Reviews

The Becoming by Nora Roberts

kmkasiner's review against another edition

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2.0

OH the first book of 2022 is gonna be like that huh

The Becoming is the second book in the Dragon Heart Legacy series, and picks up immediately after the end The Awakening. I had problems with the first book but still felt interested enough to pick up the sequel. It has a lot of the same issues. Snail's pace plotting, focused mainly on Breen gallivanting around faerieland and being perfect at everything. She has her friend Marco with her this time, and he gets to do a lot of baking, flirting, horeseback riding, and other activities which we find out about in minute detail. There's barely any action in this book, and the two battle scenes are over quickly. That's fine, because I'm not an action reader, but I started to get bored by the end because none of the large cast of characters was really that unique. This book needed a cast list at the beginning because I lost track of Breen's huge family after the 18th second cousin's baby we're introduced to. When some of these side characters die, I felt nothing because I had barely seen them.

Ok, filler could be forgiven for a second book. What really drove me crazy was the "villain" character, Shana. She's portrayed as evil and conniving for no reason except that she was spoiled by her parents (they...loved her too much...?), and she's jealous of Breen. I hated how the two women were pitted against each other and fought over Keegan. Shana is portrayed as a vain woman who cares about her clothes and makeup, and takes charge of her sexuality, apparently this is enough to make a person evil. Breen thinks she's insane at first but then comes to the conclusion that she was just born bad. Okay then?? What was really unforgivable was the
Spoilerbasically rape scene with Odran and Shana. It was gross and made me want to throw the book across the room.


Overall I feel like this trilogy could easily be a single book, there's so much unnecessary scenery chewing yet the worldbuilding and magic system is so vague. Like basically just irish folklore stereotypes. AND I WILL NEVER GET OVER THE DOG BEING NAMED BOLLOCKS.

Will I still read the third one? Probably, because I want to see if the ridiculousness continues.

mariahphillippi's review

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

3.0

emmyreads2024's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

katlow's review against another edition

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1.0

I really enjoyed the first book in the series but couldn’t get into this book.

larseb13's review against another edition

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2.0

Even though I got bored in the first one something made me go and read the second one. Feeling was the same I was into it for a while and then I just wanted to be done with it. I definitely got my fill of this “universe” with The One series. Will try not to go for the 3rd one!

auntmanda23's review

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adventurous 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? No

4.25

daffodill37's review

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

(Audio)
I got fully immersed in this world and devoured this second book. This series is what I would consider a "character" book. Meaning, our author really makes a point for us to spend time with our characters doing their daily routines and conversations and such. This one also has a very well developed plot but what the characters are doing comes first. I love that, feeling like I'm in the day to day activity of our group of friends.
That's not to say I think the writing is perfect. I still think some of the dialogue is written strange and unnatural but it's forgivable. 

oliviagoldie's review

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

3.5

i liked this one a lot better than the first one, but i don’t think nora roberts has ever met a gay person in her life 

abbypuckett's review against another edition

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4.0

definitely getting better i’m excited to finish the series

huneynutcheerio's review against another edition

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3.0

This second installment was very similar to the first. A nice action scene at the very end, but otherwise a slowish slog to get there. One to go.