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fkshg8465's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this one just a little bit less than the previous, but that’s because I generally get annoyed even famous historical figures are reimagined in time travel tropes. My brain also tends to try to work out all the knots created with time travel that trickle back through the ages into the present storyline. So I tend to spend too much time overthinking something that has no need of my energy, given that it’s fiction. There were a few other things that bothered me, but to get into them would be giving away spoilers.
Excited to read the third installment as well as the prequel as soon as they come off hold at my library.
Excited to read the third installment as well as the prequel as soon as they come off hold at my library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
siglerbooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.5
This was a very engaging book full of important little details. Harkness does a great job of pulling all the pieces together so they are believable and entertaining.
This book does a great job building both our main characters and several of the side characters from the first book, as well as introducing new characters that feel like real people.
I must say, I enjoyed the side characters even more than Matthew and Diana.
I found Matthew's brooding a bit taxing as the story went along. It felt like growth between Diana and Matthew took a bit too long and it did get frustrating, however the side characters were loveable enough to make up for it.
I love Harkness's way of weaving useful information in with the desires and personalities we've already come to know of Matthew and Diana. They didn't feel like completely different people despite their circumstances.
She also does a wonderful job of making the story feel complete, letting the reader see little snippets of detail like the ripples a choice causes in time. I don't understand how this book could feel so beautifully finished and yet leave me so tense and ready for the third book. I can't wait to see how this trilogy will end in the next novel.
This book does a great job building both our main characters and several of the side characters from the first book, as well as introducing new characters that feel like real people.
I must say, I enjoyed the side characters even more than Matthew and Diana.
I found Matthew's brooding a bit taxing as the story went along. It felt like growth between Diana and Matthew took a bit too long and it did get frustrating, however the side characters were loveable enough to make up for it.
I love Harkness's way of weaving useful information in with the desires and personalities we've already come to know of Matthew and Diana. They didn't feel like completely different people despite their circumstances.
She also does a wonderful job of making the story feel complete, letting the reader see little snippets of detail like the ripples a choice causes in time. I don't understand how this book could feel so beautifully finished and yet leave me so tense and ready for the third book. I can't wait to see how this trilogy will end in the next novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Pandemic/Epidemic
btrz7's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
Oh God, I thought this book would never end.
For as much as the premise sounds interesting and just what I would love (magic creatures time travelling to the past), the book itself falls miserably short of anything.
First, I think I just read a book with absolutely no plot. It drags on and on and on and you really don't know what's the point of it (or rather, you know what the point is meant to be, but the book itself seems to have forgotten). Second, the two main characters became kind of insufferable. Matthew seems to be the most important man at any point in space and time, who knows everyone of importance, is involved in everything, and can influence just about anything and anyone. Diana is the most special witch to have existed, and despite knowing nothing about magic, she is also apparently one of the most powerful. Together, they go through time and meet a new historical figure every 10 pages or so. Forgetting, along the way, everything they're there to do.
So yeah, I fail to see what this book accomplished in the trilogy, as most of it seemed to be both of the main characters dressing up and going out and being dramatic about their marriage.
For as much as the premise sounds interesting and just what I would love (magic creatures time travelling to the past), the book itself falls miserably short of anything.
First, I think I just read a book with absolutely no plot. It drags on and on and on and you really don't know what's the point of it (or rather, you know what the point is meant to be, but the book itself seems to have forgotten). Second, the two main characters became kind of insufferable. Matthew seems to be the most important man at any point in space and time, who knows everyone of importance, is involved in everything, and can influence just about anything and anyone. Diana is the most special witch to have existed, and despite knowing nothing about magic, she is also apparently one of the most powerful. Together, they go through time and meet a new historical figure every 10 pages or so. Forgetting, along the way, everything they're there to do.
So yeah, I fail to see what this book accomplished in the trilogy, as most of it seemed to be both of the main characters dressing up and going out and being dramatic about their marriage.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, and Antisemitism
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