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fedoratheexplora's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Grief, Murder, and War
Minor: Xenophobia
olivialandryxo's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
4.0
I’d never heard of this book prior to finding it on the library shelves, and picked it up on a whim after reading the synopsis. I’m glad I did, because How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse is a very fun, criminally underrated story following an eccentric cast of characters.
While the world-building was lacking—I would’ve loved to know more about the alien races mentioned, technology used, and how science and magic seemed to intertwine—I found this to be very enjoyable. It’s told in third person omniscient, something I haven’t seen very much of, and gave me A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes in that regard. You know how in the books (and the show), Lemony Snicket will pause his storytelling to go off on a bit of a tangent, or briefly explain something, or hint at something he knows that the characters will find out later? Eason does that here, and she does it really well.
The pacing was off, which led to the story lagging at times, especially in the middle. However, despite that, I was always curious enough to keep going, to see if my theories were correct and how the characters would overcome certain obstacles. I wasn’t truly invested until near the end, but I was consistently interested.
I really liked Rory, Jaed, Thorsdottir, and Zhang. A princess, the son of her enemy, and her two guards make quite a group, and what an iconic group they are. The three women were remarkably clever, definitely a force to be reckoned with, whereas Jaed... well, he did his best. At one point, Rory calls him “politically naïve,” which is a very polite, diplomatic way of saying he’s not the brightest bulb. But he’s eager to help, and in the end, he definitely does.
I was surprised to find that no romance developed over the course of the book, but not bothered by it. To be honest, it was refreshing to see a girl and a boy work together without crushes or hormones getting in the way. Although a few lines at the end of the book did hint at something possibly growing between Rory and Jaed in the second book, which I wouldn’t be opposed to.
If you like science fiction, definitely give this a try. Even though it’s a slower story, it’s an entertaining one, and one that undoubtedly deserves more hype.
While the world-building was lacking—I would’ve loved to know more about the alien races mentioned, technology used, and how science and magic seemed to intertwine—I found this to be very enjoyable. It’s told in third person omniscient, something I haven’t seen very much of, and gave me A Series of Unfortunate Events vibes in that regard. You know how in the books (and the show), Lemony Snicket will pause his storytelling to go off on a bit of a tangent, or briefly explain something, or hint at something he knows that the characters will find out later? Eason does that here, and she does it really well.
The pacing was off, which led to the story lagging at times, especially in the middle. However, despite that, I was always curious enough to keep going, to see if my theories were correct and how the characters would overcome certain obstacles. I wasn’t truly invested until near the end, but I was consistently interested.
I really liked Rory, Jaed, Thorsdottir, and Zhang. A princess, the son of her enemy, and her two guards make quite a group, and what an iconic group they are. The three women were remarkably clever, definitely a force to be reckoned with, whereas Jaed... well, he did his best. At one point, Rory calls him “politically naïve,” which is a very polite, diplomatic way of saying he’s not the brightest bulb. But he’s eager to help, and in the end, he definitely does.
I was surprised to find that no romance developed over the course of the book, but not bothered by it. To be honest, it was refreshing to see a girl and a boy work together without crushes or hormones getting in the way. Although a few lines at the end of the book did hint at something possibly growing between Rory and Jaed in the second book, which I wouldn’t be opposed to.
If you like science fiction, definitely give this a try. Even though it’s a slower story, it’s an entertaining one, and one that undoubtedly deserves more hype.
Graphic: Confinement and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
dokushoka's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror and Medical trauma
Moderate: Confinement and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Sexism, and Pregnancy
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