Scan barcode
liisp_cvr2cvr's review
English is my second language, as such I am somewhat biased to be intrigued by default by authors who publish a book in English as their second language. Did not know what to expect. And, I must admit, the more I read, the wilder things seemed to get.
Essentially… well… yeah, so… there isn’t anything this book doesn’t have in terms of world building. On one hand, it gives (for some reason, maybe due to the cover) a slight medieval vibe, and yet we have a lab where our MC has been, uh, created? And we have planes and TVs and tanks, but in battles swords are also still used? It’s a bit of a mix.
Speaking of MC, she goes from humble village girl to Empress in a matter of starting chapters at the start of the book, so it can feel like a whooshing rush through the years. I also thought the author took some pretty risqué ways to describe the character development and growth. Growth, quite literally.
Questionable descriptions, battle action after battle action, very little in depth character development and having the whole kitchen sink thrown at the story in terms of elements varying from literal witches flying on sticks to TVs and technology, I felt as if stuck in a tornado whirlwind with little emotion to relate to. Countries are being fought for, the MC seems to have a hard time with accepting her fate and her actions, but they’re all kind of on the surface. Perhaps a couple of less battle scenes and a few more about who the characters are as people would have done the trick for me.
So, yes, this book is definitely more plot-driven and action based than character focused. There’s no two ways about it, if the characters have no impact on readers’ emotions, it’s truly bloody hard to care whether they live or die, rule, or fall from graces. The story is there, yes, but it could be any story.
That said… There were some unique and funky things about the story. Like the fact that there is a type of witch called the cinnamon witch. Cinnamon? An odd choice, for sure. Makes me think the author is a sweet tooth who likes cinnamon rolls and simply had to sing ode and praise to the wonderful combination of sugar and cinnamon! But it was also weird to have that little glimpse of cuteness in a book as crude as this, where heads roll, enemies are crushed and blood flows in the endless war. Interesting small element which makes the book stand out on its own.
I read 31% of Galaxy of Thorns and I think with a firm eye over editing, this book may have potential. There are typos and some formatting issues, and perhaps the character descriptions could use a look over so as not to anger the female reader. If the author has taken the notion to write a female character, certain rules still apply.
icelord888's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is quite unique as you rarely get a plot that revolves around conquering, rulling and dealing with personal problems all the while you get bombarded with interesting action and plot twists, heartwarming and appaling moments. This book is a real gem!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Gore, Rape, Self harm, Xenophobia, and Murder
More...