annekepaige's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jennykeery's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
halfelfschollar's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was good to see the magic system finally explained and to see the main concept established in the first book finally come to fruition. It was clear to see that eventually Jill would study magic but not what the circumstances would be. The plot has come full circle and it's time for them to move onto the next journey.
While it seems he's been removed from the plot I will miss Salamander, as his character off set the seriousness of Jill and Rhodry. I hope he's brought back in the next books.
I missed the past lives in this book. As confusing as the jumping back and forth has been I've enjoyed seeing how past actions affect the current events. Hoping they'll be back as the series continues.
While it seems he's been removed from the plot I will miss Salamander, as his character off set the seriousness of Jill and Rhodry. I hope he's brought back in the next books.
I missed the past lives in this book. As confusing as the jumping back and forth has been I've enjoyed seeing how past actions affect the current events. Hoping they'll be back as the series continues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Rape
mal_eficent's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I still enjoy reading about the characters and the politics between all the Deverry factions, I’ll admit that the discussions about the dweomer and all the fate of the nation stuff has really started to bore me and I’m glad the series has ended.
Partly it’s because the book straight up grinds to a halt. The plot points established in the previous book can’t continue again until all the characters get to the right place - and when they do, the dramatic climax falls short because Kerr is just too practical a writer. Everyone acts as they should, and it all gets resolved properly, so the drama is all sucked out of it.
That said, while practical the ending was very satisfying. All the plot points and wyrds were so neatly tied up that everything just felt right. Was it happy? Not for everyone. But it was right.
For that reason more than anything (though I did enjoy the last quarter a lot more than the rest, which is making me biased) I’m bumping my rating up to a 4 star. It’s just too well crafted to give anything less.
If you enjoy classic fantasy, this is a series that will not disappoint with how its character arcs end, but I think if you’re looking for an uplifting or happy ending for these characters this is not the series for you.
Partly it’s because the book straight up grinds to a halt. The plot points established in the previous book can’t continue again until all the characters get to the right place - and when they do, the dramatic climax falls short because Kerr is just too practical a writer. Everyone acts as they should, and it all gets resolved properly, so the drama is all sucked out of it.
That said, while practical the ending was very satisfying. All the plot points and wyrds were so neatly tied up that everything just felt right. Was it happy? Not for everyone. But it was right.
For that reason more than anything (though I did enjoy the last quarter a lot more than the rest, which is making me biased) I’m bumping my rating up to a 4 star. It’s just too well crafted to give anything less.
If you enjoy classic fantasy, this is a series that will not disappoint with how its character arcs end, but I think if you’re looking for an uplifting or happy ending for these characters this is not the series for you.
deargeekplace's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
imyril's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
adrienner's review
5.0
I love this series! I went straight into this fourth book from the third, and it picked right up where it left off. I pretty much read this whole book in one day, I just could not put it down! The fourth book is almost one entire climatic section to the 4 part series.
I would have been happy with the ending (Indeed, happy endings are fine, but ones like this are better) EXCEPT I found out that this is really a 12 part series, not just 4! I had to print out the past lives sheet on Ms. Kerr's website and I see there are several time periods I have not yet read about. Off I go to get the rest of these books. That is how much I have enjoyed them! I am tempted to get myself my own copies of this Deverry world since these were shared with me via bookcrossing.
I can't say if it is a good sign or bad (I think good because I do it with all my favorite books) but at a particularly boring part -- or uninteresting because I don't know what it leads to, I will randomly skip ahead and read a page --- usually 100 pages or so ahead. Today I found myself reading pages 168-173 when I should have been reading page 68. But instead of turning back, I turned to page 400-something and read ... well, I won't spoil it for you, but it is the last scene with Rhodry and Jill. It does not spoil the book for me, it just makes me want to read how they end up there since I skipped all the pages in the middle.
I do wonder what Perryn was. I thought perhaps he was a dragon that somehow ended up in a human body. I don't know if that makes any sense. That's my only unanswered question.
I would have been happy with the ending (Indeed, happy endings are fine, but ones like this are better) EXCEPT I found out that this is really a 12 part series, not just 4! I had to print out the past lives sheet on Ms. Kerr's website and I see there are several time periods I have not yet read about. Off I go to get the rest of these books. That is how much I have enjoyed them! I am tempted to get myself my own copies of this Deverry world since these were shared with me via bookcrossing.
I can't say if it is a good sign or bad (I think good because I do it with all my favorite books) but at a particularly boring part -- or uninteresting because I don't know what it leads to, I will randomly skip ahead and read a page --- usually 100 pages or so ahead. Today I found myself reading pages 168-173 when I should have been reading page 68. But instead of turning back, I turned to page 400-something and read ... well, I won't spoil it for you, but it is the last scene with Rhodry and Jill. It does not spoil the book for me, it just makes me want to read how they end up there since I skipped all the pages in the middle.
I do wonder what Perryn was. I thought perhaps he was a dragon that somehow ended up in a human body. I don't know if that makes any sense. That's my only unanswered question.
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