A review by whisperfox
Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
3.0
[6/10]
This second installment is interesting mostly due to how it expands the world-building and the magic system of the first book. I enjoy it very much for those reasons.
I wasn't as big a fan of the plot for this one -- the politics and especially the love triangle just aren't my bag. So it missed the mark for me some here, especially the emotional beats between the main character and the challenging love interest. I was so not buying them as having any chemistry that he became more of a metaphor for revolution for me/Miri than a real character.
That said, the book did still surprise me with its expansion of linder magic, and I enjoyed that very much. I was also very struck by Britta here. She is by far the most empathetic character in the entire series, and her capacity for kindness and finding the best in others is something I can only aspire to.
Although less compelled by this plot, I still really liked a lot about it. All in all, it's a pretty solid sequel.
This second installment is interesting mostly due to how it expands the world-building and the magic system of the first book. I enjoy it very much for those reasons.
I wasn't as big a fan of the plot for this one -- the politics and especially the love triangle just aren't my bag. So it missed the mark for me some here, especially the emotional beats between the main character and the challenging love interest. I was so not buying them as having any chemistry that he became more of a metaphor for revolution for me/Miri than a real character.
That said, the book did still surprise me with its expansion of linder magic, and I enjoyed that very much. I was also very struck by Britta here. She is by far the most empathetic character in the entire series, and her capacity for kindness and finding the best in others is something I can only aspire to.
Although less compelled by this plot, I still really liked a lot about it. All in all, it's a pretty solid sequel.