gielle's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me fall in love with reading all over again. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year, or ever, for that matter.
avery5683's review against another edition
4.0
Arden has a lovely writing style. Her world is rich and vivid. She has a masterful use of imagery and sensory aesthetic. She blends prose seamlessly with the poetic fairy tale style, second only to Catherynne Valente.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Its setting and mood stands out from the majority of YA fiction.
The only major downfall of this book is the pacing. I didn't find the book to be slow or boring, but the main plot takes half the book to get going.
Due to some hype, I was somewhat disappointed. The book is not kind to its female characters, except the protagonist. It heralds a fledgling feminism of "I don't want to get married; I want to be free." The book explicitly equates marriage and childbearing with the ruination of women. The book also beats the very dead horse of "religion is bad," and twists religious imagery for shock value; it is, in my opinion, cliche and a cheap device. I much preferred the other imagery used to illustrate the antagonist.
Ultimately, I won't be continuing with the Winternight Trilogy, but will definitely be keeping an eye out for Arden's other works.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Its setting and mood stands out from the majority of YA fiction.
The only major downfall of this book is the pacing. I didn't find the book to be slow or boring, but the main plot takes half the book to get going.
Due to some hype, I was somewhat disappointed. The book is not kind to its female characters, except the protagonist. It heralds a fledgling feminism of "I don't want to get married; I want to be free." The book explicitly equates marriage and childbearing with the ruination of women. The book also beats the very dead horse of "religion is bad," and twists religious imagery for shock value; it is, in my opinion, cliche and a cheap device. I much preferred the other imagery used to illustrate the antagonist.
Ultimately, I won't be continuing with the Winternight Trilogy, but will definitely be keeping an eye out for Arden's other works.
jonwesleyhuff's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book overall. I’m a fan of folktales, so I was inclined to like it anyway. But the story is so expertly told. I found it involving right from the start, with well-rendered characters that certainly took inspiration from folklore elements we’re familiar with but then added a modern character depth to them. I was very close to giving this 5 stars. If I could give 4.5 I would. The only thing that held me back was the end. Don’t get me wrong, overall it’s satisfying. But after so much careful buildup it seemed just a smidge too pat.
chiaraculpo's review against another edition
non mi piacevano i personaggi, all'inizio sembrava interessante ma poi non succedeva praticamente niente per un sacco di tempo. le vibes all'inizio erano belle è interessanti ma poi si sono rivelate inquietanti
questionablechilli's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-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? It's complicated
3.5
kirapisk's review against another edition
4.0
This book leans a lot on russian folklore and mythology, which I found fascinating. A story well told.
dannycakez8808's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this story. I am not familiar with Russian folklore so it was very fun and intriguing learning more about it. This definitely started as a slow burn but it was so engaging because all the culture and character development. The writing style was absolutely beautiful and whimsy as well. I'm excited to continue on with this series.
loyaultemelie's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful, like reading a fairytale. Its only crime is being entirely too short - and the ending being a bit rushed though it didn’t feel too much like it in the moment. Will definitely be rereading.
anitadisguised's review against another edition
3.0
i dont think the characters/story were too original but it was a quick and engaging read