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danchuchie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
4.0
“They were sending her to war, so she would go and become something they had every right to fear.”
Synopsis:
The story follows Vhalla Yarl, a library apprentice, that has spent half of her life in the library of the Empire’s capital. Like every one else, she has been taught to fear sorcerers and the Tower, the sorcerers’ quarters, is a place she never wished to be in. That is, until she unknowingly saved the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of the world, the Crown Prince Aldrik.
It is by that seemingly small gesture that Vhalla finds herself entrenched in the sorcery world, making her question everything – herself, the empire, society, friendships. Now she must decide: embrace her power or eradicate it and remain as she was before. Who she always has been.
Every day of indecision is a step closer to danger and she will find out just how much her indecision will cost her.
Review:
Damn.
There is something about 2010s YA fantasy books that truly have a richness to it that 2020s YA fantasy books try to reach but very few achieve.
Was it the best fantasy book I read? No.
Was it really good? Yes.
I think the key is coming to it with low, nearly non-existing expectations, almost even negative ones, and you’ll be surprise with how much you’ll enjoy yourself.
This was an incredibly quick read. The pages flew as I read them and I finished them in three nights, pretty much. The story was fast paced, easy-to-read simple writing with no major purple prose. Basically, the author didn’t try to reach beyond her scope (with this one) – made it simple, easy and entertaining.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say the development of the bond between Vhalla and Aldrik wasn’t what entertained me the most. It was really well done; it was a slow burn that, at some point, I wondered if anything was even going to happen in this book.
The story felt so similar to ‘Avatar’ in some ways – the usage of elemental magic with different regions representing different ‘elements’
The plot differs from ‘Avatar’ quite a lot. It is a YA novel from the 2010s so it does use a lot of normal YA tropes/clichés. However, it doesn’t make it any less good.
The world building was slow, in the sense that is not explained to you in the first few pages. It’s laid out gradually as the plot develops and the need for the reader to know the context of X or Y grows.
Which, I believe, it’s a smart choice.
I’m constantly tired of having to power through 50 or more pages of almost only world building before the actual main plot starts and I can start enjoying the characters.
The character development is gradual and steady. Vhalla starts as a naïve know-it-all, insecure about herself, and by the end, she has acquired knowledge [outside of books], has understood context and complexity and has found strength within herself.
Most side characters were interesting and kept you engaged as they interacted with the main character. Aldrik, the love interest, was surprising at the third interaction. I loved how the author didn’t make him a total asshole throughout 70% of the story and then completely changed him. No. She made him complex whilst remaining through to the idea he is reserved, always an asshole but caring.
I completely loved how some things that I often see on YA fantasy books were ignored for the sake of, well, me and my sanity.
I will not read the 2nd book right away because I’m afraid that too much YA in a grow is going to break the magic this book created but I’ll definitely continue this series and I can’t wait to see how Vhalla, and Aldrik, manage everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
literarymary95's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
3.0
This book had an interesting concept but it felt like not much was happening until the last third of the book. I'm still going to continue reading the series, but the start of it was really slow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and War
Minor: Genocide, Gore, and Death of parent
bunny_herondale's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
blacksphinx's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
1.5
Where do I begin... The protagonist's name being two random Norse words? The chapter that is Divine Rivals But Worse? And actual dialogue tag that is "demanded gently"? The love interest asking the protagonist if she's ever fucked a man or masturbated two pages after calling her a child? (She's seventeen by the way.) The way the love interest's entire personality changes chapter to chapter? (And no, the protagonist thinking "the two halves of his personality don't seem to fit" does not fix that.) Why does this love triangle have so many sides when it's crystal clear who she is going to end up with!
I literally only finished this due to a reading challenge. The back 40% was better than the first 60%, but I cannot get over how bad it was.
I literally only finished this due to a reading challenge. The back 40% was better than the first 60%, but I cannot get over how bad it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Colonisation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
TW eye injuryrad_blackthorn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Violence
brindlecat's review against another edition
Poorly written dialogue and fairly severe abuse by the MMC to the FMC
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
fullybookedpenguin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
1.0
Don't be fooled by the 'quiet library book girly thrown into magic and intrigue' premise. Our main female lead Vhalla, isn't the smart, intelligent librarian the intro suggests.
The initial force that brings Vhalla and Crown Prince Aldrik together may have been meant to come across as a kind of academic rivalry and challenge, but instead is dripping with insults, genuine abuse and down-troding by the Prince towards Vhalla. Through this, though I was put off and saw red flags flying our female lead's brain cells slowly escape her and are replaced with an attraction that is forced and cringe.
One gripe I especially have is her sudden behaviour towards one of her besties, who when confronted with her sorcery, is shocked and then investigates ways to prevent it: Vhalla becomes bitchy, shows no grace and blames the friend, despite the fact that she had the exact same reaction when she found out.
TO continue with her loss of all sensible reasoning, Vhalla ends up following a row of out of character decisions and events that leads to the big finale and into the rest of the series. By out of character, I mean, she loses all librarianisms which were supposed to be so important to her, and chases after the Prince by embracing noble fanfare and carryings on.
Overall the characters are unlikeable and the plot is melded together by dumb decisions that will frustrate anyone with a little intellect.
Very disappointing read, as I was hoping for a strong female lead with the smarts to counter her foes and the willingness to grow to overcome challenges, I don't find that here.
The initial force that brings Vhalla and Crown Prince Aldrik together may have been meant to come across as a kind of academic rivalry and challenge, but instead is dripping with insults, genuine abuse and down-troding by the Prince towards Vhalla. Through this, though I was put off and saw red flags flying our female lead's brain cells slowly escape her and are replaced with an attraction that is forced and cringe.
TO continue with her loss of all sensible reasoning, Vhalla ends up following a row of out of character decisions and events that leads to the big finale and into the rest of the series. By out of character, I mean, she loses all librarianisms which were supposed to be so important to her, and chases after the Prince by embracing noble fanfare and carryings on.
Overall the characters are unlikeable and the plot is melded together by dumb decisions that will frustrate anyone with a little intellect.
Very disappointing read, as I was hoping for a strong female lead with the smarts to counter her foes and the willingness to grow to overcome challenges, I don't find that here.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
morriganlefaye's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
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
3.75
The story is gripping and the writing flows pretty well, although definitely not as well as in Ms Kovas newer books.
It's a bit rough around the edges and it took me a few chapters to really get sucked into the story, but in the end, I couldn't put the book down anymore.
It's a bit rough around the edges and it took me a few chapters to really get sucked into the story, but in the end, I couldn't put the book down anymore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
akirokis's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Gore, and War
quietlyfierce's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail