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nerdkitten's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Death of parent, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Self harm, Confinement, Stalking, Body horror, Vomit, Genocide, Bullying, and Child abuse
Minor: Ableism, Physical abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Abandonment, Child death, Excrement, Medical content, and Suicide attempt
aang_arang's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
There was so much I loved about this book. I went out on a limb here and read this book for my personal book club with my best friend, and neither of us are high fantasy readers but we wanted to try something different and I love beefy books. Immediately upon reading I knew I loved the writing style and execution of this book. It's very friendly to new fantasy readers and while it takes getting used to names and places, it was very engaging the entire time, and nothing ever felt like a slog to get through. Asha's storyline was my favorite. I loved seeing her journey through the different worlds and I feel like her point of views is where we gained some of the most world building.
I also really dislike when books leave you questioning for too long but this book answers just enough tiny questions to keep you chugging on. I also thing it worked in favor of the narrative style. You find out information in real time with the characters, you're never given larger overarching info that you're left sitting on waiting for the characters to find out. It really made you feel like you were apart of the journey as well.
Now that I've said that, I also thing this book lacked in many ways. This book is 680 pages of exposition. And for a book that long I really don't think that there should be unanswered questions or open plot lines to this extent. We should get a full circle story arc and line for a boom despite if it's a trilogy or not. I'm not sure I could really name what the plot was if asked. I knew we were traveling and building to something but you dont really know what that is until the very last chapters of the book. It didn't feel like the journey had stakes because I was unsure of what we were trying to build to.
There was a good world building but I can't help but feel like there are aspects to the Tols and rest of the world that are still questionable.
I'm going to sit on the book for a week and see if I feel like finishing the series.
I also really dislike when books leave you questioning for too long but this book answers just enough tiny questions to keep you chugging on. I also thing it worked in favor of the narrative style. You find out information in real time with the characters, you're never given larger overarching info that you're left sitting on waiting for the characters to find out. It really made you feel like you were apart of the journey as well.
Now that I've said that, I also thing this book lacked in many ways. This book is 680 pages of exposition. And for a book that long I really don't think that there should be unanswered questions or open plot lines to this extent. We should get a full circle story arc and line for a boom despite if it's a trilogy or not. I'm not sure I could really name what the plot was if asked. I knew we were traveling and building to something but you dont really know what that is until the very last chapters of the book. It didn't feel like the journey had stakes because I was unsure of what we were trying to build to.
There was a good world building but I can't help but feel like there are aspects to the Tols and rest of the world that are still questionable.
I'm going to sit on the book for a week and see if I feel like finishing the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Torture, Murder, and War
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
considerthelily's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Body horror, Murder, and War
awaterswadesthrough's review against another edition
This book is a meal without taste. Incredible plot convenience mixed with characters so paper thin they're made of tissue paper made this story overwhelmingly flavorless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Death, Hate crime, and Torture
lectora21's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Death of parent, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Death
Moderate: War
Minor: Grief, Vomit, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Torture, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury
conprimo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was slow rather than gripping until about the last 50 pages, which for a book over 650 pages long is saying something. It did however leave me with enough questions I want to pick up the next one soon.
It had some interesting concepts, I hope they ripen to a story which could sit amongst my favourites.
It had some interesting concepts, I hope they ripen to a story which could sit amongst my favourites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
shadereads's review
I can't quite put a finger on what bugged me about this book, probably because there were multiple things that all added up to me not wanting to continue. For one, the book is massive, but the catalyst happened in the first 50 pages. That feels too quick. I would have liked a little more time getting to know the 'before' life before such drastic changes happened in their lives, and just get to know the characters in general and how the magic system worked.
For two, I didn't enjoy how the main female lead was being treated. She had her life basically taken away from her before she had a chance, and has seen nothing but trauma and death since the story started. There was a whole chapter that could have been taken out involving her, because it feels like it gave too much away too quickly, leaving little intrigue to get invested in, because we already know who is shady and who we shouldn't trust.
Overall, if this was trying to be like The Wheel of Time or Brandon Sanderson, I don't think it hit that mark for me. It's probably one of those books that's long for the sake of being long.
For two, I didn't enjoy how the main female lead was being treated. She had her life basically taken away from her before she had a chance, and has seen nothing but trauma and death since the story started. There was a whole chapter that could have been taken out involving her, because it feels like it gave too much away too quickly, leaving little intrigue to get invested in, because we already know who is shady and who we shouldn't trust.
Overall, if this was trying to be like The Wheel of Time or Brandon Sanderson, I don't think it hit that mark for me. It's probably one of those books that's long for the sake of being long.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Hate crime and Forced institutionalization
ellanarose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, Torture, Violence, and Body horror
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