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noellegrace8's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Altogether, a great final installment to a great trilogy. When I was a kid, I used to hate the chapters that contained Elinor's pining for the Inkworld because it felt like a detour from the action. But as an adult I can appreciate the absolute depression she slips into, because it's more relatable now. The entire book brings the overarching trilogy's story to an interesting end and even invites us to explore some other characters more (such as Violante). The continual bird motif is also cool.
The lack of Dustfinger in this one is so disappointing! In many ways, he feels like a main character in books 1 and 2, but in 3 he feels a bit forgotten. I also don't love the second fake death. Mo should have been able to feel that he was still alive, so it just felt like purposefully leaving us in the dark for dramatic effect. I'm also not sure how I feel about all the different character perspectives she takes with narration in this one; it feels too nebulous. The other big issue I have with this one is Orpheus. He is just so horrible. It's like reading the Umbridge parts of Harry Potter. I honestly do not know if I want to read the new 4th installment when it comes out because I read it was centered around him. He's racist, a sexual predator, and completely self-obsessed.
I don't factor performance into audiobooks, but I'd give Allan Corduner 4/5 stars. There wasn't much to comment on; he's very run-of-the-mill, in that he doesn't have a ton of variance in voices, but his narration is fine enough.
The lack of Dustfinger in this one is so disappointing! In many ways, he feels like a main character in books 1 and 2, but in 3 he feels a bit forgotten. I also don't love the second fake death. Mo should have been able to feel that he was still alive, so it just felt like purposefully leaving us in the dark for dramatic effect. I'm also not sure how I feel about all the different character perspectives she takes with narration in this one; it feels too nebulous. The other big issue I have with this one is Orpheus. He is just so horrible. It's like reading the Umbridge parts of Harry Potter. I honestly do not know if I want to read the new 4th installment when it comes out because I read it was centered around him. He's racist, a sexual predator, and completely self-obsessed.
I don't factor performance into audiobooks, but I'd give Allan Corduner 4/5 stars. There wasn't much to comment on; he's very run-of-the-mill, in that he doesn't have a ton of variance in voices, but his narration is fine enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Racism, Torture, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
This book does mention a lot of mild triggers due to its setting. Moderately mentioned are elements of a warring and classist (monarchical) society, some of which can be a bit jarring. The most intense elements are related to the capture and violence toward a main character who is attempting to right societal wrongs, a person who speaks to and controls fire, and a monarch who has been cursed with gortesque immortality.