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arian_dragonelf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Animal death and Murder
misszoe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Now this has been a wild ride. There were points while reading it where I wanted to give it 4 or 5 stars, but in the end, I decided on 2 stars because the ending.. Wasn't for me. I'll elaborate on that later.
Spoilers from here on! Also: tw suicide
What I enjoyed: I liked the general idea and while I would have liked to know more about Annev's magic, it was a fun journey to be left in the dark just as much as Annev. The book kept making me want to know more, not only about Annev but also about what would happen next. I thought the world building with its religious system was super interesting! Also, MC with a disability was also a nice thing to have, it's not often.
What I did not enjoy: Generally, there weren't MANY things that I didn't enjoy, they were simply consistent and important for me.
Let's start with Myjun's and Annev's relationship. To me, it felt forced. They never really had any chemistry, Annev was like "alright, I suppose I will marry her now" and I mean, yeah, maybe kind of a teenager move. But still!!! Even when she's like "let's stone him", Annev is like "She's kind of pretty though".
Then, a major turn off: while there were competent women, none of them was very likable and none of them was a heroine or, if it wouldn't have fit, a main character like Therin, Titus or Fyn even. Then the conclusion to the monsters destroying the village is "the women were evil and then committed mass suicide". That felt kinda lazy, had no prior hints and also upset me. Why were the women evil, why did they simply kill themselves? Why is there not ONE good woman? I don't mind a female villain but this is a bit much. And the epilogue.. Hints at even more of the two problems I just mentioned. There may only be two issues I really had but to me, they were important and kind of put me off.
Spoilers from here on! Also: tw suicide
What I enjoyed: I liked the general idea and while I would have liked to know more about Annev's magic, it was a fun journey to be left in the dark just as much as Annev. The book kept making me want to know more, not only about Annev but also about what would happen next. I thought the world building with its religious system was super interesting! Also, MC with a disability was also a nice thing to have, it's not often.
What I did not enjoy: Generally, there weren't MANY things that I didn't enjoy, they were simply consistent and important for me.
Then, a major turn off: while there were competent women, none of them was very likable and none of them was a heroine or, if it wouldn't have fit, a main character like Therin, Titus or Fyn even. Then the conclusion to the monsters destroying the village is "the women were evil and then committed mass suicide". That felt kinda lazy, had no prior hints and also upset me. Why were the women evil, why did they simply kill themselves? Why is there not ONE good woman? I don't mind a female villain but this is a bit much. And the epilogue.. Hints at even more of the two problems I just mentioned. There may only be two issues I really had but to me, they were important and kind of put me off.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Bullying, and Murder
Minor: Suicide
dips's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Stalking
poppywarphan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Summary:
In a secret village prejudiced towards magic and physical imperfections. (they believed that magic and people "marked by Keos" to be evil) lives a boy Annev. Raised by a priest who saved him at birth, he has to hide the fact that he has magic and a prosthetic arm from others otherwise he'll be killed. He's an acolyte who attends an academy and this year is his last chance to earn the title of an avatar (they are sent to retrieve artifacts). If he fails he'll become a steward and won't ever be able to leave the village or marry Myjun. For approximately half of the book we follow his preparation and participation in the test. Annev discovers secrets about his and Sodar's (the priest who raised him) identity. Annev fails to pass the test but the headmaster gives him an opportunity to do some dirty work to earn his title. Annev tricks him into thinking he completed the task and he's promoted to a Master of Sorrows. Sodar warns him that he is hunted and that he's not safe but Annev wants to stqy. He is sent with two other avatars on a mission. It doesn't go well and they leave him behind. He escapes but no longer has his prosthetic. When he returns he tries to steal a new prosthetic but Myjun discovers that he's armless. He gets imprisoned but manages to escape as monsters attack the village. Everyone blames him and think he's evil. At the end of the book we see him preparing to leave to the outer world.
My rating: 4.5, but I think this is very well written so I'm rounding up. It's been a long time since I've read a book with a male protagonist. Probably the first since Percy Jackson. Randomly picked this from the library and didn't really read the synopsis so I went into this book not knowing what to expect.
This is the first book of a tetralogy which apparently will be the first installment in a 12 book series. So this is just the beginning. And it goes slowly for most of the book. Only towards the end does the plot actually start to evolve. I really started to love it in the second half. If you tend to get bored quickly, I wouldn't recommend this.
Thoughts:
The magic system, religion, history was very complex. To be honest, I didn't understand a lot of the worldbuilding or action because I was speeding through the book. (the more intrigued I am, the faster I read) .
Romance wasn't an important part of the plot. In fact I wouldn't even call it romance. However Annev's feelings towards Myjun had a major effect on his choices and consequently the whole story. I did not like Myjun. I knew she would betray Annev as soon as she found out his secret. She left her previous boyfriend because he got a scar. At the end she allies with evil so she can get revenge (I think Annev threw her into some pit or something and she gets scared) I mean what did you expect? 🙄
Annev was kind of annoying with his thinking about Myjun and his plans to marry her.
Sodar: We have to leave, you are in danger.
Annev: nah I'll stay, I want to marry Myjun.
I don't know, is that how teenage boys' minds work? And all this time we didn't even know if it was mutual. They didn't have much interactions so I couldn't see if she actually really cared for him. I was dreading 2nd hand embarrassment.Given how quickly she turned her back on himI wouldn't say her feelings were half as strong as Annev's. Anyway don't go into this expecting some epic romance because you'll be very disappointed.
I loved in the 2nd part how the boys who used to be rivals and even hated each other became friends.
'Well,' Fyn said, twisting the lantern into a thin beam of light, 'I still think you're full of shit... but I must be getting used to the smell, because I like what you just said.'
😝😝😝
They and his previous friends don't judge him for his disability and accept him. But why did Sodar have to die? 😢 He was only over 2000 years old.
In a secret village prejudiced towards magic and physical imperfections. (they believed that magic and people "marked by Keos" to be evil) lives a boy Annev. Raised by a priest who saved him at birth, he has to hide the fact that he has magic and a prosthetic arm from others otherwise he'll be killed. He's an acolyte who attends an academy and this year is his last chance to earn the title of an avatar (they are sent to retrieve artifacts). If he fails he'll become a steward and won't ever be able to leave the village or marry Myjun. For approximately half of the book we follow his preparation and participation in the test. Annev discovers secrets about his and Sodar's (the priest who raised him) identity. Annev fails to pass the test but the headmaster gives him an opportunity to do some dirty work to earn his title. Annev tricks him into thinking he completed the task and he's promoted to a Master of Sorrows. Sodar warns him that he is hunted and that he's not safe but Annev wants to stqy. He is sent with two other avatars on a mission. It doesn't go well and they leave him behind. He escapes but no longer has his prosthetic. When he returns he tries to steal a new prosthetic but Myjun discovers that he's armless. He gets imprisoned but manages to escape as monsters attack the village. Everyone blames him and think he's evil. At the end of the book we see him preparing to leave to the outer world.
My rating: 4.5, but I think this is very well written so I'm rounding up. It's been a long time since I've read a book with a male protagonist. Probably the first since Percy Jackson. Randomly picked this from the library and didn't really read the synopsis so I went into this book not knowing what to expect.
This is the first book of a tetralogy which apparently will be the first installment in a 12 book series. So this is just the beginning. And it goes slowly for most of the book. Only towards the end does the plot actually start to evolve. I really started to love it in the second half. If you tend to get bored quickly, I wouldn't recommend this.
Thoughts:
The magic system, religion, history was very complex. To be honest, I didn't understand a lot of the worldbuilding or action because I was speeding through the book. (the more intrigued I am, the faster I read) .
Romance wasn't an important part of the plot. In fact I wouldn't even call it romance. However Annev's feelings towards Myjun had a major effect on his choices and consequently the whole story.
Annev was kind of annoying with his thinking about Myjun and his plans to marry her.
Sodar: We have to leave, you are in danger.
Annev: nah I'll stay, I want to marry Myjun.
I don't know, is that how teenage boys' minds work? And all this time we didn't even know if it was mutual. They didn't have much interactions so I couldn't see if she actually really cared for him. I was dreading 2nd hand embarrassment.
I loved in the 2nd part how the boys who used to be rivals and even hated each other became friends.
'Well,' Fyn said, twisting the lantern into a thin beam of light, 'I still think you're full of shit... but I must be getting used to the smell, because I like what you just said.'
😝😝😝
They and his previous friends don't judge him for his disability and accept him. But why did Sodar have to die? 😢 He was only over 2000 years old.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Torture
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