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haleyrayreads's review
Between moving and having a baby I haven’t been able to focus on this story- especially since I wasn’t super into the plot in the first place. I honestly couldn’t tell you anything that happened in this book from the last time I opened it.
gillothen's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The final book of a trilogy which basically takes Narnia, Hogwarts and various other fantasy locations, gives them a good shake and tells them to grow up - with occasional cameos by Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and even Joss Whedon Alice's attitude to resurrection is Buffy on steroids!
The echoes of other books are ubiquitous - this is a well-read author who's writing is instinctively meta - but only occasionally grate. A varied cast of characters, though some do not have as full an ending as might have been desirable. Very engaging throughout.
The echoes of other books are ubiquitous - this is a well-read author who's writing is instinctively meta - but only occasionally grate. A varied cast of characters, though some do not have as full an ending as might have been desirable. Very engaging throughout.
joshwrose's review
5.0
It started out as a Magical Mission: Impossible heist meets CS Lewis's The Last Battle, with a focus on what life is like for the Pevensies when their adventures in Narnia came to an end.
Really this whole series is just a love letter to the Narnia and Harry Potter series and the kids who read them that are now grown up. I'm sad that it took me years to read this series, but I'm so happy I finally did.
Really this whole series is just a love letter to the Narnia and Harry Potter series and the kids who read them that are now grown up. I'm sad that it took me years to read this series, but I'm so happy I finally did.
vauxtheox's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sburgart's review
3.0
Little bit of an abrupt end for me, and still too Chronicles based, but maybe that's also why I liked it? Not one of those life altering ones, but I certainly liked reading all three.
cambion's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
pfreeland's review
4.0
The best of the three by far. A bit of an obvious ending I guess, but the journey to get there was good.
michyisreading's review against another edition
4.0
I feel much the same about this book as I did the first two. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I'm left unsure how to feel. I do think that Grossman's writing style is at it's best here; there were some truly great sentences in here. Overall it felt more confidently written. And the characters felt more fully fleshed out and realized, even the ones I never got a strong grasp on earlier like Janet.
One of the biggest issues I've had with all three of these books is the way female characters are developed and treated. On the one hand, I don't think any of them are one dimensional, or too terribly stereotypical. They're all fully developed and real, which I appreciate. But for all the suffering the entire cast here is supposed to endure, especially Quentin, I can't help but feel that the women in the novels are the ones who make all the real sacrifices and suffer the most. And the nature of their suffering really bothers me. Rape is not a random plot device, and too often in literature and film it's used carelessly. I don't think I'll ever fully understand why Grossman felt it was necessary to do what he did with Julia.
I'm still tempted despite my misgivings, to rate this at least 4 stars. I did enjoy these novels, and I do think it was well done in a lot of ways. I just find myself wondering what's in it for Julia and Alice? Quentin gets his little growth/wish fulfillment in the end. He gets to come full circle, and it's very unclear what going to become of Alice now that she's been forcibly dragged back into this world. She's not given a choice (like Julia) and we're supposed to assume by novels end that she'll be ok. But will she really? And what about Julia. Is she happy as a demi-goddess? I don't know. I'm still left with a lot of questions.
One of the biggest issues I've had with all three of these books is the way female characters are developed and treated. On the one hand, I don't think any of them are one dimensional, or too terribly stereotypical. They're all fully developed and real, which I appreciate. But for all the suffering the entire cast here is supposed to endure, especially Quentin, I can't help but feel that the women in the novels are the ones who make all the real sacrifices and suffer the most. And the nature of their suffering really bothers me. Rape is not a random plot device, and too often in literature and film it's used carelessly. I don't think I'll ever fully understand why Grossman felt it was necessary to do what he did with Julia.
I'm still tempted despite my misgivings, to rate this at least 4 stars. I did enjoy these novels, and I do think it was well done in a lot of ways. I just find myself wondering what's in it for Julia and Alice? Quentin gets his little growth/wish fulfillment in the end. He gets to come full circle, and it's very unclear what going to become of Alice now that she's been forcibly dragged back into this world. She's not given a choice (like Julia) and we're supposed to assume by novels end that she'll be ok. But will she really? And what about Julia. Is she happy as a demi-goddess? I don't know. I'm still left with a lot of questions.