Merili
I was disappointed by this installment in the series. Rhythm of War was incredible, but this book didn't quite live up to the others. I fully acknowledge I'm in the minority with this opinion
1. Half of the characters appeared to accomplish nothing (I'm looking @shallan, rlain, renarin, and all the stuff with mishram...??).
2. The other half of characters who accomplished something could have done it in 100 pages, but since there were SO many side plots, it was drawn out. over. 1300. pages. (i'm looking @my poor guy Kaladin)
3. A little bit too modernized - I felt like the beauty/mystique of the high fantasy of the previous 4 books was lost in this one. There were a few things that contributed to this - like the genre turning more sci-fi in the end than fantasy, with all of the gods/shards...idk.. Also, all of the therapy with Kaladin and Szeth. Therapy is a great concept and practice. I am 100% in support of going to therapy. But I usually read my fantasy books AS my therapy, with characters fighting through their problems and finding support in their friends amidst wars and powerful enemies and plots. I don't usually read my fantasy books to see characters going to.....actual therapy.....if that makes sense. I can (and do) read self help books for that. I'd prefer showing, not telling - aka Kaladin or Szeth showing us how to overcome emotional struggles and depression through their experiences. Not Kaladin repeatedly mentioning he is Szeth's therapist now. It made all the stuff he said feel so cringey and lowkey from like a #PositiveThoughts instagram bot account or something. idk. But i fully acknowledge this is just a PERSONAL PREFERENCE and Sanderson still included lots of showing too. Again, I'm NOT anti-therapy.
4. This book was fineish up until ~pg 1200 when i started to realize that, like Season 2 of Arcane, very few things were going to get cool resolutions.
5. What the heck with the fifth ideal??? The fourth ideal was so sick in the last book but then Kaladin getting to the last one didn't get anything bc we only have 20 pages left and he's gonna be a herald so what do the sick powers even matter?
6. The ending of book4 made taravangian/odium out to be such a scary villain. in this book.. he's not that scary. the tension was lost. idk. I think part of it was when Wit just realized on his own that Taravagnian had altered his memories.
7. It felt like we were fighting an entirely different war than we have been the past 4 books. Half of the conflicts have been between the Parshendi and the humans and they have been JUICY. Some serious casualties and wars. This book kinda dodged the conflict by saying, “the power of love is enough. Now we're all good.” Idk maybe. Just felt like a cop-out.
Anyways, just a few thoughts. Still loved books 1-4. Will consider reading the next set of the series in like 30 years when they're all out. Some great set-up in this book for the future books.
reread from back in high school. the only thing i remembered abut this series was 1. i remembered liking it better than twilight, and 2., good romance
things i liked about this book:
-writing style is high quality
-the academia mixed with magic. topic tier. love this
- could've been a little bit slower burn but romance is still good
things i didn't like:
DIANA doesn't freaking do ANYTHING for like the entire book. all of her decisions are so slow and felt so off-kilter. Like if I found out ashmole 29492340 was actually super important, the next page you'd see me go look for it again!! and figure stuff the heck out!! but this takes CHAPTERS to do. Why??? mostly because she's living a calm academia life and doing weird yoga with matthew. and then she finds out she has capabilities for a million gazillion witch powers. and does she do anything about it? NT FOR SO. MANY. CHAPTERS. like?? girl if you're so strong an independent why don't you go try to develop these powers instead of just being a victim and letting the situations PULLL them out of you?
Also, Matthew felt more inconsistent than the first time i read these. i was annoyed. Half of the time he's like no Diana i have to protect you. you can't do this. you can't do that. don't watch me eat animals even though we're married and i kno u kno i'm a vampire. u are only to be protected. but THEN (finally) he's also like “you need to become stronger and train”.
I just felt like diana was such a victim of the plot and didn't make a ton of decisions on her own. without being pushed into them CHAPTERS LATER than when she probably should have already decided.
As always, Beth Brower is a phenomenal writer and makes me wish I read more poetry. i didn't love this installment as much as previous ones. but i want to be clear that this is a GREAT BOOK.
Brower made it clear(?) with the fortune teller scene that Emma has two romantic possibilities, both of which are very different from each other. I'm assuming one is Pierce. I hope that the other one is Hawkes bc while I LOVE Islington, I don't need another rich duke romance. Hawkes is soooo fun - I think a love story setting up between him and Emma would be absolutely hilarious. So even though there hasn't been any romance suggested between Emma and Hawkes (unless you squint....maybe it's there......), if there are 16 books left in the series I can hold out hope. Unless they're related bc of Emma's dad's letter to Hawkes. then forget I ever wrote this review. *edit also i fully acknowledge that hawkes probably has a chick or someone sending him romantic letters but let me live in my alternate reality of st. crispians Islington's house was great. It made me want to travel to the country and go swimming a bunch. The reveals Brower included about his family/loss were very sad. While the Pierce-Emma fling has been fun, it's starting to feel stagnant. Pierce also had some more issues brought up in this book that don't bode well for the future of their relationship (i.e. losing money, alcoholism(?), doesn't want kids). I felt like this book was setting up for the two of them to break up while Pierce dramatically goes to America to get over his problems, or something else big. But nothing actually happened. I realize things take time but I'm hoping it moves faster in the next book. I also just don't feel like Pierce is the right dude for Emma long-term. However, Brower is a phenomenal writer so i've still enjoyed the romance.
Overall, loved this book - especially Hawkes. I'm 1000% biased. He's an absolute hoot.
This book had SO much potential in the beginning..... and then it fell very flat. while i like robin mckinley's writing style usually, this one just had way too much description that didn't really provide anything to the story. I also needed 80% more screentime with constantine because he was the most interesting character and the vampire who brings the vibes. also.... why didn't rae break up with her boyfirend or think about her boyfriend when she made out with constantine/???? or later when she was with her boyfriend she didn't seem to remember the whole thing with constantine??? not a fan. the story itself felt uncommitted to any actual ending with someone. again premise and first few chapters were sooo good and spooky but afterwards just didn't deliver.
This book was 5 stars until the 80% mark. I know it's just me but her and Luthe were great and both immortal and in love? and then right at 80% she's like, i'd better go back and marry Tor since i love him too and i'm meant to be queen. ??????????? idk i just was not a fan. felt a little duplicitous. i know she'll end up with Luthe after her mortal marriage dies but still like... not a fan. so 3 stars for that section. but it averages out. a great dragon read.
SUCH a good ending to this series asdfhaksjdfdf s
i will say that while i appreciate yeowoo not picking either of her men, i still feel like it would've been SO fun for her to pick one and to see that relationship develop - i feel like kdramas have disposed me to prefer Peregrine but Marazul was equally sweet and fun. but still a great ending. Athelas and Camellia were soooo good
I'm really torn on the rating of this one. The writing was so good. So so beautiful. My heart ACHED for phoebe and her struggles. The first 30% was absolutely perfect. HOWEVER I wish there had rather been 0 romance at all than what her love interest(s) were... the groom? of the wedding? She's just been cheated on by her husband and the next guy she catches feels for is into her even though he's already engaged? He doesn't sound that trustworthy either??? like girl you don't think he'll cheat on you too?
But, despite this huge flaw, the writing was so good that I'm still giving this 4 stars. I loved Phoebe and Lila and the rest of the characters and the fact that no one was the good guy or the bad guy. they were all just making decisions as best they could.
except i never liked her ex husband and i was so mad when he came back. like you cheated on her and left her and it's been 2 years??? what gives you the RIGHT??
Also, note to myself if i ever recommend this - this book is NOT clean
Reread. This series is so addictive. Rasha is frankly terrifying and it's satisfying to see her downfall as the series goes on. Navier is such a lovable female lead.
However i will say that Rasha history of being forced into slavery is definitely not given the focus it deserves/respect it qualifies for in the comic, it makes her choices a lot more understandable. Sovieshu is the biggest villain of the entire series tbh
dnf at 60%. This is my second attempt at reading this because the premise seems great and it has a high rating. but i just couldn't get through it. nothing is satisfying. it feels like all of hadrian's development and plot growth points are just random deus ex machina situations and he accomplishes little himself. he is a VICTIM of the plot. i found myself not caring what happened next because....anything could happen (and not in a fun, enjoyable way for the reader). He could be betrayed/tricked again. he could randomly find a source of good luck and gain more power. He could be dumped on a random planet again for 10 years. who knows. it was just so unsatisfying, especially after reading Red Rising.
Probably won't try a third time with this series
wow. i get it. i 100% get it.
i read this bc i saw one of the fanfic bookbinders i follow on instagram mentioned it and BOY am i glad. this was incredible. it might actually beat out Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love as the best fanfic read of the year. i have already printed out a typeset for my own paperback copy.
Basic premise: Draco gets sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. Hilarious and painful character growth ensues.
This fic stays very true to Draco's original character and his racist (blood purist? not sure the right word) beliefs/upbringing, but also realistically shows change as Draco realizes that maybe his family legacy isn't all that. the change does not happen overnight. it does not even happen in the first two books. which makes it all the more rewarding when he finally starts to relinquish the pureblood beliefs he's clung to. I also appreciated the effect of the anti-muggleborn sentiments are a serious threat throughout the entire series, greenTeacup does a great job of making you SO MAD where i feel like other fics gloss over the heftiness of the ingrained racism in wizarding society. Of course the romance is so fun when it finally picks up in year 4/5. 10/10. the story is still a WIP so i will be revisiting this in a year when year 5 is done.
This book had a great premise, but the narration from a character who does absolutely nothing was not my fave. Sorry Helena. I felt like the little group of protagonists had lame powers/no powers - while the bad guys are definitely bad dudes, why are their powers/magic way stronger and more interesting? the male lead was fine but again, in my opinion, didn't accomplish ANYTHING the whole book. This entire book felt like it should have been a 1-chapter prologue for another story.
however, the male dude's justice powers were cool - speaking to the dead was kinda sick.
I skipped ~30% of the middle half, the writing isn't bad i just feel like it can't compare to the level of Cardan and Jude. Wren and Oak are still super fun together BUT the drama kept. going. ON. and ON.
did't love the plot that was driven by two characters continually betraying/distrusting each other.
I finished all 200 chapters and i felt like the last 100 chapters could have been merged into, like, 10? not kidding. it was wayyyy too drawn out. but i was so glad jeffrey was endgame, his relationship with her disciples was sooo funny. and the flashbacks to their academy days were so sweet. don't think i'll reread but overall it was a fun and interesting plot.
