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A review by sleepieseelie
The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Dang... I really enjoyed this until the end. It's a book with beautiful gothic prose and characters who are deliciously awful--an undead creature and a mage seeking revenge and the cure for death.
This book was a lot shorter than I expected and while that isn't a problem in and of itself (I appreciate short fiction and seeing what writers can get across in that short space!!), the ending felt almost cheap and definitely unsatisfying. A lot is left up to interpretation which isn't really my thing especially when it comes to significant plot points and worldbuilding. And then there was Florian's fate, which felt a little out of nowhere.
Overall I really really enjoyed this story and its characters, but unfortunately felt a little stung by the last 10 or so pages.
This book was a lot shorter than I expected and while that isn't a problem in and of itself (I appreciate short fiction and seeing what writers can get across in that short space!!), the ending felt almost cheap and definitely unsatisfying. A lot is left up to interpretation which isn't really my thing especially when it comes to significant plot points and worldbuilding. And then there was Florian's fate, which felt a little out of nowhere.
Overall I really really enjoyed this story and its characters, but unfortunately felt a little stung by the last 10 or so pages.