Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry

24 reviews

ameliez's review against another edition

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inspiring tense

4.75


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yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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5.0

 Finished reading: August 20th 2023


"That, Rowan had told her once, was what magic meant. A chance of something better."

I had a fantastic first experience with The Unlikely Escape Of Uriah Heep back in 2020, and I've been looking forward to read more of H.G. Parry's work ever since. I'm not sure why it took me this long, but this newest story couldn't have come at a better time... I adored every single minute I spent with The Magician's Daughter, and I couldn't give it any less than the full 5 stars it deserved. While completely different than her debut, I fell in love with this historical fantasy story straight away. The Magician's Daughter almost has that magical realism feel, which can go both ways for me, but in this case it hit the nail on the head. I loved the idea and descriptions of both Hy-Brasil and the magic itself, and the historical references are well incorporated. This wasn't the only thing I loved though... This book also stood out for me both due its impeccable writing and the development of the main characters. There was something enchanting about the writing style, and I found myself glued to the pages and unable to stop reading. Biddy makes for such a fantastic main character, and I loved learning more about the world through her eyes... Especially when she starts seeing the 'real' world for the first time in her life. The rest of the cast all added a little something special to the plot as well, although I think I loved Hutch the most of all of them. The plot is well structured, and there are plenty of twists and moments of danger along the way... Biddy's mission almost has that quest vibe, and I loved both how the plot evolved and how everything was wrapped up in the end. There is no doubt that The Magician's Daughter will appear on my list of 2023 favorites! 

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podanotherjessi's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really, really enjoyed the story in this book. It was a wonderful coming of age story focused a lot on learning that parents can be fallible. It also included great themes on whether it's better to fight from within or without a system, and even what could easily be an environmental allegory. The characters were delightful, and I felt really absorbed by most of the story.
My only real negative, and it's a big one, is that the writing style gets longwinded at times. There were moments where the narration would drone on, and I would find myself losing interest. This was always frustrating because for the most part I really enjoyed the book. So these tangents just disrupted an otherwise great reading experience.

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oceana_bookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I liked the whole plot and twist in the book, but for me I thought it took a little longer to find the book really good. But still a very interesting book to read.

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ijustreallyliketrees's review

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this one. It reminded me of the books I loved reading growing up and it invoked a strong feeling of nostalgia (especially the cosy/domestic scenes on Hy-Brasil). I loved the characters, and the way magic was written about.

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eatingfiction's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense fast-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

A wonderfully whimsical and magical adventure! A bit of Barbie Rapunzel (yes specifically the Barbie version for some reason) x Howl's Moving Castle. But of course, wholly unique. 

Beautifully written. I could spend forever enfolded in H.G. Parry's words...

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kat1105's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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clarabooksit's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5


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miraclesnow's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Any book that gets me to openly sob gets 5 stars.

This is what magic should feel like: fantastical, dangerous, and thrilling in equal measure. And this is exactly the feelings and experiences this book gave me, so much so I couldn’t help but to relate it to Howl’s Moving Castle. They both now take up a special place in my heart, because they both make me feel magical. ✨

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angela005's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75


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