dagje's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.75
beccammartin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
2.5
allithebookgiraffe_'s review against another edition
3.0
So, I re-read this book kind of as an experiment. Since reading this book the first time, I have now read 21 books by PC Cast. I was wondering if I would like this book if I read it for the first time today. The answer is not really.
Pros
There is a wide range of inclusivity in this book and all of PC Cast's books. It also brings up the painful topic of homophobia. I also love how she adds in the importance of animal companionship, which she does in more than just this series as well. It was SO MUCH fun being re-introduced to MC's friend group. This series changed so much over 12 books and I loved seeing the beginning once again. This story shows the importance and meaning of friendship and family. It shows the importance of heritage as well.
Cons
The writing is a bit cheesy and there are way more tropes I don't care for in it than I would like. I think some of the things that our MC says in the book, especially towards the beginning, are quite offensive, to say the least. At one point she basically says that all religious husbands are pedophiles and their wives are fat.
This series in general has many diverse characters, as stated above, but does constantly throw stereotypes on them. Every time a gay character is mentioned, she has to state how gay he is, etc. I do want to warn potential readers there is a student/teacher relationship in this series and it is not really shown to be a bad thing ever. There is also some ableist language.
Pros
There is a wide range of inclusivity in this book and all of PC Cast's books. It also brings up the painful topic of homophobia. I also love how she adds in the importance of animal companionship, which she does in more than just this series as well. It was SO MUCH fun being re-introduced to MC's friend group. This series changed so much over 12 books and I loved seeing the beginning once again. This story shows the importance and meaning of friendship and family. It shows the importance of heritage as well.
Cons
The writing is a bit cheesy and there are way more tropes I don't care for in it than I would like. I think some of the things that our MC says in the book, especially towards the beginning, are quite offensive, to say the least. At one point she basically says that all religious husbands are pedophiles and their wives are fat.
This series in general has many diverse characters, as stated above, but does constantly throw stereotypes on them. Every time a gay character is mentioned, she has to state how gay he is, etc. I do want to warn potential readers there is a student/teacher relationship in this series and it is not really shown to be a bad thing ever. There is also some ableist language.
booksrhot's review against another edition
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
fictionalkate's review against another edition
2.0
I’d been meaning to read this book for a while. It has all the things that I’d love in a book – boarding schools, vampires, cats. What’s not to love?
If I wasn’t the type of person who HATES to give up on a book, I think I may have thrown in the towel after the first chapter. The dialogue really irked me. But after giving Marked a chance, I got drawn into the story and I stopped noticing the things that bugged me from the first pages.
Zoey Redbird is a character that I grew to admire. She has a lot thrown at her – being a Vampyre with a special mark gifted to her directly from the goddess, Nyx; facing the reality that not all fledglings make it to adulthood; secret societies with evil cheerleader-esque leaders and the most handsome boy in school trying to get her attention. I liked how she didn’t let it all get on top of her. She managed to hold her own and stand up not just for herself but for her friends too.
That’s not to say that she does everything well. I don’t think it’s a recommended idea to imprint on your ex-boyfriend and have him follow you around like a lost and overly affectionate puppy.
The supporting cast of characters are a bit of a motley crew but I found them rather entertaining. The Twins amused me greatly – I love the idea of physical opposites with completely different upbringings but having a similar soul. And Stevie Ray is somewhat adorable with her southern drawl and obsession with country music.
I do have a copy of Betrayed (House of Night #2) after I managed to pick it up for $2 at a second-hand book sale but I’m not sure this is a series that I’m going to stick with.
I am glad that I finished the book and I was quite enjoying myself by the end but it took me a little too long to get there.
If I wasn’t the type of person who HATES to give up on a book, I think I may have thrown in the towel after the first chapter. The dialogue really irked me. But after giving Marked a chance, I got drawn into the story and I stopped noticing the things that bugged me from the first pages.
Zoey Redbird is a character that I grew to admire. She has a lot thrown at her – being a Vampyre with a special mark gifted to her directly from the goddess, Nyx; facing the reality that not all fledglings make it to adulthood; secret societies with evil cheerleader-esque leaders and the most handsome boy in school trying to get her attention. I liked how she didn’t let it all get on top of her. She managed to hold her own and stand up not just for herself but for her friends too.
That’s not to say that she does everything well. I don’t think it’s a recommended idea to imprint on your ex-boyfriend and have him follow you around like a lost and overly affectionate puppy.
The supporting cast of characters are a bit of a motley crew but I found them rather entertaining. The Twins amused me greatly – I love the idea of physical opposites with completely different upbringings but having a similar soul. And Stevie Ray is somewhat adorable with her southern drawl and obsession with country music.
I do have a copy of Betrayed (House of Night #2) after I managed to pick it up for $2 at a second-hand book sale but I’m not sure this is a series that I’m going to stick with.
I am glad that I finished the book and I was quite enjoying myself by the end but it took me a little too long to get there.