sarag19's review against another edition
3.0
So I really liked Onyx & Ivory, in fact it was a book that I wasn't able to put down and finished in a weekend. This book as not the same, it starts out strong but then starts to meander around. For a near 500 page book it felt like for huge chunks of the book nothing was really going on. Maybe it would have benefited to lose a hundred pages or so, tighten up the story a bit.
Once again the book shifts between Kate and Corwin and while this works sometimes, other times it was a struggle. They have both suffered greatly over the year that have shaped them into darker characters, particularly Kate. I wish we had gotten that year in Kate's story and Corwin, cut down on some of the current stuff to at least give us a bit of flashbacks. I do like how Kate had developed though, struggling with herself and her use of sway although I think I would have liked it more had we gotten more of that year that the book didn't cover. The characters have changed quite a bit as have their relationships with each other that was due to something we didn't get to experience with the characters.
There is a new character introduced, Gavril who I both liked and hated. He is a true monster that forces people to do things he is too weak to do himself. He takes joy in torturing and controlling people, he made for a really good villain and counter to Kate. There are a few other characters that are new but there isn't much to them. They provide information for the plot and then fade off into the background until the plot needs them to come back again. There is one character that shows up at the end of the book for no reason, she should have been likely not even there. Sent back immediately when things turned. It felt more like a plot device than a natural progression of the plot.
The end is satisfying even if it felt a little rushed. That was the worst part of the book, the important parts that were the main plot points rushed by while the less necessary stuff dragged itself along.
Once again the book shifts between Kate and Corwin and while this works sometimes, other times it was a struggle. They have both suffered greatly over the year that have shaped them into darker characters, particularly Kate. I wish we had gotten that year in Kate's story and Corwin, cut down on some of the current stuff to at least give us a bit of flashbacks. I do like how Kate had developed though, struggling with herself and her use of sway although I think I would have liked it more had we gotten more of that year that the book didn't cover. The characters have changed quite a bit as have their relationships with each other that was due to something we didn't get to experience with the characters.
There is a new character introduced, Gavril who I both liked and hated. He is a true monster that forces people to do things he is too weak to do himself. He takes joy in torturing and controlling people, he made for a really good villain and counter to Kate. There are a few other characters that are new but there isn't much to them. They provide information for the plot and then fade off into the background until the plot needs them to come back again. There is one character that shows up at the end of the book for no reason, she should have been likely not even there. Sent back immediately when things turned. It felt more like a plot device than a natural progression of the plot.
The end is satisfying even if it felt a little rushed. That was the worst part of the book, the important parts that were the main plot points rushed by while the less necessary stuff dragged itself along.
joanna_rm05's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
emcasmith's review against another edition
5.0
Not even joking when I say this was the best book (and the best series) I have ever read.
zieglera's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
katherineguild35's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
kerrisbooks13's review against another edition
4.0
A grey conclusion to this duology! I love the magic system in this world and all of the fall out that results from it. There are so many relationships that get tested: lovers, friends, family. The one thing that did bother me was how Kate’s brother was dealt with. Her having an illegitimate half brother was a huge plot point in the first book and then he gets killed in the prologue of the second and hardly mentioned afterwards?? It just felt off