A review by podanotherjessi
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb

adventurous dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I literally wrote an essay about this book to send to the friends I read it with, so let me parse that down to a spoiler-free review...

The pacing drags in the middle of this book, but the ending makes up for it some.
The characters are fantasic. They're all comples, and they go through such amazing growth. I've seen some of the best character arcs in this series, and there's still one more book to go.
There are wonderful themes in this book that are fun to explore and think about. Slavery is handeled from many angles in a complex way. Identity is a constant struggle, and there's a lot of elements about control in different ways.
I really loved this book, and if it hadn't been so slow, it would be rated higher. Can't wait to finish the trilogy!

Characters: 10
Plot: 7
Setting: 9
General appeal: 8
Writing style: 9
Originality: 9
Ending: 8

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