joshgauthier's review against another edition
4.0
As Miriam's desire to do good grows stronger, she turns from survivor to hunter as she tries to understand the forces that have shaped her life and protect those caught up in the wreckage. But the more she fights back, the greater the challenges that face her. Miriam is still fighting forces she does not comprehend for goals she does not understand--and at the end of the day, it may be those she cares about most who pay the price.
jefffrane's review against another edition
5.0
Don't pick this up if you anything critically important to tend to for the day. Expect to be thrown down the waterslide with no hope of climbing out until you crash at the bottom. And, whatever you do, do not start this book unless you have read the first four Miriam Black books or you will be lost from page 1. I love Atlanta Burns, but I guess we're never seeing another story about her. That leaves Miriam Black as the uncontested champion of Chuck Wendig characters. Sorry, no plot notes. Just read the damn book. After, you know, you read all the others.
hmuraski27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
brhillmann's review
5.0
This is definitely the most brutal one for me to read, but I have such a fondness for Miriam that I couldn’t really put it down. Who needs sleep?
chukg's review
4.0
These books are so good, great imagery and this has one of the craziest scenes yet (and an appropriate chapter title afterward). The overall story progresses and Miriam's life is changed a lot. There is one more but I've been saving it.
purelykara's review
4.0
Okay this book deserves five stars cause Miriam is a badass and I love the shit out of her, but something happens in this book that broke my fucking heart so I need a minute to be mad so four stars it is. Miriam is back and so are a few other characters that have wandered through her universe. This books ties all that in really well, but I’m still mad! Chuck, you are a brilliant asshole!
prettyinpapercuts's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
andrewbenesh1's review against another edition
5.0
Chuck Wendig's Miriam Black is back from a fifth, and semi-final (?) round. As with the other books in the series, The Raptor and the Wren delivers a healthy dose of wit, crassness, visceral action, and emotional sophistication. The result is a fun, kinetic read that will leave the reader reeling emotionally and wondering very seriously how Wendig is going to bring this to a close in book 6!
The Miriam Black books have, at their core, been about Miriam's recovery from her traumatic youth. Yes, there's supernatural fatalistic mumbo jumbo, but that's just a backdrop for Miriam to struggle against. We've seen Miriam discover a sense of agency (Blackbirds), the ability to care for others (Mockingbird), a capacity for forgiveness (Thunderbird), and the beginnings of self-acceptance and commitment to others (Thunderbird). In the latest novel, Miriam must find a sense of purpose and meaning - attributes that she once foreclosed on, and has been teasing at throughout the series. Of course, Miriam's quest for self-discovery and actualization is never a simple affair; only through literal battle with her demons is Miriam able to truly grow.
As in Thunderbird, we see major expansions of Miriam's powers in this book. As Miriam learns to control and experience the world through birds, Wendig plays with perception and sensation, creating some of the book's most entertaining moments. This book also introduces new elements to the world of the supernatural by revisiting characters from past books in a new light. The continuation of Wren's story is tragic and unsettling; the continuation of Harriett's is pure nightmare fuel.
Despite having a plot that flies of the rails almost immediately, Wendig keeps the story itself tight and relationship driven. The interweaving of Grosky, Louis, and Samantha into the tension between Miriam and Wren highlights issues of morality, obligation, and how people decide which relationships to maintain and which to leave behind. The writing of these relationships is top notch, and the new depths for Louis and Wren as characters are rewarding to read.
This is by far the most bittersweet ending to a Miriam Black book, and as a reader I struggle with the directions I hope for the story to go. Despite her growth, the book ends with a challenge to Miriam - can she really push through her anger, forgive those who have hurt her, and make good on her commitments and obligations, or will she retreat into the self-destructive shell she wandered the world in in Blackbirds? For now, only Chuck knows.
P.S. There is no more eloquent descriptor of the state of Florida than America's "Land-Wang".
The Miriam Black books have, at their core, been about Miriam's recovery from her traumatic youth. Yes, there's supernatural fatalistic mumbo jumbo, but that's just a backdrop for Miriam to struggle against. We've seen Miriam discover a sense of agency (Blackbirds), the ability to care for others (Mockingbird), a capacity for forgiveness (Thunderbird), and the beginnings of self-acceptance and commitment to others (Thunderbird). In the latest novel, Miriam must find a sense of purpose and meaning - attributes that she once foreclosed on, and has been teasing at throughout the series. Of course, Miriam's quest for self-discovery and actualization is never a simple affair; only through literal battle with her demons is Miriam able to truly grow.
As in Thunderbird, we see major expansions of Miriam's powers in this book. As Miriam learns to control and experience the world through birds, Wendig plays with perception and sensation, creating some of the book's most entertaining moments. This book also introduces new elements to the world of the supernatural by revisiting characters from past books in a new light. The continuation of Wren's story is tragic and unsettling; the continuation of Harriett's is pure nightmare fuel.
Despite having a plot that flies of the rails almost immediately, Wendig keeps the story itself tight and relationship driven. The interweaving of Grosky, Louis, and Samantha into the tension between Miriam and Wren highlights issues of morality, obligation, and how people decide which relationships to maintain and which to leave behind. The writing of these relationships is top notch, and the new depths for Louis and Wren as characters are rewarding to read.
This is by far the most bittersweet ending to a Miriam Black book, and as a reader I struggle with the directions I hope for the story to go. Despite her growth, the book ends with a challenge to Miriam - can she really push through her anger, forgive those who have hurt her, and make good on her commitments and obligations, or will she retreat into the self-destructive shell she wandered the world in in Blackbirds? For now, only Chuck knows.
P.S. There is no more eloquent descriptor of the state of Florida than America's "Land-Wang".
gillygab's review against another edition
4.0
I'm happy I got to this series late, and I only have to wait for the final installment to come out. Every part of me longs to see a happy ending for Miriam. After all she's been through, she deserves it, right?