lunawolf09's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this book.
I was fascinated by the magic system and its different elements, the alternate cities and their links and stories, and most of all the characters, their relationships and interactions, as well as their development through the story.
The humour in this was in perfect balance: it didn't feel like any character was there just as cliché or coming relief, but their banter considerably lightened the mood and made me smile several times.
There were a few heart-breaking moments, as well as many epic ones; all of them felt perfectly written, the length of chapters and character perspective just right to add touches of detail, such as background introductions (eg for the White King Athos) or eventual fates (eg Barron, Gen, Parrish or even Ned). There are a few quotes that made me gasp, smile or shudder which is exactly what I want to feel in a book. I feel like it created a movie-like atmosphere perfectly.
Another thing that made this book particularly enjoyable for me was its length. It didn't ramble on with chapters which can make it feel a little slow, as is often the case in epic fantasy (though it can be well done), yet still kept the epic feel and went to the point without missing enough background info to create emotional involvement in each scene. Precise and impactful.
I would have liked to see even more of Red London and the place of magic within it. Thankfully there is a sequel right there for me! I'm also looking forward to more of Kell and Rhy's brother relationship, and overall life in the city.
Definitely recommend this book which can also be read as a standalone if you don't want to commit (yet!) to an entire trilogy.
I was fascinated by the magic system and its different elements, the alternate cities and their links and stories, and most of all the characters, their relationships and interactions, as well as their development through the story.
The humour in this was in perfect balance: it didn't feel like any character was there just as cliché or coming relief, but their banter considerably lightened the mood and made me smile several times.
There were a few heart-breaking moments, as well as many epic ones; all of them felt perfectly written, the length of chapters and character perspective just right to add touches of detail, such as background introductions (eg for the White King Athos) or eventual fates (eg Barron, Gen, Parrish or even Ned). There are a few quotes that made me gasp, smile or shudder which is exactly what I want to feel in a book. I feel like it created a movie-like atmosphere perfectly.
Another thing that made this book particularly enjoyable for me was its length. It didn't ramble on with chapters which can make it feel a little slow, as is often the case in epic fantasy (though it can be well done), yet still kept the epic feel and went to the point without missing enough background info to create emotional involvement in each scene. Precise and impactful.
I would have liked to see even more of Red London and the place of magic within it. Thankfully there is a sequel right there for me! I'm also looking forward to more of Kell and Rhy's brother relationship, and overall life in the city.
Definitely recommend this book which can also be read as a standalone if you don't want to commit (yet!) to an entire trilogy.
gothlawyer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, and Torture
sarahcrayons's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
pagingmrsvarnum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
steph_dlv's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
moonchild_cos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Violence, Body horror, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Gore, and Self harm
Minor: Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Torture, and Sexual harassment
philautia's review against another edition
4.0
Between 3.5 and 4 stars, I'm not actually sure. Oops.
A pretty good read! I look forward to reading the next one.
A pretty good read! I look forward to reading the next one.
sydney_h08's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
plumtrees's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. can't wait to see where this story goes. also can't wait to see more of rhy <3