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A review by booksonawednesday
The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book feels like the kind of book that you could study at university; there are so many Easter eggs and references and symbolisms, but honestly, most of them went over my head.
The writing in this book is amazing, as is the world building and setting. A book set in a library big enough beyond imagination, with a city entirely dependent on it?! Sounds incredible, and it was. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, although I feel like a lot of them might have passed me by.
My main problem with this book is that it just seemed to drag on and on. Even though it picks up in the last quarter, I still felt jet lagged by the glacial pace of the first half. I also found the magic system confusing, because there are no rules of ‘when’ or ‘where’ or even ‘what’, and I found it hard to keep up at points.
The reveals throughout the book make you question what you’ve read, but in a good way. If you’re in the mood for a heavy, immersive but rewarding fantasy, I would recommend this.
The writing in this book is amazing, as is the world building and setting. A book set in a library big enough beyond imagination, with a city entirely dependent on it?! Sounds incredible, and it was. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, although I feel like a lot of them might have passed me by.
My main problem with this book is that it just seemed to drag on and on. Even though it picks up in the last quarter, I still felt jet lagged by the glacial pace of the first half. I also found the magic system confusing, because there are no rules of ‘when’ or ‘where’ or even ‘what’, and I found it hard to keep up at points.
The reveals throughout the book make you question what you’ve read, but in a good way. If you’re in the mood for a heavy, immersive but rewarding fantasy, I would recommend this.