alexabookish's review against another edition
5.0
sept ‘21 reread: this book is just absolutely stunning.
sept ‘20: this book is like my new obsession. i loved it. i fell in love with the characters and the world. séverin was just *chefs kiss* and i loved laila sm. the other characters were great too, but i just had to shoutout my favorites. the cast is so diverse too, which i loved reading about. the world in this book!! it is so intriguing and intricate. honestly, i loved trying to puzzle everything out. it was amazing. i truly don’t understand why this book has such mixed reviews, i thought it was so well done. i was a little confused at the beginning because this book draws from so many different myths, but i figured it out as the book unfolded. i can’t wait to read the sequel. this is definitely a new favorite!
sept ‘20: this book is like my new obsession. i loved it. i fell in love with the characters and the world. séverin was just *chefs kiss* and i loved laila sm. the other characters were great too, but i just had to shoutout my favorites. the cast is so diverse too, which i loved reading about. the world in this book!! it is so intriguing and intricate. honestly, i loved trying to puzzle everything out. it was amazing. i truly don’t understand why this book has such mixed reviews, i thought it was so well done. i was a little confused at the beginning because this book draws from so many different myths, but i figured it out as the book unfolded. i can’t wait to read the sequel. this is definitely a new favorite!
lostinwater's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
riiiclark's review against another edition
4.0
*3.5
It was enjoyable as long as you don’t read too much into the world building or logistics of the magic (science?) system. BUT I will say that the diverse cast of characters and representation really made the book better. I loved Hypnos and Zofia the most out of the characters, especially the conversations that involved them.
It was enjoyable as long as you don’t read too much into the world building or logistics of the magic (science?) system. BUT I will say that the diverse cast of characters and representation really made the book better. I loved Hypnos and Zofia the most out of the characters, especially the conversations that involved them.
gaonz's review against another edition
2.0
Boring, wasn’t interested in the story at all, the characters felt very surface-level and I just felt that it was supposed to be exiting but just wasn’t at all.
katiereadsalot7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Mixed feelings about the characters — I like and dislike them at the same time, I sometimes feel they’re very whole and thought out but sometimes also two dimensional. The plot is okay, pretty cool setting and world building. The references to various mythologies and histories are fun to spot and I appreciate her thorough research. The puzzles in this book are much simpler than those in other books, but I don’t mind, I like being able to figure it out before the characters do. I’ve heard great things about her writing and I think it is really good, very discriptive but didn’t quite fully do it for me like a few other well liked books. Interestingly enough the more gruesome scenes deliver much more efficiently with her writing style.
Also interestingly, I saw a lot of similarities with Six of Crows between the characters and their backgrounds, even part of the premise. Yes they are still two very different books and one shouldn’t compare them to each other but I just couldn’t help but notice.
This book felt a hundred or so pages longer than 380 pages at times but I’m starting to appreciate that style of storytelling.
Also interestingly, I saw a lot of similarities with Six of Crows between the characters and their backgrounds, even part of the premise. Yes they are still two very different books and one shouldn’t compare them to each other but I just couldn’t help but notice.
This book felt a hundred or so pages longer than 380 pages at times but I’m starting to appreciate that style of storytelling.
taylorreadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Ohmygod I really should have tried to put this off longer because that ending was not ok and I need the next one right now!
also I'm 97% sure Hypnos is just Magnus Bane in disguise so obviously he is my favorite.
also I'm 97% sure Hypnos is just Magnus Bane in disguise so obviously he is my favorite.
jannetteamane's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kenziewol's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell.”
I loved the vibes of this book — the interesting lore and magic system, the mysteries, the hesists
dnikort's review against another edition
Seems fun, but not what I’m currently in the mood for. I’ll probably revisit it eventually though