH FOR THIS BOOK AND I LITERALLY CANNOT. DESTINY SORIA NEEDS TO WRITE MORE BOOKS BECAUSE I WILL BUY THEM ALL.
*ahem*
Basically, I FULL-ON, NON-STOP, HEART-EYES LOVED this book and I'm going to tell you why.
Let's break it down:
What I Loved:
•The Magic System. It's fascinating. Hemopaths are able to manipulate what they see or how they feel, but it's done through various forms of art: music, poetry, painting and in one hilarious example, theater. Iron is their kryptonite and it is illegal for them to practice their powers - but they do. Basically, its AWESOME. I have never had a magic system completely drag me into a story like this before - as soon as it was explained, I wanted to know more. I have never read a book with magic remotely like this before and so many questions and potential scenarios popped into my head that I had to keep reading.
•Ada and Corinne's Friendship. Ugh. Yes. The friendship between our two heroines is the primary relationship of the novel and it is FANTASTIC (I'm going to over-use that word in this review but just go with it). They are both strong characters but they are complete polar opposites - yet they are such a team together. They're dedicated to each other. They look out for each other. They know how the other operates and all their idiosyncrasies. They are what you want out a best friend and partner in crime.
•The Romantic Relationships. There's two romantic relationships that get a great deal of focus in the novel. One is an established couple trying to navigate through the directions that their relationship is going, something that I haven't seen in YA that still managed to make me fangirl. The other couple got me from the moment they met; they might as well have had a flashing sign over their heads flashing my name. (Hint: my all-time forever OTP of OTPs started our with her interrogating him at knife-point within five minutes of meeting - it's not on that level but in that vein). Both relationships progress in a realistic fashion and had me at my shameless fangirling best. There is a third kind of sort of couple that I'm going to talk about more in a minute.
•The Pacing. Iron Cast has that perfect balance of action and calm. The story moves like lightning, every scene moves the story forward, even if isn't apparent why. It's also addicting. This book was like crack for me. I would have finished this in a day if I didn't have to work for a living.
What I Liked:
•The Diversity. Ada is bi-racial - her father is Portuguese and her mother is from Mozambique (and she is lovely and I adored her). There are flashes and moments where she talks about her upbringing and the differences in what life affords Ada and Corinne, who is white and comes from an extremely privileged background; they're both at a disadvantage being hemopaths, but Ada even more so because of her race. It adds a layer to both the novel as a whole and the girls' relationship There are also two LGBT characters, neither of which is there for the sole purpose of being "the gay character" - I was used to this trope when I first started reading YA back in the mid-2000s, when diversity wasn't really though of in YA and what was there was something that 14 year old me wasn't going to read (I grew up a lot since then). I thought the "reveal" of both of these characters' sexuality, which are hinted at at various points throughout the novel, to be obvious from the first hint and the eventual reveal lacking a bit of punch.
•The Historical Aspects. I loved the time period - I'm somewhat obsessed with the fashion of 1910s and 20s, which was one of the reasons that I was so eager to read this book in the first place. I also love that Prohibition is a looming reality and that the Iron Cast is very much a speakeasy before they became popular (#hipster). The history major in me wanted more historical detail - though that could happen with pretty much any historical fiction book I read.
What I Didn't Like:
•Nothing but the fact it ended.
All in all, Iron Cast is an A+ historical fantasy featuring a friendship between two very strong young women and a kick-ass magic system.
alli_always_reads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0