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lkkirk75's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
brittney_tyler's review against another edition
5.0
Star Rating: 4.5 stars
Note: This is the 2nd book in the Hazel Wood series so this will not be an in-depth review.
For those that follow my reviews, you will know that earlier this month I re-read The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, and although I did not enjoy it as much as I did the 1st time, mainly due to the fact that I have since read other books that execute the themes contained in that book better, I still enjoyed it enough to continue the series with book 2, The Night Country. For those that don’t know, this series follows the story of Alice Proserpine and her associates struggling to survive in our world after theirs is destroyed for reasons that I won’t spoil. Alice is particularly having a hard time as she feels torn between the two worlds due to the fact that she has ties in each, and this is mainly her story of finding a balance between who she is and what she wants to be.
The best thing about this book/series is the themes, and in this one, it is the theme of self-discovery: finding the place that makes you feel contented and happy, even when everybody is trying to get you to do what they think is “best” and nobody is listening to you. Our main character Alice struggles with this a lot as she feels she is being torn in two due to her myriad different allegiances. Does she do what makes her happy or what makes her fellow Hinterland survivors or her mother happy? I think that her struggle to find a happy medium will be a struggle that a lot of readers relate to.
Speaking of characters, our other main character Ellery Finch received a lot of the character depth that he was lacking in book 1. He is no longer just a sidekick but is now a fully-fleshed out character of his own, actually becoming pretty much the hero of this installment. Although her character work still needs polish, I am very impressed with the improvements that Albert has made (This is coming from an individual who loves her authors to do deep dives into characters and motivations and I personally found that lacking in this book.).
Finally, I really enjoyed the extended allusion that Albert did in this book to death, whether it be death personified, death of self, of hopes/dreams, of the world. Again, I have to say that it wasn’t the best executed extended allusion that I have ever seen, but since this is only Albert’s second book, I am willing to cut her a little slack.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to what Albert will write in the future because she has a lot of potential. 4.5 stars!!!!!!!!
Note: This is the 2nd book in the Hazel Wood series so this will not be an in-depth review.
For those that follow my reviews, you will know that earlier this month I re-read The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, and although I did not enjoy it as much as I did the 1st time, mainly due to the fact that I have since read other books that execute the themes contained in that book better, I still enjoyed it enough to continue the series with book 2, The Night Country. For those that don’t know, this series follows the story of Alice Proserpine and her associates struggling to survive in our world after theirs is destroyed for reasons that I won’t spoil. Alice is particularly having a hard time as she feels torn between the two worlds due to the fact that she has ties in each, and this is mainly her story of finding a balance between who she is and what she wants to be.
The best thing about this book/series is the themes, and in this one, it is the theme of self-discovery: finding the place that makes you feel contented and happy, even when everybody is trying to get you to do what they think is “best” and nobody is listening to you. Our main character Alice struggles with this a lot as she feels she is being torn in two due to her myriad different allegiances. Does she do what makes her happy or what makes her fellow Hinterland survivors or her mother happy? I think that her struggle to find a happy medium will be a struggle that a lot of readers relate to.
Speaking of characters, our other main character Ellery Finch received a lot of the character depth that he was lacking in book 1. He is no longer just a sidekick but is now a fully-fleshed out character of his own, actually becoming pretty much the hero of this installment. Although her character work still needs polish, I am very impressed with the improvements that Albert has made (This is coming from an individual who loves her authors to do deep dives into characters and motivations and I personally found that lacking in this book.).
Finally, I really enjoyed the extended allusion that Albert did in this book to death, whether it be death personified, death of self, of hopes/dreams, of the world. Again, I have to say that it wasn’t the best executed extended allusion that I have ever seen, but since this is only Albert’s second book, I am willing to cut her a little slack.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to what Albert will write in the future because she has a lot of potential. 4.5 stars!!!!!!!!
ebgat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.5
lisabee12's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved the first book, The Hazel Wood. It’s hard to do a sequel, but this was really good. Honestly, it almost could have been just one long book, the way the story and characters picked back up.
cyrille6k's review against another edition
3.0
While The Night Country continues the intriguing world-building and dark fairy tale atmosphere established in The Hazel Wood, it falls short in a few areas. The pacing feels uneven, with some sections feeling rushed while others drag. The plot, while intriguing, lacks the same level of suspense and mystery as its predecessor.
The characters, particularly Alice, remain compelling, but their development feels limited. The exploration of the Hinterland and its inhabitants is fascinating, but the overall plot resolution feels somewhat anticlimactic.
While The Night Country is a solid sequel, it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor. Fans of the series will likely enjoy it, but it may not be as universally appealing as the first book.
ghostiegirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
scienceworks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? No
3.75
samulla10's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
j_emerson18's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
megareads42's review against another edition
4.0
Honestly, I remember enjoying the Hazelwood but not really any details about it. I must say that that really didn't dampen my enjoyment of this book. I wasn't necessarily a fan of the heavy dose of nihilism going on in all the former fairy tale folks in the city, and I thought the whole 'night country' concept was a little overblown but overall enjoyed this one and would be ready to hop back into this world again.