merc_birb's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, this was going to be a 4-star, but I REALLY liked the ending. Excellent ending to the duology, fantastic tie up of all the lose threads. The author COULD have forced a couple of things, just to tie up ALL the endings, but the fact that she didn't was definitely a choice I approve of.
All in all, I liked this book much more than its predecessor. I'm really glad I listened to them both!
All in all, I liked this book much more than its predecessor. I'm really glad I listened to them both!
juli_a_n_a's review against another edition
3.0
Hm... There were many things carried over from the first book that I loved, the pacing was done better, and we seem to have got rid of all instances of "betwixt" and most "ken"s (yay!). The palace setting was more interesting to me and some intriguing new characters were introduced (Khoda).
However: The main plot point of this book did not work for me. Tavin changes sides quicker than Fie can say "Look after your own" and Fie believes Tavin's change of hearts faster than she burns through her Phoenix teeth. Neither of their character developments makes any sense. It might have, had this entire point been explored better or elaborated more. This one central aspect pretty much fouled up my entire reading experience.
Adding to my prior comments on style: I could not get behind the use of "rut" or "roll" for you-know-what but all in all, the writing felt a bit more refined this time round.
However: The main plot point of this book did not work for me. Tavin changes sides quicker than Fie can say "Look after your own" and Fie believes Tavin's change of hearts faster than she burns through her Phoenix teeth. Neither of their character developments makes any sense. It might have, had this entire point been explored better or elaborated more. This one central aspect pretty much fouled up my entire reading experience.
Adding to my prior comments on style: I could not get behind the use of "rut" or "roll" for you-know-what but all in all, the writing felt a bit more refined this time round.
snortles's review against another edition
DNF for now. I think it's been too long since I've read Merciful Crow, because I'm not invested in the characters at all anymore. Putting it down without a rating for now.
stxrlight's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Het vervolg op De Genadigen, een dark-YA verhaal met een medium-pace. In deel 1 moest ik wennen aan het grauwe aspect van de pest en wat de Kraaien moeten doen om te overleven in het kastensysteem, maar in deel 2 zit je daar helemaal in en valt het eigenlijk niet meer op. Ik vind het ook leuk dat de prins op mannen valt, dat is iets wat ik niet zag aankomen. De schrijfstijl vind ik echt heerlijk en je wordt meegezogen in het verhaal.
siriface's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
emmaskies's review against another edition
4.0
4.25, an excellent last read of the year.
This duology was so good! Between this and Little Thieves, Margaret Owen is firmly cemented as an auto-buy author for me.
This duology was so good! Between this and Little Thieves, Margaret Owen is firmly cemented as an auto-buy author for me.
ehwilltolive's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this duology is so good it makes me angry. The world building is so fucking good and the characters are awesome and it just has such a solid sense of itself. Highly recommend.
arinreads's review against another edition
5.0
okay, so.
i so desperately wanted this to be good, i was half-convinced i bullied myself into liking this up to 5 stars, but truth be told, i was living this book. even despite having some issues with the pacing.
there are definitely a couple of shocking twists and turns which were all kind of crazy but at the same time so deliciously dramatic i fell for each one.
one thing i liked (besides fie being both an absolute badass and a desperate mess of a seventeen-year-old girl) is the perfect example of an opressive system and the way people are struggling under it. there are characters who try to conform to it, characters who openly resist, characters who benefit from it yet have their eyes opened to the whole injustice and wrongness of it all.
truly don't understand why this particular duology is being overlooked by so many since this is so much in the spirit of the good old ya tradition while implementing all the needed changes.
also, the characters and the relationships between them? what a fucking joy to read. i missed being that excited about a ya fantasy.
i so desperately wanted this to be good, i was half-convinced i bullied myself into liking this up to 5 stars, but truth be told, i was living this book. even despite having some issues with the pacing.
there are definitely a couple of shocking twists and turns which were all kind of crazy but at the same time so deliciously dramatic i fell for each one.
one thing i liked (besides fie being both an absolute badass and a desperate mess of a seventeen-year-old girl) is the perfect example of an opressive system and the way people are struggling under it. there are characters who try to conform to it, characters who openly resist, characters who benefit from it yet have their eyes opened to the whole injustice and wrongness of it all.
truly don't understand why this particular duology is being overlooked by so many since this is so much in the spirit of the good old ya tradition while implementing all the needed changes.
also, the characters and the relationships between them? what a fucking joy to read. i missed being that excited about a ya fantasy.
sciencesquall's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
bakingwithconfidence's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-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