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noellegrace8's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Okay why were people so mad about this book?? I do agree that there are a lot of loose ends, but doesn't that just mean we'll get more answers in some of her other books? She's coming out with a new Caraval book in a couple months. I actually haven't even read Caraval yet, mostly because I didn't know it existed, but now I think I'm going to. This trilogy was SO good.
Good things: Evajacks is as enticing as ever. And the plot introduces new elements like the two trees and Jacks' heart, which keeps the interest up. Evangeline is portrayed as having more willpower than ever (if you don't think that's possible, just wait). I like that even she has some character development in this one, not just Jacks. I also usually hate the amnesia trope but man. This one... actually does it well?? I finally understood WHY people use it. You're given even more insight into just how much Evangeline is drawn to this man (fate), that not even loss of memory can separate them. Certain characters get their comeuppance. Others' is foreshadowed... but yeah. It was just... a well-written book.
The bad: again, loose ends. I'm confused as to why Marisol and Luc both just kind of disappeared. The history of the arch, the Valors, Jacks, etc.? That's clear as mud, still. I need more answers! Also, we really needed to have been given a glimpse into Apollo's character before meeting him in OUABH. Because his absolutely treacherous, vile behavior in this book is confusing. Was he always like this? Did the curses drive him mad? Unsure. Also, you get a quarter of the way through the book before Jacks makes an appearance, which is torture! But I also think it was done kind of well.... Additionally, I'm confused about Jacks' blood on the arch and the tavern door?? I kept expecting that maybe it's a protection spell or something? But no explanation. Just like there was no explanation for Eva's kiss breaking the spell. I have a theory that maybe someone else has to kiss him first, instead of him being the instigator? Unsure though. We better get a Lala book by the way. I need to know if she and Dain find love and break her curse. Also... how do they take out Jacks' heart and put it back in? It's just casually mentioned that we all have 2 hearts but never explained...
I give Rebecca Soler's performance 4.5/5⭐️. Too loud sometimes, but generally accurate to the text.
I give Dan Bittner 4/5⭐️. He didn't always sound the way I imagined the characters were talking, and his narration seems less organic than it should be.
Good things: Evajacks is as enticing as ever. And the plot introduces new elements like the two trees and Jacks' heart, which keeps the interest up. Evangeline is portrayed as having more willpower than ever (if you don't think that's possible, just wait). I like that even she has some character development in this one, not just Jacks. I also usually hate the amnesia trope but man. This one... actually does it well?? I finally understood WHY people use it. You're given even more insight into just how much Evangeline is drawn to this man (fate), that not even loss of memory can separate them. Certain characters get their comeuppance. Others' is foreshadowed... but yeah. It was just... a well-written book.
The bad: again, loose ends. I'm confused as to why Marisol and Luc both just kind of disappeared. The history of the arch, the Valors, Jacks, etc.? That's clear as mud, still. I need more answers! Also, we really needed to have been given a glimpse into Apollo's character before meeting him in OUABH. Because his absolutely treacherous, vile behavior in this book is confusing. Was he always like this? Did the curses drive him mad? Unsure. Also, you get a quarter of the way through the book before Jacks makes an appearance, which is torture! But I also think it was done kind of well.... Additionally, I'm confused about Jacks' blood on the arch and the tavern door?? I kept expecting that maybe it's a protection spell or something? But no explanation. Just like there was no explanation for Eva's kiss breaking the spell. I have a theory that maybe someone else has to kiss him first, instead of him being the instigator? Unsure though. We better get a Lala book by the way. I need to know if she and Dain find love and break her curse. Also... how do they take out Jacks' heart and put it back in? It's just casually mentioned that we all have 2 hearts but never explained...
I give Rebecca Soler's performance 4.5/5⭐️. Too loud sometimes, but generally accurate to the text.
I give Dan Bittner 4/5⭐️. He didn't always sound the way I imagined the characters were talking, and his narration seems less organic than it should be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
I added sexual assault/violence to the "minor" section because it's difficult to ignore the writing style of the scenes in which Apollo is restraining Evangeline, stealing memories, etc. It's written with sexual threat even if none actually happens.cornelia24's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
This was terrible.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting
lemonpi's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.75
man what even was that
edit: 3/5/24 these will all be extensive spoilers so don't read if you don't want to be spoiled. these are purely rambles like 1 month post reading because i can't keep silent any longer lol.
i was thinking about this book again and got mad LOL. i honestly feel bad for the people that actually do enjoy this series because this was such a disappointing finale book in a trilogy. it ties up very little ends, and that's such a disservice to audiences. i already heard this book gave mixed feelings to the audiences and boy......idk where the mixed feelings are. it's just bad. you all truly deserved better.
Jacks as a character angered me more than anything because he just can't stick to his word. He was also a bit TOO OKAY with the idea of kissing Evangeline when it could have literally killed her. (and the part where she said she forgot to breathe when they kissed. i laughed. get that away from me.)
i hate to feel bad for evangeline because she as a character annoyed me to no end but that girl is a victim. a child. a child bride. and she's being pulled every which way between two men who both frankly do not have her best interest at heart. i felt bad for apollo at first because of the fact that he's been under curses for majority of the two books and finally had the chance to be clearheaded, but with the way he was acting.........maybe not. he really had the chance to be a good villain with despicable plans but he came up short and was just.....a guy. amnesia trope isn't even something I hate. tbh i quite like it, but the way this story went about it was less than mediocre. she spends so much time not getting her memories back and when she did, it was so. underwhelming. also, we are given so little to no real fleshed out reasons as to why apollo is truly in love with evangeline. and funnily enough that can also apply to jacks!!
jacks has been such a strange and unlikeable influence in her life from the get go. i can see how the romance could work but his characterization just fell flat for me especially with the way he treats her. in the first book, i really didn't enjoy how manipulative he was to her but in bona, i was seeing the vision BUT then this version of jacks in this book?????? who even is that??? no wonder the poor girl is confused all the time. the mixed signals are endless. the romance in this last book was also incredibly lackluster. how do you put so little scenes of interactions betwen the love interests in a FINALE!! and then the peak romance we get was in the epilogue if you could even call that excuse of a last chapter an epilogue. the fact that jacks did ALL of that just for what? maybe 50 years with a girl? and then she'll die and he'll live on. she is a blip in his whole lifespan, and i just find it hilarious to think about. also she's 17 and he's an immortal fate whos prob hundreds of years old. someone arrest him please.
i just genuinely believe evangeline just needs to be left alone and given the space to actually grow and learn about the world. sooo many characters in the previous books were also conveniently left out. any girls in this book (and the last two) have probably not passed the bechdel test or barely passed it when speaking with evangeline. another thing to be disappointed about. disappointed but not surprised.
this book series had potential. the worldbuilding was interesting but when the characters are hard to like, the book itself is hard to like. i found bona to have an interesting enough plot but the plot in this book was nonexistent. it was literally just evangeline is confused, jacks tries to do literally anything, apollo gets mad and tries to hide/fix it, rinse and REPEAT. no overarching plot.
we never learn what happens with the last broken heart on her wrist. we never learn why jacks eats apples all the time. and if you say its because hes resisting the urge to kiss - please imagine jacks trying to make out and slobber all over an apple and tell me thats okay. its not.
overall this book was such a disappointing read. both evangeline and jacks need extensive therapy. and to not be anywhere near each other. they are so not good for each other. and this book wasn't good for my health.
edit: 3/5/24 these will all be extensive spoilers so don't read if you don't want to be spoiled. these are purely rambles like 1 month post reading because i can't keep silent any longer lol.
Jacks as a character angered me more than anything because he just can't stick to his word. He was also a bit TOO OKAY with the idea of kissing Evangeline when it could have literally killed her. (and the part where she said she forgot to breathe when they kissed. i laughed. get that away from me.)
i hate to feel bad for evangeline because she as a character annoyed me to no end but that girl is a victim. a child. a child bride. and she's being pulled every which way between two men who both frankly do not have her best interest at heart. i felt bad for apollo at first because of the fact that he's been under curses for majority of the two books and finally had the chance to be clearheaded, but with the way he was acting.........maybe not. he really had the chance to be a good villain with despicable plans but he came up short and was just.....a guy. amnesia trope isn't even something I hate. tbh i quite like it, but the way this story went about it was less than mediocre. she spends so much time not getting her memories back and when she did, it was so. underwhelming. also, we are given so little to no real fleshed out reasons as to why apollo is truly in love with evangeline. and funnily enough that can also apply to jacks!!
jacks has been such a strange and unlikeable influence in her life from the get go. i can see how the romance could work but his characterization just fell flat for me especially with the way he treats her. in the first book, i really didn't enjoy how manipulative he was to her but in bona, i was seeing the vision BUT then this version of jacks in this book?????? who even is that??? no wonder the poor girl is confused all the time. the mixed signals are endless. the romance in this last book was also incredibly lackluster. how do you put so little scenes of interactions betwen the love interests in a FINALE!! and then the peak romance we get was in the epilogue if you could even call that excuse of a last chapter an epilogue. the fact that jacks did ALL of that just for what? maybe 50 years with a girl? and then she'll die and he'll live on. she is a blip in his whole lifespan, and i just find it hilarious to think about. also she's 17 and he's an immortal fate whos prob hundreds of years old. someone arrest him please.
i just genuinely believe evangeline just needs to be left alone and given the space to actually grow and learn about the world. sooo many characters in the previous books were also conveniently left out. any girls in this book (and the last two) have probably not passed the bechdel test or barely passed it when speaking with evangeline. another thing to be disappointed about. disappointed but not surprised.
this book series had potential. the worldbuilding was interesting but when the characters are hard to like, the book itself is hard to like. i found bona to have an interesting enough plot but the plot in this book was nonexistent. it was literally just evangeline is confused, jacks tries to do literally anything, apollo gets mad and tries to hide/fix it, rinse and REPEAT. no overarching plot.
we never learn what happens with the last broken heart on her wrist. we never learn why jacks eats apples all the time. and if you say its because hes resisting the urge to kiss - please imagine jacks trying to make out and slobber all over an apple and tell me thats okay. its not.
overall this book was such a disappointing read. both evangeline and jacks need extensive therapy. and to not be anywhere near each other. they are so not good for each other. and this book wasn't good for my health.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Emotional abuse
kari_f's review against another edition
dark
1.5
I was going to give this book 2 stars, because it was overly frilly, and I only liked one character, and felt like it had no plot. But then the nonsensical epilogue happened.
Tell me how a curse can have eyes and ears, enough sentience to understand human language and ability to follow and watch characters, but it doesn’t have lungs to be able to take a breath. Because THAT is where we need to suspend belief, here. Just… what?
Tell me how a curse can have eyes and ears, enough sentience to understand human language and ability to follow and watch characters, but it doesn’t have lungs to be able to take a breath. Because THAT is where we need to suspend belief, here. Just… what?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
chronicacademia's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Torture, and Pregnancy