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lazlostrange's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
rebeccazh's review against another edition
I think I'm going to DNF this halfway in. I love the evil-forest-as-character + queen setting (ever since [b:Uprooted|22544764|Uprooted|Naomi Novik|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1420795060s/22544764.jpg|41876730] and [b:Crimson Bound|21570318|Crimson Bound|Rosamund Hodge|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1413217438s/21570318.jpg|40902835]). The problem is that I like this book but I'm also fine if I don't finish it -- I'm feeling indifferent and there isn't something compelling that makes me want to continue. Love the premise. I honestly love the evil forest + queen idea and wish I could find more books like it.
mariamrt7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
3.5
bjacobscrouse's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
katiersmart's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-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
3.75
wanderingstories's review against another edition
5.0
And in that moment, she was the air, the fire, the ice, the life within the trees, the warmth within the earth. Water was her blood. Soil was her skin. Fire was her heart."
First I have to say, it's been a really long time since I've been completely absorbed and invested in a fantasy book or any book for that matter. I couldn't think much of anything else but what's going to happen next in the story. It even gave me more inspiration for my own novel. It's that good.
This book was awesome. It had everything I love in a book and so much more. There is solid world building, made up creatures (in this case elemental spirits that dominate and cover all of Renthia), fantastic forest settings, and relationships between the female characters.
In the world of Aratay the spirits are the creators and destroyers of the land. Without them, nothing will grow, no rain will fall and no fire will light. The people of Aratay are depended on them If they like it or not. And honestly? It makes them look as If they couldn't survive without them.
They are Elemental Spirits: earth, wood, fire, water, ice and air spirits.
There are women who have an affinity for those spirits and they use those spirits to command them to do things for them. Those women can be either become a Hedgewitch (serve a village) or an heir next to the throne. The women who want to become an heir have to go first as a candidate to an Academy and train and learn everything one needs to know to become the next potential queen. Before being admitted to the Academy though you have to pass a trial.
And that's where Daleina comes into play. She's from the village Greytree and she has a very difficult and hard path in front of her. Many challenges to overcome, physically and mentally. Self doubt is her biggest killer. But the friendships she was with her fellow candidates (Revi and Linna are her closest friends) is wonderful and inspiring. She is a team player, logical and strategic.
Then we have Ven who is a Champion. A champion chooses and trains a candidate to become the next heir to the throne. He is known to be the best and trains his candidates hard. He himself is hard, strong and stubborn. Very stubborn. But he also sees the best in people (maybe that's also his weakness).
This book isn't specifically dark but its violent and has gruesome parts in it.
I'm going to read the next book once it arrives.
First I have to say, it's been a really long time since I've been completely absorbed and invested in a fantasy book or any book for that matter. I couldn't think much of anything else but what's going to happen next in the story. It even gave me more inspiration for my own novel. It's that good.
This book was awesome. It had everything I love in a book and so much more. There is solid world building, made up creatures (in this case elemental spirits that dominate and cover all of Renthia), fantastic forest settings, and relationships between the female characters.
In the world of Aratay the spirits are the creators and destroyers of the land. Without them, nothing will grow, no rain will fall and no fire will light. The people of Aratay are depended on them If they like it or not. And honestly? It makes them look as If they couldn't survive without them.
They are Elemental Spirits: earth, wood, fire, water, ice and air spirits.
There are women who have an affinity for those spirits and they use those spirits to command them to do things for them. Those women can be either become a Hedgewitch (serve a village) or an heir next to the throne. The women who want to become an heir have to go first as a candidate to an Academy and train and learn everything one needs to know to become the next potential queen. Before being admitted to the Academy though you have to pass a trial.
And that's where Daleina comes into play. She's from the village Greytree and she has a very difficult and hard path in front of her. Many challenges to overcome, physically and mentally. Self doubt is her biggest killer. But the friendships she was with her fellow candidates (Revi and Linna are her closest friends) is wonderful and inspiring. She is a team player, logical and strategic.
Then we have Ven who is a Champion. A champion chooses and trains a candidate to become the next heir to the throne. He is known to be the best and trains his candidates hard. He himself is hard, strong and stubborn. Very stubborn. But he also sees the best in people (maybe that's also his weakness).
This book isn't specifically dark but its violent and has gruesome parts in it.
I'm going to read the next book once it arrives.
sydney_arcuri's review against another edition
5.0
This is by far one of my new favorite fantasy series. I am so sad that I have not heard about this book before.
jessicalauren22's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
camilaferreira's review against another edition
5.0
Esse livro, que eu bem lembrava que queria ler, que precisei procurar a sinopse outra vez para falar dele em vídeo está em sexto lugar na minha lista de favoritos do ano. Eu sinceramente estou meio sem palavras. Foi um mundo fantástico, incrivelmente bem criado, uma protagonista real, um final trágico e emocionante. Essa série tem tudo TUDO para virar minha favorita. Por favor leiam.
chelseaj91's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was interesting.
As a whole, the world building was pretty good. I liked the different spirits and the different modes of transport Daleiana and Ven and everyone had access to. The magic was interesting but also a little undefined(?). Like Daleiana spent a lot of time just searching/feeling out the spirits and commanding them that way, yet others seemed to use commands, and things like that.
Daleiana was okay. It did feel like the author was trying for the "special one who doesn't know she's special" but couldn't quite pull it off so Daleiana ended up coming off as a lot more whiny than I think she should have, especially at the end. I did wish the relationship between she and Hamon had been developed a little better; they kissed once and then were apparently in a relationship/caring about each other, but I didn't feel the connection.
Ven was okay and honestly, I would have preferred more story about him. His history and everything held me a little bit more. I honestly felt like the book picked up a lot more once he took Daleiana on as his Candidate. His relationship with Fara was also interesting and I would have liked to explore that a little more, especially because she was basically trying to use it against him for most of the book.
As a whole, not a bad book and it did wrap this storyline up nice enough. I don't know that I'm interested enough to check out the rest of the series.
As a whole, the world building was pretty good. I liked the different spirits and the different modes of transport Daleiana and Ven and everyone had access to. The magic was interesting but also a little undefined(?). Like Daleiana spent a lot of time just searching/feeling out the spirits and commanding them that way, yet others seemed to use commands, and things like that.
Daleiana was okay. It did feel like the author was trying for the "special one who doesn't know she's special" but couldn't quite pull it off so Daleiana ended up coming off as a lot more whiny than I think she should have, especially at the end. I did wish the relationship between she and Hamon had been developed a little better; they kissed once and then were apparently in a relationship/caring about each other, but I didn't feel the connection.
Ven was okay and honestly, I would have preferred more story about him. His history and everything held me a little bit more. I honestly felt like the book picked up a lot more once he took Daleiana on as his Candidate. His relationship with Fara was also interesting and I would have liked to explore that a little more, especially because she was basically trying to use it against him for most of the book.
As a whole, not a bad book and it did wrap this storyline up nice enough. I don't know that I'm interested enough to check out the rest of the series.