melting_gargoyle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
grxceg's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
alokesti's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
fedak's review against another edition
4.0
- Really enjoyed Muir's snarky/sarcastic writing style- reminded me a lot of Glen Cook's "Black Company" series. The setting/magic system were also refreshingly different from the usual tropes
- This isn't remotely science fiction. It's a Gothic GrimDark Fantasy complete with swordsman and magic users. There's no "science" and the entire plot takes place in one indoor location. (two if you include the opening chapter). Not a bad thing but I've seen this repeatedly classified as SF.
- I found keeping track of the large number of characters quite difficult. Especially when each had a collection of titles and nicknames on top of their similar sounding given/surnames. This prompted continuously referencing the character list at the start of the book and using Kindle's xray to try and keep the characters apart. And in the end the core issue here is most of those characters weren't developed enough that this came naturally.
- The narrative seemed like it couldn't quite decide between being a murder mystery or a competition/race between the houses. Instead it kind of bounced between the two and sort of eventually abandoned both.
- This isn't remotely science fiction. It's a Gothic GrimDark Fantasy complete with swordsman and magic users. There's no "science" and the entire plot takes place in one indoor location. (two if you include the opening chapter). Not a bad thing but I've seen this repeatedly classified as SF.
- I found keeping track of the large number of characters quite difficult. Especially when each had a collection of titles and nicknames on top of their similar sounding given/surnames. This prompted continuously referencing the character list at the start of the book and using Kindle's xray to try and keep the characters apart. And in the end the core issue here is most of those characters weren't developed enough that this came naturally.
- The narrative seemed like it couldn't quite decide between being a murder mystery or a competition/race between the houses. Instead it kind of bounced between the two and sort of eventually abandoned both.
jude10's review
4.0
4.5 ☆ - "i cannot conceive of a universe without you in it"
i'm literally not okay what the fuck
i'm literally not okay what the fuck
unholyrotten's review
I can see why some would like it, but it unfortunately reads like fanfiction that thinks it's wittier than it actually is.
thereadingscorpios's review
it was just the wrong time for me to read this book. would love to try again at some point in the future!
lia_kim's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book had so many twists and turns, it felt like reading a necromantic escape room aboard a secluded space station.
The relationship between Harrowhark and Gideon was really front and centre in the entire book and that is probably what made the ending so magnificent.
The relationship between Harrowhark and Gideon was really front and centre in the entire book and that is probably what made the ending so magnificent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death, Suicide, Murder, and Gore
Moderate: Child death
dunkin_ma_knuts's review
After a really good start the book spends the next 150 pages meandering Around a broken down castle. Through the eyes of someone that has nomidea what's going then all of a sudden she realises her the person she loathes most in her life, her owner, is missing. Spends 0.4 seconds wrestling with whether to look for her not and says yeah I better look..... Like why