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bailey_the_bookworm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
3.5
I read this one for a challenge—this is a series of Pierce’s I never got to as a young reader, and it was a pleasure to try it out now. I was, perhaps, more interested in Lark and Rosethorn’s stories than the stories of preteens, but then I am not a preteen and haven’t been for a very long time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
spacerkip's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
4.5
This was so vibrant and original, and I would have loved it to pieces as a kid. The world-building felt so lived-in, and I was continually impressed at how that comes across with a couple details sprinkled in. The focus on meditation and a magic system that revolved around domestic and artisan work I thought was especially clever. Creating magic out of the mundane is an essential part of children's literature. I loved each of the four protagonists - how different they were, where they all came from, watching them learn their magic. It was wonderful to see them grow closer to each other over the course of the book, and I can't wait to see how their friendship grows stronger as the series goes on.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
charm0nix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Confinement
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty and Emotional abuse
ladydisdain's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is the perfect series for any inquisitive young mind who wants to know what's happening in the town below the castle in all those high fantasy epics. While temple life is still relatively genteel, the opportunity to spend some times outside of courts and quests is welcome. An almost definitive take on found family, Pierce weaves in (get it?) a sampler of fantasy background characters and pairs them with People with Real Jobs. And it works. The kind of magic explored here feels real and spiritual in a way that resonates out here in our otherwise tawdry world. My wife is a knitter, a spinner, a gardener, and has vowed to take up smithing as soon as we have a house. Of course there's magic in crafting and caring for the earth. Of course there's power in the storm.
Poor Sandry does get a bit shafted in her own book as this is more a vehicle to introduce and bind our cast of characters than a novel centered on a personal journey for Sandry. As usual, Pierce is spending the first book in the quartet setting up the pieces for the rest- we've got 80% character introduction and world building, 20% THIS book's plot points, but the characters and world are charming enough to let it slide. Definitely not the strongest of the series, but a vital introduction to some of the most beloved characters I have ever spent an afternoon with.
Poor Sandry does get a bit shafted in her own book as this is more a vehicle to introduce and bind our cast of characters than a novel centered on a personal journey for Sandry. As usual, Pierce is spending the first book in the quartet setting up the pieces for the rest- we've got 80% character introduction and world building, 20% THIS book's plot points, but the characters and world are charming enough to let it slide. Definitely not the strongest of the series, but a vital introduction to some of the most beloved characters I have ever spent an afternoon with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Trafficking
frantic_vampire's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
It’s been a very, very long time since I last reread this book and it did not disappoint. It was like coming home and snuggling under a warm blanket. There were so many things that I had forgotten! But getting to meet these characters again? It was so much fun! I loved getting reacquainted with all the kids, and somehow at 30-years-old I feel like I connected more with them than I did when I was 12 or 15. I can also see where my love of found family’s came from. I love the way the Pierce wrote the kids because they got to be actual kids and learn and make mistakes and grow into who they’re meant to be. Sandry’s Book is getting a solid five stars, both for the nostalgia and for being a fantastic book that really stands the test of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Gaslighting, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail