kelpipie78's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sandst's review against another edition
4.0
I seem to like the characters better in the third book. Hester Shaw is as cruel and heartless as ever, but I think I can at least empathize with her here...
marianavieira121's review against another edition
3.0
The story itself is really interesting, but these books lack world building, at least I wanted to know more about how it works or if it works. I think if that part was a little more developed, these books would have been way better
carden_saraid's review against another edition
4.0
I was initially upset that this took place 16 years after the second book, but quickly got sucked into this story. On to the last book!
bericheri's review against another edition
4.0
I didn’t much like Wren in the beginning and I’m not sure I like her much more now but Hester and Tom were marvellous. So good to be having more adventures with them. And what an ending! I need to read more!
cpt_mackey's review against another edition
3.5
Definitely my least favourite of the 3 novels and I’m going to guess, my least favourite of the series. While it didn’t have much in the way of world building/exploration, it had too much about character development and big changes in the plot in order to shift the story in a whole new direction. The 16 year time jump between this novel and the last is an excellent literary device, as it gives what would usually be the point in a series where you have to keep the reader entertained with some fresh new ideas, a new perspective to run with.
Personally, jumping between 3 different perspectives, felt quite jarring and it took away from the storyline. Right when you’re in the middle of some action, you get switched to a calmer and unrelated perspective. There was definitely no need for us to read about the surgeon mechanic for the length we did. 2 or 3 chapters would have been more than sufficient. The book itself had probably the most bland of the storylines so far, having a very simple ‘save the run away girl plot’. Even with the climactic and emotional ending, it doesn’t make up for the other 340 pages.
[ SPOILERS AHEAD ]
As a last point, I’m not convinced that the path Hester took was the correct one from a writing perspective. For her to leave Tom like that, after being with him for 16 years out of what looks like a child wanting attention, for her to nearly kill her kid because she didn’t like her attitude! As if kids don’t go through the teenage stage. For Reeve to basically write her out of the book and present her in a way that makes the audience dislike her, is not the direction I think he should have taken. She’s obviously a broken girl and has a traumatic past but after 16 years of being loved in a kind safe and calm place with a child of her own, I don’t think the character would act and leave like that.
Personally, jumping between 3 different perspectives, felt quite jarring and it took away from the storyline. Right when you’re in the middle of some action, you get switched to a calmer and unrelated perspective. There was definitely no need for us to read about the surgeon mechanic for the length we did. 2 or 3 chapters would have been more than sufficient. The book itself had probably the most bland of the storylines so far, having a very simple ‘save the run away girl plot’. Even with the climactic and emotional ending, it doesn’t make up for the other 340 pages.
[ SPOILERS AHEAD ]
As a last point, I’m not convinced that the path Hester took was the correct one from a writing perspective. For her to leave Tom like that, after being with him for 16 years out of what looks like a child wanting attention, for her to nearly kill her kid because she didn’t like her attitude! As if kids don’t go through the teenage stage. For Reeve to basically write her out of the book and present her in a way that makes the audience dislike her, is not the direction I think he should have taken. She’s obviously a broken girl and has a traumatic past but after 16 years of being loved in a kind safe and calm place with a child of her own, I don’t think the character would act and leave like that.
sylectra's review against another edition
5.0
uplifting and heartbreaking
The continuing arc of Hester and Tom reaches some inevitable conclusions because of who they each are. Their daughter Wren becomes a bonified hero in this book. One scary enemy is defeated and another emerges. This book is full of adventure, love, and sadness.
The continuing arc of Hester and Tom reaches some inevitable conclusions because of who they each are. Their daughter Wren becomes a bonified hero in this book. One scary enemy is defeated and another emerges. This book is full of adventure, love, and sadness.
liberty_the_baron's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
nutmegcollects's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0