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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
This book failed to capture my attention: I recognized the depth of the world-building, and that Cornish obviously put a lot of work into the book. There was a glossary of terms in the back and maps, and the illustrations were beautiful. The world felt fully realized. However, it also felt dry. I couldn’t really focus on what was happening, and this is a bad sign for me, since I read quickly, and I can read all types of books. This one just didn’t capture my attention. I didn’t become invested in the characters, and I just wanted to turn the final page. The story was interesting, but I thought it wandered a bit.
Recommend: No. If you’re looking for high fantasy, I would check with Tolkien or Martin. I would go ahead and skip over these.
Recommend: No. If you’re looking for high fantasy, I would check with Tolkien or Martin. I would go ahead and skip over these.
Perhaps because I was listening on audio, the action breezed passed me--and, as in Lamplighter, that's not entirely unpleasant but it does indicate an overlong book. Rossamund's emotional journey is more memorable; his identity has been broadcasted from the beginning, but learning to live with it is complicated and gradual. This growth doesn't age up the series, which still leans more middle grade than young adult, colorful and unsubtle, a neat package of themes and a messy bulk of action sequences. But it's charming, particularly the characters, particularly Europe, and the end centralizes those elements to a satisfying degree.
Knowing I would be soon finished with Factotum, and this series as a whole, I've been thinking about all the things I want to say about this story. Well, I just finished the book minutes ago. I am not going to attempt to write the whole review now. But I do want to jot down a few thoughts.
The stories I cherish the most are those which introduce me to beloved characters that become as real as those who draw breath. The kind you dread finishing because you will be saying goodbye to those you have grown so fond of. Remember when you first read Lord of the Rings and your heart wrenched when Sam returned to his wife and child? Or when the grownup Harry, Ron and Hermione saw their children off to Hogwarts? Such stories are few and far between. And thanks to a recommendation by a worker at Half-Price books, I discovered one more.
Most of me wishes the author will continue this story. I do realize that if he does, as one reviewer has said, it may spoil the mood of these three books. This may be so. But as sad as it is to part from Rossamünd and Europe, it seems downright criminal that they should be eternally apart from each other.
Thank you, D.M. And bravo.
The stories I cherish the most are those which introduce me to beloved characters that become as real as those who draw breath. The kind you dread finishing because you will be saying goodbye to those you have grown so fond of. Remember when you first read Lord of the Rings and your heart wrenched when Sam returned to his wife and child? Or when the grownup Harry, Ron and Hermione saw their children off to Hogwarts? Such stories are few and far between. And thanks to a recommendation by a worker at Half-Price books, I discovered one more.
Most of me wishes the author will continue this story. I do realize that if he does, as one reviewer has said, it may spoil the mood of these three books. This may be so. But as sad as it is to part from Rossamünd and Europe, it seems downright criminal that they should be eternally apart from each other.
Thank you, D.M. And bravo.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book rating: 4.8
Series rating: 4.5
And thus ends Rossamünd’s tale; a story that follows the crucial twist of the second book and winds it around a subtle plot in this book.
Of the trilogy, this is the best one in terms of its pacing and resolution - and its character relationships.
The intriguing connection between Rossamünd and Europe is central here, along with the returning Craumpalin and Fransitart. Together, they weather their own perilous path in and out of a new stretch of the Empire, which has been fascinating to read about.
In sum, this was a world lovingly crafted and its characters were made of clever threads, wittily woven into a tapestry that is vast to recount. My only gripe is that we could revisit a few more of the people from earlier books - Threnody, Stebastipole, and Numps are quite missed by this attentive reader.
If you enjoy a challenge and you don’t mind keeping a dictionary (and the included appendix) handy, this was a fine jaunt through the Half-Continent that I recommend. Read it in full andas our boy Rossamünd ventured into the unknown, hope for the future despite its uncertainty.
Series rating: 4.5
And thus ends Rossamünd’s tale; a story that follows the crucial twist of the second book and winds it around a subtle plot in this book.
Of the trilogy, this is the best one in terms of its pacing and resolution - and its character relationships.
The intriguing connection between Rossamünd and Europe is central here, along with the returning Craumpalin and Fransitart. Together, they weather their own perilous path in and out of a new stretch of the Empire, which has been fascinating to read about.
In sum, this was a world lovingly crafted and its characters were made of clever threads, wittily woven into a tapestry that is vast to recount. My only gripe is that we could revisit a few more of the people from earlier books - Threnody, Stebastipole, and Numps are quite missed by this attentive reader.
If you enjoy a challenge and you don’t mind keeping a dictionary (and the included appendix) handy, this was a fine jaunt through the Half-Continent that I recommend. Read it in full and
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death
I struggled to finish this series after almost ten years for THAT ending???
The book wasn't bad, but like........that definitely wasn't a satisfying ending.
The book wasn't bad, but like........that definitely wasn't a satisfying ending.
It's a world something like ours but not and the author is determined to fill it with words, some old some new but overall I came away feeling like the author was trying to hard and having too much fun with words, and the words were driving out the plot.
Rossamund Bookchild is now Europe's Factotum and his secret is about to become public knowledge. He's trying to find a place in the world for himself but he has problems finding where he belongs, he's a gentle person who doesn't like conflict but he's finding that conflict is being thrust upon him and he's also finding that while he's strong and able to fight, he doesn't like it.
It falls victim to what I call the Coffee flavoured Coffee issue; why come up with a tonne of new words that you explain are the equivalent of a regular earth word in the "explicarium", including Caffene for Coffee. My surprise was that he called Rabbits Rabbits and not Smeerps. The story could have fit into a smaller space and I would have been less distracted by the words. Yes the words are interesting and the world Cornish has created is interesting but I came away feeling vaguely dissatisfied. Maybe they should read more of O S Card's advice on writing and less of Urusula K Le Guin.
Rossamund Bookchild is now Europe's Factotum and his secret is about to become public knowledge. He's trying to find a place in the world for himself but he has problems finding where he belongs, he's a gentle person who doesn't like conflict but he's finding that conflict is being thrust upon him and he's also finding that while he's strong and able to fight, he doesn't like it.
It falls victim to what I call the Coffee flavoured Coffee issue; why come up with a tonne of new words that you explain are the equivalent of a regular earth word in the "explicarium", including Caffene for Coffee. My surprise was that he called Rabbits Rabbits and not Smeerps. The story could have fit into a smaller space and I would have been less distracted by the words. Yes the words are interesting and the world Cornish has created is interesting but I came away feeling vaguely dissatisfied. Maybe they should read more of O S Card's advice on writing and less of Urusula K Le Guin.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is just one of the most complete, extraordinary, thoroughly written series of all time. Cornish's attention to detail is mind-blowing, and his world-building is on a par with Tolkien (I know, I know. Please don't email me. It's just MHO).
Rossamund is true, and brave, and real.
Who doesn't want to be beautiful, fearsome and clever Europe?
And I could hug Freckle to death.
Exceptional writing.
Rossamund is true, and brave, and real.
Who doesn't want to be beautiful, fearsome and clever Europe?
And I could hug Freckle to death.
Exceptional writing.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I have loved this series, and it ended just as brilliantly as it started. Held me captive with its characters and style of narrative. It faded for about 100 pages in this novel only, but it came back with more umph.