A review by casadilla12
In the Forests of the Night, by Kersten Hamilton
3.0
3.5 stars. In my opinion, there is a lot to like about this book. The mythology itself is incredibly neat, and makes for a cool world with wondrous and scary creatures. The dialogue is fantastic, and the family dynamic is chaotic and fun. The romance is not an overbearing part of the story, which is refreshing, because the world and plot stands on it's own two legs, and doesn't need to rely on a romantic subplot to bring the drama.
There is something about the writing, though, that makes the emotional scenes less impactful than they could be. It feels like the book is underwritten, perhaps? But this second book also doesn't seem to have as much going on as the first book, plot-wise. It's a lot more waiting around for the Bad Guy shoe to drop. Either way, it feels like some things are missing from the storytelling at times, and whatever it is, it makes it harder to sink down into the story and care about the characters. It's an abrupt writing style, and paints a more 2D picture of the story instead of a 3D one. Don't know if that makes sense, but that's the best way I can describe the reading experience. Still a fun story, though.
There is something about the writing, though, that makes the emotional scenes less impactful than they could be. It feels like the book is underwritten, perhaps? But this second book also doesn't seem to have as much going on as the first book, plot-wise. It's a lot more waiting around for the Bad Guy shoe to drop. Either way, it feels like some things are missing from the storytelling at times, and whatever it is, it makes it harder to sink down into the story and care about the characters. It's an abrupt writing style, and paints a more 2D picture of the story instead of a 3D one. Don't know if that makes sense, but that's the best way I can describe the reading experience. Still a fun story, though.