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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
Didn't like the first book enough to care about the second.
adventurous
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
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A strong conclusion, though one that didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. The forays into magic overtook the real action, becoming a fully fantasy trek in a way that the original book didn’t. It was also disappointing that characters were divided; after so much time with Zhen, Ruyi and Lian in the first book, it was disappointing to essentially leave them all behind for Shu, who was never more than “the sister” and a bit of deadweight, as she had no particular powers of her own. Still well written and worth the read, just missing a few elements that made the first novel so strong.
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 ⭐️. This book took me SIX MONTHS to get through. The way this story was constructed felt disjointed and difficult to attach to. I LOVED book 1 and I realize that any criticism I have for the way the book was laid out actually mimicked the same format as the first book. The first book, however, used the slow weaving of little bits until the point where the story coalesced and completely ensnared the reader by building the magic, the world, the story and the relationships. The second book felt choppy and hard to relate to because while it built to a conclusion, we were missing the same interpersonal dynamics that made the first book such a feat. The magic develops but from a place outside of the character. The enemy is great but easily defeated and the story surrounding it is somewhat confusing. This didn’t completely feel like a conclusion story even though some loose ends were tied together hastily within the last few pages and was a bit unsatisfying.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Despite giving more screentime to what I disliked in the first book, it was done much better in this one. That said, the widening of the scope muddled quite a bit, and I found that I enjoyed the main plot much less. Many of the characters became transient to the narrative, and while I love the overarching plot and themes... I kind of wish the loss of structure happened less harshly. Not saying this should have been a trilogy but..... 🤔