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aszramek's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
snoopyhive's review
adventurous
sad
medium-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? Yes
4.0
mybetterhabits's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
amandarae327's review
3.0
This series is keeping me intrigued juuust enough to keep reading on. I’m getting very tired of Cora’s inner monologue being completely contradictory to her actions. Just own it - you like the bad guy.
What’s annoying me most is the lack of continuity in the larger plot of what exactly is making Cora so ‘different’ than any other member that gets claimed by the Faire.
Simon is probably the only reason I’m still invested in the story. He’s is utterly problematic and villainous and unapologetically aware of it which makes him the perfect enemy to love. He reminds me a lot of Jacks (the Prince of Hearts).
What’s annoying me most is the lack of continuity in the larger plot of what exactly is making Cora so ‘different’ than any other member that gets claimed by the Faire.
Simon is probably the only reason I’m still invested in the story. He’s is utterly problematic and villainous and unapologetically aware of it which makes him the perfect enemy to love. He reminds me a lot of Jacks (the Prince of Hearts).
ladybug666's review
3.0
Much more interesting, sexy, funny, witty than the first. Seems like the author is finding stride with this one. Still overly-explain-y at times, I’m left wanting more between Simon and Cora… ugh a slow burn through multiple books. The characters are growing on me.
I have mixed feelings about this series so far. On one hand the writing doesn’t jive with me. It’s repetitive and tells you how dangerous it is without demonstrating the danger. Yes Simon is volatile and a frustrating asshole as they become closer, but he didn’t get close enough to making her a doll before he chanced his mind. Like, I want to know more about what could happen to him and his piece of seity if he kills her. Maybe it gets covered in another book, but it’s driving me crazy right now. I guess that’s what I get for trying to read a series of short books.
And on the other hand, I’m definitely drawn in by Simon. That seems to be the general consensus amongst readers.
This must be the book in which she hits him with a skillet. Loved that scene.
I have mixed feelings about this series so far. On one hand the writing doesn’t jive with me. It’s repetitive and tells you how dangerous it is without demonstrating the danger. Yes Simon is volatile and a frustrating asshole as they become closer, but he didn’t get close enough to making her a doll before he chanced his mind. Like, I want to know more about what could happen to him and his piece of seity if he kills her. Maybe it gets covered in another book, but it’s driving me crazy right now. I guess that’s what I get for trying to read a series of short books.
And on the other hand, I’m definitely drawn in by Simon. That seems to be the general consensus amongst readers.
This must be the book in which she hits him with a skillet. Loved that scene.
luckyblueninja's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
candyperfumegirl's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dalenora's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think these books are just delightful in how they’re structured. Each one has a clear and easy to follow plot arc that doesn’t drag on for too long with a clear climax that leads into the next one. They’re fun and easy to read! It’s not often I get to read a fantasy that’s 250ish pages, so it’s easy to fly through from the sense of accomplishment that comes from finishing one, even if the story could have been told in 3 books or so. I love a good gimmick and having the book titles tie into the prophecy is super fun!
That being said, the main conflict of this book didn’t really make any sense? Why would Cora be so upset about being stuck in the circus, when in the previous book she was nearly willing to become a wooden doll (at her own admission) just to get rid of the pain from her daily life? It seems to me like she should be on her knees thanking the circus, it really doesn’t sound like too bad of a deal, especially with what we know of her life before. A lot of her complaints felt half baked, and it kind of made this book drag at times, since it was mostly ONLY about her inability to accept the circus. I think a good portion of this book was redundant plot wise, and could have been taken care of in 50-100 pages pretty easily, but I did really enjoy the breathing room and character development time we got by having such an inconsequential main conflict. Sometimes, it pays to give a story some room to breathe, and I think I’m coming to love these characters more than I would have if things had been rushed and squished into less books, which seems more like the norm in fantasy romance now.
There’s also some unexplained plot holes that really bug me, but those might be resolved in the next one.once the faire became inverted, a lot of the major plot points we’d been introduced to stop making sense. If the faire is only topside for a few days to weeks at most, and when they’re inverted decades can pass in what feels like weeks, how could any of the events in the book have happened? How was Simon hung from the tower for 5 years? How did Hernandez live on for 32? And so much more. If 20 years feels like at most a year or two, none of that, or any of the other characters behavior up until this point really makes sense, So I’m not really understanding how this mechanic works. I get that it’s a Jeremy beremy type deal, but it feels more like a “hey and also wouldn’t this be crazy?” Rather than something that was really thought through in relation to the rest of the story. But who knows, maybe the next couple books will explain all that
That being said, the main conflict of this book didn’t really make any sense? Why would Cora be so upset about being stuck in the circus, when in the previous book she was nearly willing to become a wooden doll (at her own admission) just to get rid of the pain from her daily life? It seems to me like she should be on her knees thanking the circus, it really doesn’t sound like too bad of a deal, especially with what we know of her life before. A lot of her complaints felt half baked, and it kind of made this book drag at times, since it was mostly ONLY about her inability to accept the circus. I think a good portion of this book was redundant plot wise, and could have been taken care of in 50-100 pages pretty easily, but I did really enjoy the breathing room and character development time we got by having such an inconsequential main conflict. Sometimes, it pays to give a story some room to breathe, and I think I’m coming to love these characters more than I would have if things had been rushed and squished into less books, which seems more like the norm in fantasy romance now.
There’s also some unexplained plot holes that really bug me, but those might be resolved in the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Rape
thebookshelfmonster's review
4.0
The Puppeteer, the second book in Kathryn Kingsley's Harrow Faire series, raises the stakes for the protagonist Cora Glass, as she struggles to come to terms with her new reality. In [b:The Contortionist|54995584|The Contortionist (Harrow Faire, #1)|Kathryn Ann Kingsley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597675641l/54995584._SY75_.jpg|85773053], we were introduced to the mysterious Harrow Faire and some of its noteworthy denizens. In The Puppeteer, we get to explore the world of the Faire more fully and meet more of its peculiar cast, as Cora is immersed, willingly or not, more fully in the strange pocket universe she has unwittingly become a part of. As the notorious and titular Puppeteer Simon Waite became inextricably tied to Cora at the conclusion of the previous book, we get to know him more closely and find out about his backstory, alongside some of the other characters, as well as why he has earned the notoriety that has been hinted at by every member of the Faire with the subtlety of a Jack-hammer (Simon would have been proud of my lame attempt at this particular pun).
Kingsley yet again proves her prowess as a storyteller by immersing us deeply into the minds of the characters she has created. Cora, in particular, is extremely believable and her plight is easy to empathize with; I found myself anxious and concerned for her as a reader, as she sunk deeper into despair and denial trying to understand and come to terms with her bizarre and tragic circumstances. Her loss and heartbreak is palpable and the exploration of her past trauma compounds to her struggles. Simon is not even half as easy to empathize with, though he continues to be an interesting and entertaining character, and had a few oddly and uncharacteristically sympathetic moments when he wasn't being his exasperating self. I often had to look to Cora's perspective to find more redeemable aspects to Simon, which was ironic considering she herself does not have a lot of warmth for Simon at this point. It was, however, interesting to see the perplexing mystery that is Simon Waite (second in complexity and mystery, perhaps only to the Faire and Mr. Harrow himself) unravel through Cora's sensitive perspective. Cora, like many of Kingsley female protagonists, brings a deep sensitivity to the world that she holds up for the readers' viewing. Characters like Jack, the Clown, Simon's sentient Shadow, and at times even Simon himself attain great depth and humanity through Cora's very humane perspective.
While some of the mystery to the Faire is revealed in this second book of the series, the revelations have added further mysteries and questions about the Faire and Cora's role and purpose in it. I look forward to the next book in the series The Clown to find out more.
Kingsley yet again proves her prowess as a storyteller by immersing us deeply into the minds of the characters she has created. Cora, in particular, is extremely believable and her plight is easy to empathize with; I found myself anxious and concerned for her as a reader, as she sunk deeper into despair and denial trying to understand and come to terms with her bizarre and tragic circumstances. Her loss and heartbreak is palpable and the exploration of her past trauma compounds to her struggles. Simon is not even half as easy to empathize with, though he continues to be an interesting and entertaining character, and had a few oddly and uncharacteristically sympathetic moments when he wasn't being his exasperating self. I often had to look to Cora's perspective to find more redeemable aspects to Simon, which was ironic considering she herself does not have a lot of warmth for Simon at this point. It was, however, interesting to see the perplexing mystery that is Simon Waite (second in complexity and mystery, perhaps only to the Faire and Mr. Harrow himself) unravel through Cora's sensitive perspective. Cora, like many of Kingsley female protagonists, brings a deep sensitivity to the world that she holds up for the readers' viewing. Characters like Jack, the Clown, Simon's sentient Shadow, and at times even Simon himself attain great depth and humanity through Cora's very humane perspective.
While some of the mystery to the Faire is revealed in this second book of the series, the revelations have added further mysteries and questions about the Faire and Cora's role and purpose in it. I look forward to the next book in the series The Clown to find out more.