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sarahetc's review against another edition
4.0
I promised myself I'd write a whole big review of this as a series when I finally finished the third. But things have been very, very busy and all the mental energy and time I would have used to do that has gone to work, so I'm going to fail. Nevertheless, he's an attempt.
Inkdeath is a wonderful conclusion to a brilliant story right up until the moment it's not. It's a full five-star, four-alarm fire of a book until about two-thirds of the way through when the realization of the repetitiveness of the last couple hundred pages creeps in and then the final denouement fully lets you down. All I can think is that Funke very much wanted to write a little bit about everything she had previewed in the first two books. I think it started to come apart when Fenoglio wrote the giant as a deus-ex-machina and there was such attention paid, so quickly, so another possible/likely death experience for The Black Prince. The first had been powerful! In fact, I got to it at about midnight, when my youngest (aged 11)-- who was reading along with me-- was asleep and I took a pic of the page (not yet knowing the outcome) and messaged it to her saying, "I know you're asleep but I HAVE CONCERNS!!" And then, of course, relief. And then... more of the same.
The actual climax was so straightforward as to be disbelievable. Like, really? I get we had to have Dustfinger and Resa in a number of different conundrums, but they were also repetitive. It ends exactly how it says it's going to end. Three words. I appreciate well-drawn fantasy, I do. And maybe it's because I'm 47 lousy years old, but I can't help but think that among all the people present in that final moment, it didn't need to be so complicated. It could have been a flea-flicker of a toss of the White Book while Dustfinger yelled and pointed, "Hey! Look over there!" And then Mo just opened it and wrote. It's three words. That's five seconds. I realize I just wrote a worse ending. But do you feel me? Ugh. I'm just... I'm too old? I'm afraid I'm too old. I'll try to come back and edit this with more perspective when Daphne finishes.
The series overall is fantastic. Would recommend to anyone, but give it to a grown-up with a caveat about the end. I'm sure it suffers from having been released in the midst of the densest of the Harry Potter years. Those are still good and worthwhile, but for people looking for fantasy series for young readers, this might actually serve better-- magic without a system, worldbuilding without excessive referentiality, and many fewer morally gray characters.
Four stars here, 4.5 for the whole series.
Inkdeath is a wonderful conclusion to a brilliant story right up until the moment it's not. It's a full five-star, four-alarm fire of a book until about two-thirds of the way through when the realization of the repetitiveness of the last couple hundred pages creeps in and then the final denouement fully lets you down. All I can think is that Funke very much wanted to write a little bit about everything she had previewed in the first two books. I think it started to come apart when Fenoglio wrote the giant as a deus-ex-machina and there was such attention paid, so quickly, so another possible/likely death experience for The Black Prince. The first had been powerful! In fact, I got to it at about midnight, when my youngest (aged 11)-- who was reading along with me-- was asleep and I took a pic of the page (not yet knowing the outcome) and messaged it to her saying, "I know you're asleep but I HAVE CONCERNS!!" And then, of course, relief. And then... more of the same.
The actual climax was so straightforward as to be disbelievable. Like, really? I get we had to have Dustfinger and Resa in a number of different conundrums, but they were also repetitive. It ends exactly how it says it's going to end. Three words. I appreciate well-drawn fantasy, I do. And maybe it's because I'm 47 lousy years old, but I can't help but think that among all the people present in that final moment, it didn't need to be so complicated. It could have been a flea-flicker of a toss of the White Book while Dustfinger yelled and pointed, "Hey! Look over there!" And then Mo just opened it and wrote. It's three words. That's five seconds. I realize I just wrote a worse ending. But do you feel me? Ugh. I'm just... I'm too old? I'm afraid I'm too old. I'll try to come back and edit this with more perspective when Daphne finishes.
The series overall is fantastic. Would recommend to anyone, but give it to a grown-up with a caveat about the end. I'm sure it suffers from having been released in the midst of the densest of the Harry Potter years. Those are still good and worthwhile, but for people looking for fantasy series for young readers, this might actually serve better-- magic without a system, worldbuilding without excessive referentiality, and many fewer morally gray characters.
Four stars here, 4.5 for the whole series.
jana463's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
zoempty's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
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
4.5
whatthesquids's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? No
4.5
pienella's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.25
Nice book, with much plot and I love all the fantasy figures! I really don‘t like the love trianglen trope with Meggie though, she was an interesting character in the first two books, and here she did nothing that really added to the story.
mini_margaritta's review against another edition
3.0
I was glas to sum up this trilogy. The author is very creative and adds new spins to everything. I did feel like 1/2 the book is build up and it has a quick ending that didn't come soon enough. But I was happy to find almost everything come to a close.
vivivi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
I love it even more than when I first read it as a kid 💛
emily_gaynier's review against another edition
4.0
I've owned this book since the day it was published, but it took me until 2021 to finally read it.
I didn't enjoy the first 200 pages much, but it was because I felt like the characters weren't acting they way they should. Especially Mo and Farid. But after the half way mark, I was swept up in the story again and I really enjoyed it.
I think a reread will give it 5 stars
While I'm not happy that I didn't love Farid as much in this book, I'm glad that there's a story for younger readers that involves falling out of love and in love with someone else.
I didn't enjoy the first 200 pages much, but it was because I felt like the characters weren't acting they way they should. Especially Mo and Farid. But after the half way mark, I was swept up in the story again and I really enjoyed it.
I think a reread will give it 5 stars
While I'm not happy that I didn't love Farid as much in this book, I'm glad that there's a story for younger readers that involves falling out of love and in love with someone else.
audriew9's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This was a disappointment following the second boom. Not as much character growth and more of a focus on Mo than Maggie which was not my favorite. Also less focus on Dustfinger as well. The climax and ending were just not satisfying. It was also incredibly slow.
antonella24's review against another edition
4.0
Degna conclusione di una trilogia. Per certi versi il libro è molto più coinvolgente rispetto ai primi due libri della saga e non senza qualche piccola sorpresa, dei risvolti che certo non ci si aspetterebbe. Un lieto fine tutto sommato non banale direi.