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vonny3492's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
mypatronusisajedi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism
sshelbyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
Updated review 03/2022
Oh my god if I have to hear a phrase about “lines” one more time I SWEAR.
“Caressing my lines,” sending heat through my lines, my knotted lines. My lines this, my lines that. Ahhhh!
I feel like the idea of “lines” is a cop out to actually describing the feeling of the elemental magic and its flow through the body.
I started reading this again (started at 70%) at the same time I was reading The Iron Widow which has a similar idea of elemental magic. And I felt that TIW did a better job of explaining the flow of magic/power (via meridians), and the connection of partners via/with magic.
Glad I stuck with it because
I KNEW HE WASN’T DEAD!
ps. Here is me again saying how much I hate love triangles.
Previous review 2021
*SPOILER ALERT*
Proceed at your own risk.
I LOVED book 1&2! Book 2 is probably my favorite. I made it 3/4 of the way through this one when I decided that I had had enough.
To preface, the love triangle is my least favorite trope. It makes my heart feel horrible. But if it’s for you, you might love this book. I felt strung along during books 1&2 almost to the point of it being too much with Elloren and Yvan. It’s sweet relief at the end of book two when Elloren and Yvan finally get together. And then we get to book 3…and there’s a short snippet of Yvan’s story and then he just dies*and Elloran goes all in (despite her heavily mentioned guilt) with Lukas because she must depend on him for her “safety,” (but she can’t grieve Yvan because apparently there is time for sex and cultic ceremonies celebrating the deflowering of virgins but not grief during wartime 🤷♀️…). It just felt so so lame to me (especially as a member of Team Yvan).
I think one of the things that I dislike about the love plot as well as the evolution of Elloren’s power is the pattern of the idea being too drawn out for far too long. We all saw it coming that Elloran is the black witch. I get it, I get it!… Elloran has no control over her power (as has been mentioned for the kajallionth time…), I get it, Elloren and Yvan CANNOT be together because it’s dangerous (book 2). If the author’s intent was to leave the reader feeling supremely frustrated, then mission absolutely accomplished for this reader. Like, Elloren, get it together! You can light a forest on fire with a toothpick, stop being so helpless! Maybe I’m being hard on her but it seems a departure from her go-getter attitude in the previous books where she empowers herself through knowledge and cleverness by taking her education into her own hands and concocting plans.
From a little spoiler research I did, it seems that Yvan, to my great relief, isn’t dead, so I’ll probably read the next book when it’s released. And it seems that Elloren also gets her girl power going by the end of this book. But life’s too short and I have too many books on my TBR to continue listening to the next 5 hours and feeling the way that I do.
Lastly, the books started with perspectives from others but then transitioned to a great portion dedicated to Elloren’s perspective. I wish they would have been tied together more (Six of Crows did this really well) or that the author had kept the same format as the first books or completely switched perspectives (like SJM did with Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames).
Oh my god if I have to hear a phrase about “lines” one more time I SWEAR.
“Caressing my lines,” sending heat through my lines, my knotted lines. My lines this, my lines that. Ahhhh!
I feel like the idea of “lines” is a cop out to actually describing the feeling of the elemental magic and its flow through the body.
I started reading this again (started at 70%) at the same time I was reading The Iron Widow which has a similar idea of elemental magic. And I felt that TIW did a better job of explaining the flow of magic/power (via meridians), and the connection of partners via/with magic.
Glad I stuck with it because
I KNEW HE WASN’T DEAD!
ps. Here is me again saying how much I hate love triangles.
Previous review 2021
*SPOILER ALERT*
Proceed at your own risk.
I LOVED book 1&2! Book 2 is probably my favorite. I made it 3/4 of the way through this one when I decided that I had had enough.
To preface, the love triangle is my least favorite trope. It makes my heart feel horrible. But if it’s for you, you might love this book. I felt strung along during books 1&2 almost to the point of it being too much with Elloren and Yvan. It’s sweet relief at the end of book two when Elloren and Yvan finally get together. And then we get to book 3…and there’s a short snippet of Yvan’s story and then he just dies*and Elloran goes all in (despite her heavily mentioned guilt) with Lukas because she must depend on him for her “safety,” (but she can’t grieve Yvan because apparently there is time for sex and cultic ceremonies celebrating the deflowering of virgins but not grief during wartime 🤷♀️…). It just felt so so lame to me (especially as a member of Team Yvan).
I think one of the things that I dislike about the love plot as well as the evolution of Elloren’s power is the pattern of the idea being too drawn out for far too long. We all saw it coming that Elloran is the black witch. I get it, I get it!… Elloran has no control over her power (as has been mentioned for the kajallionth time…), I get it, Elloren and Yvan CANNOT be together because it’s dangerous (book 2). If the author’s intent was to leave the reader feeling supremely frustrated, then mission absolutely accomplished for this reader. Like, Elloren, get it together! You can light a forest on fire with a toothpick, stop being so helpless! Maybe I’m being hard on her but it seems a departure from her go-getter attitude in the previous books where she empowers herself through knowledge and cleverness by taking her education into her own hands and concocting plans.
From a little spoiler research I did, it seems that Yvan, to my great relief, isn’t dead, so I’ll probably read the next book when it’s released. And it seems that Elloren also gets her girl power going by the end of this book. But life’s too short and I have too many books on my TBR to continue listening to the next 5 hours and feeling the way that I do.
Lastly, the books started with perspectives from others but then transitioned to a great portion dedicated to Elloren’s perspective. I wish they would have been tied together more (Six of Crows did this really well) or that the author had kept the same format as the first books or completely switched perspectives (like SJM did with Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
willowmae's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
It felt like it was written by a completely different author way worse than the previous books :(
Second review:
I have boosted in from 3 stars to 4, it was much better on the reread, it still not as good as the other books in the series.
Second review:
I have boosted in from 3 stars to 4, it was much better on the reread, it still not as good as the other books in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and War
baexlee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Shadow Wand is an entirely different entry into the Black Witch Chronicles than either of the previous installments. Where the two previous novels only gave Elloren's perspective The Shadow Wand does not shy away for jumping through the perspectives of many different characters, including some new introductions. The world that Laurie Forest has crafted is complex, and in previous installments Elloren's viewpoint alone was enough to navigate that narrative as she began to really experience the world on her own for the first time and be exposed to people beyond her protected bubble. I appreciated that Forest recognized the limitations of Elloren's perspective in this particular installment and provided us more insight into characters like Tierney and Wynter.
This series is not afraid to shy away from it's characters dealing with difficult subject matter, and The Shadow Wand is no exception to that. Things do not simply happen to these characters, they are not passively accepting the events of their narrative, rather they are critically thinking about the events of their story and emotionally unpacking them on the page, which can only help serve to deepen our connection to a character as readers.
Fair warning to anyone with an aversion to love triangles - this series is likely not for you. Since this is the third installment we are well into the romantic plotlines, but Forest does not make any predictable choices and the only thing that I can be certain of is that I cannot be certain of anything when it comes to Elloren, Yvan and Lukas. As far as my personal opinions, i thought I had made my mind up, and then I had a lot of opinions changed by the events of this novel, only the be left feeling confused, frustrated and grief stricken by the end.
This series is not afraid to shy away from it's characters dealing with difficult subject matter, and The Shadow Wand is no exception to that. Things do not simply happen to these characters, they are not passively accepting the events of their narrative, rather they are critically thinking about the events of their story and emotionally unpacking them on the page, which can only help serve to deepen our connection to a character as readers.
Fair warning to anyone with an aversion to love triangles - this series is likely not for you. Since this is the third installment we are well into the romantic plotlines, but Forest does not make any predictable choices and the only thing that I can be certain of is that I cannot be certain of anything when it comes to Elloren, Yvan and Lukas. As far as my personal opinions, i thought I had made my mind up, and then I had a lot of opinions changed by the events of this novel, only the be left feeling confused, frustrated and grief stricken by the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Genocide, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Grief
rini's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Rape