A review by roseybot
Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima
2.0
This book started out so well -- there were no annoying flashbacks, an interesting world to be playing around in, magic that seemed to have logic and rules. Even up to about 50%, I was on board, though the story had slowed down considerably from the fast paced beginning.
Then Jenna and Ash met and all logic and meaning went out the window for them. Lila grabbed the idiot ball and Dustin... vanished? Did he die? I honestly don't know cause at about 90% I just started skimming. I couldn't stomach it.
The romance was so ridiculously bad -- Jenna and Ash are in love in SECONDS, and willing to die for one another way too fast. Then Chima took the only character I even remotely liked and made her dumber than rocks ("What's this thing that I have experienced over and over again in my life?").
The ending didn't have any relation to the beginning of this book, and it felt so phoned in. I know that Chima has had success before and am assuming now that she just was like "readers know what happen next I don't need to write it". At least, that's what I feel like must be happening, because otherwise she's being MALICIOUSLY BAD.
This has to be the fastest turn from "Yeah, I'll get the second one" to "Oh... oh no, never mind. I can barely finish this one."
I skimmed the end, after the Dragon shows up because Jenna being a dragon was telegraphed WAY too much (and it wasn't confirmed but what kind of dumbass character doesn't make that connection WHEN HER HANDS TURN INTO CLAWS?).
Just... bad. It was so bad.
Two stars because the beginning was alright.
Then Jenna and Ash met and all logic and meaning went out the window for them. Lila grabbed the idiot ball and Dustin... vanished? Did he die? I honestly don't know cause at about 90% I just started skimming. I couldn't stomach it.
The romance was so ridiculously bad -- Jenna and Ash are in love in SECONDS, and willing to die for one another way too fast. Then Chima took the only character I even remotely liked and made her dumber than rocks ("What's this thing that I have experienced over and over again in my life?").
The ending didn't have any relation to the beginning of this book, and it felt so phoned in. I know that Chima has had success before and am assuming now that she just was like "readers know what happen next I don't need to write it". At least, that's what I feel like must be happening, because otherwise she's being MALICIOUSLY BAD.
This has to be the fastest turn from "Yeah, I'll get the second one" to "Oh... oh no, never mind. I can barely finish this one."
I skimmed the end, after the Dragon shows up because Jenna being a dragon was telegraphed WAY too much (and it wasn't confirmed but what kind of dumbass character doesn't make that connection WHEN HER HANDS TURN INTO CLAWS?).
Just... bad. It was so bad.
Two stars because the beginning was alright.