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fairytale42's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
For those who didn't like Brianna in the last book, I can only say in this one that she's getting...better. She's still a weaker heroine who whines more than I'd like, but I do appreciate her character. Plot wise, this book definitely gets better - expect way more spirit animals, talk of souls, and some revelations. Romance wise, I was both happy and annoyed. (More on that later).
To start, I appreciated seeing more of the world come alive in this one. The map really opens up, and the spirit animals step center stage to prepare for a potentially earth-shattering showdown. Jala'ban definitely scared me, but Bua'lami (if I typed that right) is a dear even if I don't entirely trust him. Hearing more of the backstory of the world was intriguing, and I'm excited that Brianna gets to be a part of it. I still think she needs more training, though.
Even though she can wield a sword, Brianna still strikes me as weak, both physically, socially, and emotionally; however, she is one of the rare obviously flawed heroines who changes into someone who fights for those who cannot and doesn't give up on what's right. While she does swing from "okay won't do this" to "doing it now bye!" quite a lot, and complains the other half the time, I do appreciate her growth and I like how she's obviously flawed. She's just a bit annoying, but she is kind and stronger than others give her credit for.
I still don't see how Jian loves her so much, though, because they hardly know each other, which bothered me in this book. They still obviously like each other a lot, which is to be expected, but while I'm happy their relationship is progressing, I'm still like "you don't know so many things about each other!" I also was NOT happy with how Brianna would intentionally poke old wounds and be snappy all the time. Jian was a respectful gentleman and was just trying to do his job, while Brianna was being whiny because she got hurt. It hurts, but come on girl - just let the man do his job without being a brat. (I like Brianna, I swear, but she does have her moments.)
I also liked seeing the other characters come to life a bit more - Hai Rong, bless him, is the best guard one could ask for. Jeremiah is a sweetheart who is a definitely oblivious, but I love his loyalty. And Jian is perfect, as always.
Overall, enjoyed this book thoroughly - not a favorite, necessarily, but a good new fairy tale series.
To start, I appreciated seeing more of the world come alive in this one. The map really opens up, and the spirit animals step center stage to prepare for a potentially earth-shattering showdown. Jala'ban definitely scared me, but Bua'lami (if I typed that right) is a dear even if I don't entirely trust him. Hearing more of the backstory of the world was intriguing, and I'm excited that Brianna gets to be a part of it. I still think she needs more training, though.
Even though she can wield a sword, Brianna still strikes me as weak, both physically, socially, and emotionally; however, she is one of the rare obviously flawed heroines who changes into someone who fights for those who cannot and doesn't give up on what's right. While she does swing from "okay won't do this" to "doing it now bye!" quite a lot, and complains the other half the time, I do appreciate her growth and I like how she's obviously flawed. She's just a bit annoying, but she is kind and stronger than others give her credit for.
I still don't see how Jian loves her so much, though, because they hardly know each other, which bothered me in this book. They still obviously like each other a lot, which is to be expected, but while I'm happy their relationship is progressing, I'm still like "you don't know so many things about each other!" I also was NOT happy with how Brianna would intentionally poke old wounds and be snappy all the time. Jian was a respectful gentleman and was just trying to do his job, while Brianna was being whiny because she got hurt. It hurts, but come on girl - just let the man do his job without being a brat. (I like Brianna, I swear, but she does have her moments.)
I also liked seeing the other characters come to life a bit more - Hai Rong, bless him, is the best guard one could ask for. Jeremiah is a sweetheart who is a definitely oblivious, but I love his loyalty. And Jian is perfect, as always.
Overall, enjoyed this book thoroughly - not a favorite, necessarily, but a good new fairy tale series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Death and Panic attacks/disorders