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A review by claudiabelcin
Blestemul Vraciului by Joseph Delaney
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Here's a more polished version:
This is the second book in the series, and it’s noticeably longer and more complex than the first. Unfortunately, I’m once again disappointed by the poor translation, but since I’ve committed to reading all the books in the series that I own, I’m pushing through.
One aspect that bothers me is how easily Tom overcomes every new challenge. Everything seems to go perfectly for him, which doesn’t feel very realistic. For instance, when Tom reads the Spook’s notes from his apprenticeship, it’s striking how well Tom performs in comparison, despite being only 13, while the Spook was already an adult during his initial training. I understand that Tom is meant to be a special boy, as his mother predicted, but a bit more struggle and effort on his part would have made the story more believable. I think I would have connected more with Tom as a character if his journey involved facing tougher obstacles.
Another issue I found was the pacing of the important scenes, much like in the first book. The buildup to each dramatic moment feels rushed, with descriptions that are brief and lack complexity. While I understand this is aimed at a middle-grade audience, I still feel the story would benefit from more depth in these areas. Naze’s extreme mercy towards certain creatures, like the Bane, stretches believability to the point of making the character seem foolish rather than kind. Similarly, the Spook’s hesitation to deal more seriously with dangerous characters contrasts sharply with his harsh treatment of Alice. Given how much she tries to help, it’s disappointing that she isn’t shown more kindness and understanding. The general attitude towards Alice from all the characters is frustrating; she deserves more trust and appreciation. However, I did appreciate the Spook’s change in attitude towards her at the end.
This is the second book in the series, and it’s noticeably longer and more complex than the first. Unfortunately, I’m once again disappointed by the poor translation, but since I’ve committed to reading all the books in the series that I own, I’m pushing through.
One aspect that bothers me is how easily Tom overcomes every new challenge. Everything seems to go perfectly for him, which doesn’t feel very realistic. For instance, when Tom reads the Spook’s notes from his apprenticeship, it’s striking how well Tom performs in comparison, despite being only 13, while the Spook was already an adult during his initial training. I understand that Tom is meant to be a special boy, as his mother predicted, but a bit more struggle and effort on his part would have made the story more believable. I think I would have connected more with Tom as a character if his journey involved facing tougher obstacles.
Another issue I found was the pacing of the important scenes, much like in the first book. The buildup to each dramatic moment feels rushed, with descriptions that are brief and lack complexity. While I understand this is aimed at a middle-grade audience, I still feel the story would benefit from more depth in these areas. Naze’s extreme mercy towards certain creatures, like the Bane, stretches believability to the point of making the character seem foolish rather than kind. Similarly, the Spook’s hesitation to deal more seriously with dangerous characters contrasts sharply with his harsh treatment of Alice. Given how much she tries to help, it’s disappointing that she isn’t shown more kindness and understanding. The general attitude towards Alice from all the characters is frustrating; she deserves more trust and appreciation. However, I did appreciate the Spook’s change in attitude towards her at the end.