raeanne's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warning: Rape, Mass Death, Slavery, Torture, Abuse, Ableism
White Stag and I did not get along at first. I re-read the first pages half a dozen times. It was a jumbled mess that didn't make sense, like starting to read in the middle. Couple a weeks later I swore it'd be my last attempt so I can move on to my other review copies.
My second impression after all the false starts was how it felt like starting Throne of Glass in the middle with Aelin's character progression with A Court of Thorns & Roses like plot.
This is NOT a good thing for me.
I was able to keep going at first because I was actually making fun of it in my head. Well somewhere amidst the action with Soren and Jeneke's confessions and thawing...I started...liking...it? I couldn't believe it myself.
So I'm halfway through and it starts getting redundant with Jeneke's superior survival skills and hand wringing. Then more action, more romance, dragons, wolves, and mental gymnastics, etc, etc.
Finally got to the end, the titular white stag wound up pretty interesting. It worked out better than Bardugo's stag sacrifice/kill ridiculousness in Shadow & Bone. The epilogue confirmed what I already knew from the first "crazy" ramblings.
All in all, I don't feel like I wasted my time or regret trying it. But it's not something I enjoyed and given the resurrect the rapist "crazy" prophet synopsis of the sequel, I won't be continuing.
White Stag and I did not get along at first. I re-read the first pages half a dozen times. It was a jumbled mess that didn't make sense, like starting to read in the middle. Couple a weeks later I swore it'd be my last attempt so I can move on to my other review copies.
My second impression after all the false starts was how it felt like starting Throne of Glass in the middle with Aelin's character progression with A Court of Thorns & Roses like plot.
This is NOT a good thing for me.
I was able to keep going at first because I was actually making fun of it in my head. Well somewhere amidst the action with Soren and Jeneke's confessions and thawing...I started...liking...it? I couldn't believe it myself.
So I'm halfway through and it starts getting redundant with Jeneke's superior survival skills and hand wringing. Then more action, more romance, dragons, wolves, and mental gymnastics, etc, etc.
Finally got to the end, the titular white stag wound up pretty interesting. It worked out better than Bardugo's stag sacrifice/kill ridiculousness in Shadow & Bone. The epilogue confirmed what I already knew from the first "crazy" ramblings.
All in all, I don't feel like I wasted my time or regret trying it. But it's not something I enjoyed and given the resurrect the rapist "crazy" prophet synopsis of the sequel, I won't be continuing.
sarag19's review against another edition
4.0
***ARC received through NetGalley for review, much appreciated***
3.5 out of 5 (rounded up to four for interest in a sequel)
I found myself struggling with this book. Janneke is a human girl surviving in a twisted land of mythical creatures that values power above all else. There is a stark contrast between the older generation and the likes of Lydian and the younger generation that includes Soren and how they go about showing that power. It doesn't help that the story itself just starts, the stag has risen, the king is dead and the hunt is on.
Janneke's time with Lydian was very short, just eight months, but it dictates the entire story. Janneke was tortured both physically and mentally. Eight months may seem like a moment over a hundred years but a moment is all it takes to stay with a person forever. What we don't see is the other side, what happens in her time with Soren it is only ever described in passing it would have been really nice to see more of him interacting with others. It would have been easier to connect with him as a character if we saw him outside of just his interactions with Janneke. This whole story is very central to Janneke overcoming her personal traumas and does little to expand on the world itself. Even interactions with other creatures are all central to Janneke reliving and overcoming her traumas. The hunt seems so important but characters just take days doing random nothing tasks. The world as a whole is fascinating but its background noise that never feels like it fully belongs to the story.
Perhaps I'm in a minority on this, but I really wished Lydian has been explored more, sounds like thats possible in the next book. Soren seems to reference that something traumatized his uncle, creating a monster who seems to be going mad with what knowledge he was given. This madness combined with his dark nature sometimes comes off as terrifying (particular when he keeps asking the same question over and over again) other times left me wondering why anyone would be terrified of him or even bother following him.
Overall, I did like the book. It wasn't a fav but it left enough dangling at the end to make me interested in a sequel. Hopefully the author can expand on the world that she has created.
3.5 out of 5 (rounded up to four for interest in a sequel)
I found myself struggling with this book. Janneke is a human girl surviving in a twisted land of mythical creatures that values power above all else. There is a stark contrast between the older generation and the likes of Lydian and the younger generation that includes Soren and how they go about showing that power. It doesn't help that the story itself just starts, the stag has risen, the king is dead and the hunt is on.
Janneke's time with Lydian was very short, just eight months, but it dictates the entire story. Janneke was tortured both physically and mentally.
Spoiler
She was beaten and raped (this is never described in any level of specific details) by Lydian and I appreciate that the author had her characters remember this.Perhaps I'm in a minority on this, but I really wished Lydian has been explored more, sounds like thats possible in the next book. Soren seems to reference that something traumatized his uncle, creating a monster who seems to be going mad with what knowledge he was given. This madness combined with his dark nature sometimes comes off as terrifying (particular when he keeps asking the same question over and over again) other times left me wondering why anyone would be terrified of him or even bother following him.
Overall, I did like the book. It wasn't a fav but it left enough dangling at the end to make me interested in a sequel. Hopefully the author can expand on the world that she has created.
mapmurph's review against another edition
3.0
I received an advanced copy of this book. Thank you NetGalley, Kara Barbieri, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the opportunity to check this book out before it is published.
There were some weak points in the story. I couldn't understand how Janneke was so powerful and managed to defeat the amount of goblins that she did. There was a lot of "goblins are very powerful/fast/strong/etc" but a human managed to dispatch several, with little to no intervention from another goblin. I feel like Janneke's background wasn't fleshed out very well towards the beginning of the book. I also felt like she hated all goblins for the first half of the book. Then, all of a sudden, she decided that she liked goblins, one in particular.
Other than some of the weak points in the story that I noted, I felt that the book was enjoyable. Janneke went through quite a bit to get to the point she's at when the story begins. This is definitely a book for older teens into adults just because there is a graphic nature to some of Janneke's story.
There were some weak points in the story. I couldn't understand how Janneke was so powerful and managed to defeat the amount of goblins that she did. There was a lot of "goblins are very powerful/fast/strong/etc" but a human managed to dispatch several, with little to no intervention from another goblin. I feel like Janneke's background wasn't fleshed out very well towards the beginning of the book. I also felt like she hated all goblins for the first half of the book. Then, all of a sudden, she decided that she liked goblins, one in particular.
Other than some of the weak points in the story that I noted, I felt that the book was enjoyable. Janneke went through quite a bit to get to the point she's at when the story begins. This is definitely a book for older teens into adults just because there is a graphic nature to some of Janneke's story.
alyram4's review against another edition
5.0
Closer to 4.75/5 stars, but I still loved this book! There are trigger warnings for rape, trauma, violence, and torture. Just be wary of those, but the rape portion is more so a memory and the trauma left behind. This book is paced really well, and the characters all throughout are so enjoyable! Soren quickly grew on me despite my hesitance at first. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!
hannas_heas47's review against another edition
5.0
White stag
Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and give my honest opinion!
This is a rare gem of a book! Some of my favorite types of genre exist in only small amounts of books that I could count on one hand and this is that genre. Since the first time I had read a goblin book I have been hooked and that is why I chose to read this copy. The author stays true to form as she releases us in this goblin world and the story building is so amazing it transforms us. White stag was an amazing read, and if you love to fall into fantasy....this is definitely a page turner.
What did I like? Janneka was an amazing main character, although she was human her story doesn't really start until mid book when we understand how she became. The other two characters Lydian and Soren are two male goblins that hold the dark and the light sides of what being a goblin entails. One has hurt Janneka horribly and the other has saved her. Her own destiny lies with herself and it's her choices that really make the book wonderful.
Would I buy this book? Absolutely, I really love this genre and when it comes out I would definitely buy a copy. I hope there is more to this story. This genre doesn't get enough credit and not many authors will write it.
Thoughts for the author? I would beta read anything this author wrote, that's how much I loved this story. Great imagery, world building, and strong characters. Five huge stars!
Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and give my honest opinion!
This is a rare gem of a book! Some of my favorite types of genre exist in only small amounts of books that I could count on one hand and this is that genre. Since the first time I had read a goblin book I have been hooked and that is why I chose to read this copy. The author stays true to form as she releases us in this goblin world and the story building is so amazing it transforms us. White stag was an amazing read, and if you love to fall into fantasy....this is definitely a page turner.
What did I like? Janneka was an amazing main character, although she was human her story doesn't really start until mid book when we understand how she became. The other two characters Lydian and Soren are two male goblins that hold the dark and the light sides of what being a goblin entails. One has hurt Janneka horribly and the other has saved her. Her own destiny lies with herself and it's her choices that really make the book wonderful.
Would I buy this book? Absolutely, I really love this genre and when it comes out I would definitely buy a copy. I hope there is more to this story. This genre doesn't get enough credit and not many authors will write it.
Thoughts for the author? I would beta read anything this author wrote, that's how much I loved this story. Great imagery, world building, and strong characters. Five huge stars!
zeldasayre's review against another edition
2.0
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m echoing several reviewers here and most of what I want to say has already been said. I did enjoy the premise of this book (Norse Mythology? Sign me up!) but it fell flat for me. I guess I could sum up this novel by calling it “so-so”. I do believe that it has a ton of potential but it felt as if I’ve read this kind of story hundreds of times before. However, instead of fae it’s goblins, and I just couldn’t imagine a goblin as sexy. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
I’m echoing several reviewers here and most of what I want to say has already been said. I did enjoy the premise of this book (Norse Mythology? Sign me up!) but it fell flat for me. I guess I could sum up this novel by calling it “so-so”. I do believe that it has a ton of potential but it felt as if I’ve read this kind of story hundreds of times before. However, instead of fae it’s goblins, and I just couldn’t imagine a goblin as sexy. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
sadea7's review against another edition
4.0
Enthralling and dark are the perfect words to describe this book I simply adored it. From the very first page the action happens, Kara Barbieri is not playing around she engulfed me right into the story at full charge ahead. Letting the reader know whats at stake and who's who right away. Janneke is an amazing and refreshing heroine who starts out like a wounded fawn and as she journey through her pass on this great expedition with the ever charming goblin lord Soren. Who is nothing but infatuated with Janneke and would do sacrifice anything for her happiness. As she grows from like being a baby fawn who stumbled into becoming her true self by accepting not only her flaws but freeing herself and embracing all the pain does she transform into a beautiful stag.
I really loved how Kara incorporated many Norse folklore and entwined different fairy-tales throughout the story to enrich Janneka's journey. The White Stag is filled with every element of a great storyteller full of darkness, romance, humor, and adventure the balance of each element was just right. This a book I truly embraced for everything that it is and isn't in a fairy-tale.
P.S. I love a good arc that sneaks up on you against the clock, that is how I know its a page-turner I can't put down.
I really loved how Kara incorporated many Norse folklore and entwined different fairy-tales throughout the story to enrich Janneka's journey. The White Stag is filled with every element of a great storyteller full of darkness, romance, humor, and adventure the balance of each element was just right. This a book I truly embraced for everything that it is and isn't in a fairy-tale.
P.S. I love a good arc that sneaks up on you against the clock, that is how I know its a page-turner I can't put down.
_kit_'s review against another edition
5.0
This book stayed with me. I savored it and still can't stop thinking about it, and it will be a favorite that I know I will reread time and again. I loved that despite not being able to relate to Janneke's specific circumstances, her feelings are painted so intimately that you can truly relate, or at least I could. The author's depiction of struggling with PTSD resonated more deeply with me than any other fictional work touching on the subject I have found, not because of the source of the trauma but because of the haunting prose used to depict it. This book doesn't shy away from the ugly, but it slowly works its way out of the shadows. We see Janneke grow to accept herself and her new life, and when she is reborn it is so rewarding. Soren is the most lovable, wonderful, non-problematic book boyfriend I have fallen in love with in a long long time. While there are a couple of other wonderful side-characters I greatly look forward to seeing again in the sequel, Soren is the glue that holds Janneke and this story together. He is truly the warmth in this novel that adds levity and joy not just to Janneke's life, but also to keep the reader from being sucked under in the darker subject matter. The trigger warning at the beginning of the book was well-placed, as those who are working through certain kinds of trauma may have a difficult time with Janneke's flashbacks. While some may argue that the book focuses too much on Janneke's traumatic past, I would disagree. The true plot of this book is Janneke learning to let go and recover from her past, and give herself permission to move forward with the future that is right for her. To do that, the only way out is through.