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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
adventurous
emotional
This review is deeply spoilery...
I didn't review the other books in this series, so I figure why not start with the final one?
This book was both exactly what I wanted and not nearly enough of specifically what I craved. The plot? Amazing. Everything was tied up neatly and satisfyingly. The characters? Well, El was her usual golden snarky self, a dark raincloud that I'd welcome to any conversation, any day. I enjoyed Liesel's presence, although that whole side-chick plotline I feel like didn't get resolved enough. We didn't see NEARLY enough of Aad, Liu, and goddamn Orion Lake, the man we all came back to see saved and barely saw at all, even once he was fairly back to normal. That was probably the most disappointing aspect of the book. The first 2 books were spent building a relationship between El and Orion that we, as a readership, became deeply invested in. The whole cliffhanger of book 2 relied on exactly that, us caring about them. So then why, and I cannot understand this, does book 3 essentially discard this bond to the wayside, pushed into the backseat of an inessential car while we're stuck on a ride that swerves anywhere but where we want it to. Look, I loved the plot, don't get me wrong, but MAN could there have been more time devoted to the whole reason most of us came back. I mean sure, maybe in the final book you don't have to give a fuck anymore about snaring the audience with romance since it's not like you need them to come back for the sequel, but that just feels like cheating your readers and as someone who read Uprooted, I don't understand why Novik did this! She is SO good at that kind of romance that feels under the surface but running deep. I felt it in books 1 and 2, but book 3, though it had some sweet scenes, didn't spend enough time with its primary couple.
I think another small thing I didn't love was how the Ophelia plotline was resolved. She is a monster, killed and turned her son into a maw-mouth just for control over the world, and has absolutely no regrets nor does she plan on changing her ways... so why, at the end of the book, do we just let her off with a shrug and well-meaning slap on the wrist? She has done objectively awful things, probably illegal in SO many ways! And we're just... fine with that? "Yes yes you are a dangerous dark sorceress who has the morals of a twig and the inscrutable will to manipulate and turn her own child into a monstrosity, you clearly don't plan on stopping and at this point are beyond redemption and couldn't change if you wanted to, that's how damaged your psyche is by using the evil version of magic, but like, look, just don't do it again, pretty please? Gonna trust you, deserving as you are ;) Ha, just never have children again, ya?" Yeah cool, seems reasonable and smart.
I do understand that the ending is, in some way, a sobering reminder of what happens in the real world daily, the unfair endings we like to gloss over in favor of fantastical idealism, but I did want a bit more of the latter I suppose. Enough to feel like this world learned even a little bit from their semi-war just now.
I've seen people complain about the setting changing, no longer being in the Scholomance, and I can understand that but personally disagree. They graduated, that's the point, and I think this was necessary for the plot. I liked seeing enclaves, what they feel like, who inhabits them, what the world outside is like. I do have to say that I didn't feel like most locations were really described, so being in London enclave didn't give me that specific London vibe, nor did Beijing or Mumbai. I think the most involved I felt with the worldly setting was in Dubai, funnily enough, since that was one of the less important ones.
I've also seen people criticize the Beijing and Liu subplot for being a waste of time, but I completely disagree. That was so cool! I loved that subplot most of all, I think. Learning how enclaves are made was vital to the entire series and especially the finale, it was also that satisfying puzzle click I'd been looking forward to. It was just good.
Honestly, the only thing about this whole series I'd criticize thoroughly is how ungodly it is for El to learn like a language a semester. What the fuck. As someone who grew up bilingual and then learned 2 more languages in school and beyond, that's insane. I took Spanish for 4 YEARS and still was nowhere near fluent. How the hell does she learn Arabic, Mandrin and Sanskrit AT THE SAME TIME in addition to several other languages... I get it's a rigorous school and curriculum and under pressure people are capable of a lot, but that just didn't seem realistic. And if it is, fuck you for making me feel that inadequate. Am I dumb? What grey-matter am I missing, Scholomance? Teach me your ways, or Latin's gonna kill me.
All in all, a greart series. A joy to experience and lose yourself in, a riot to read from a sarcastic, snarky teenager's perspective, and a really fun take on the 'born to be a villain, choosing to be good (reluctantly)' trope. I liked most of all how Orion and El mirror each other, being opposite reflections of the same world, two parts to one consequence for greed and sacrifices for power. I loved the principle of balance and how it tied into the magic system so well, how belief shapes the world and what people can do. It's a subtle way of painting our own very real world in magical colors.
Oh, and Galadriel? Please thank that mother, she did the world a service with that name.
Highly recommend.
I didn't review the other books in this series, so I figure why not start with the final one?
This book was both exactly what I wanted and not nearly enough of specifically what I craved. The plot? Amazing. Everything was tied up neatly and satisfyingly. The characters? Well, El was her usual golden snarky self, a dark raincloud that I'd welcome to any conversation, any day. I enjoyed Liesel's presence, although that whole side-chick plotline I feel like didn't get resolved enough. We didn't see NEARLY enough of Aad, Liu, and goddamn Orion Lake, the man we all came back to see saved and barely saw at all, even once he was fairly back to normal. That was probably the most disappointing aspect of the book. The first 2 books were spent building a relationship between El and Orion that we, as a readership, became deeply invested in. The whole cliffhanger of book 2 relied on exactly that, us caring about them. So then why, and I cannot understand this, does book 3 essentially discard this bond to the wayside, pushed into the backseat of an inessential car while we're stuck on a ride that swerves anywhere but where we want it to. Look, I loved the plot, don't get me wrong, but MAN could there have been more time devoted to the whole reason most of us came back. I mean sure, maybe in the final book you don't have to give a fuck anymore about snaring the audience with romance since it's not like you need them to come back for the sequel, but that just feels like cheating your readers and as someone who read Uprooted, I don't understand why Novik did this! She is SO good at that kind of romance that feels under the surface but running deep. I felt it in books 1 and 2, but book 3, though it had some sweet scenes, didn't spend enough time with its primary couple.
I think another small thing I didn't love was how the Ophelia plotline was resolved. She is a monster, killed and turned her son into a maw-mouth just for control over the world, and has absolutely no regrets nor does she plan on changing her ways... so why, at the end of the book, do we just let her off with a shrug and well-meaning slap on the wrist? She has done objectively awful things, probably illegal in SO many ways! And we're just... fine with that? "Yes yes you are a dangerous dark sorceress who has the morals of a twig and the inscrutable will to manipulate and turn her own child into a monstrosity, you clearly don't plan on stopping and at this point are beyond redemption and couldn't change if you wanted to, that's how damaged your psyche is by using the evil version of magic, but like, look, just don't do it again, pretty please? Gonna trust you, deserving as you are ;) Ha, just never have children again, ya?" Yeah cool, seems reasonable and smart.
I do understand that the ending is, in some way, a sobering reminder of what happens in the real world daily, the unfair endings we like to gloss over in favor of fantastical idealism, but I did want a bit more of the latter I suppose. Enough to feel like this world learned even a little bit from their semi-war just now.
I've seen people complain about the setting changing, no longer being in the Scholomance, and I can understand that but personally disagree. They graduated, that's the point, and I think this was necessary for the plot. I liked seeing enclaves, what they feel like, who inhabits them, what the world outside is like. I do have to say that I didn't feel like most locations were really described, so being in London enclave didn't give me that specific London vibe, nor did Beijing or Mumbai. I think the most involved I felt with the worldly setting was in Dubai, funnily enough, since that was one of the less important ones.
I've also seen people criticize the Beijing and Liu subplot for being a waste of time, but I completely disagree. That was so cool! I loved that subplot most of all, I think. Learning how enclaves are made was vital to the entire series and especially the finale, it was also that satisfying puzzle click I'd been looking forward to. It was just good.
Honestly, the only thing about this whole series I'd criticize thoroughly is how ungodly it is for El to learn like a language a semester. What the fuck. As someone who grew up bilingual and then learned 2 more languages in school and beyond, that's insane. I took Spanish for 4 YEARS and still was nowhere near fluent. How the hell does she learn Arabic, Mandrin and Sanskrit AT THE SAME TIME in addition to several other languages... I get it's a rigorous school and curriculum and under pressure people are capable of a lot, but that just didn't seem realistic. And if it is, fuck you for making me feel that inadequate. Am I dumb? What grey-matter am I missing, Scholomance? Teach me your ways, or Latin's gonna kill me.
All in all, a greart series. A joy to experience and lose yourself in, a riot to read from a sarcastic, snarky teenager's perspective, and a really fun take on the 'born to be a villain, choosing to be good (reluctantly)' trope. I liked most of all how Orion and El mirror each other, being opposite reflections of the same world, two parts to one consequence for greed and sacrifices for power. I loved the principle of balance and how it tied into the magic system so well, how belief shapes the world and what people can do. It's a subtle way of painting our own very real world in magical colors.
Oh, and Galadriel? Please thank that mother, she did the world a service with that name.
Highly recommend.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I decided accidentally spoilered myself and didn't care enough to keep reading.
I must admit, I usually find books over 300 pages to be a bit daunting, often feeling like a slow march to the finish. There were definitely moments in this 400+ page book when I needed to take a break and gather my focus, but every time, the story's compelling nature eventually drew me back in. I HAD to find out what happened!
The narrative was peppered with fast-paced, thrilling, and deeply emotional scenes that made the journey worthwhile. Particularly satisfying were the revelations that tied up the mysteries introduced in the first book, offering a sense of closure that was immensely gratifying.
By the end, I found myself shedding a few tears during an especially poignant moment. The book, overall, was enchanting. El, the protagonist, is a richly complex character who initially challenged my empathy but ultimately won my heart in the end.
The narrative was peppered with fast-paced, thrilling, and deeply emotional scenes that made the journey worthwhile. Particularly satisfying were the revelations that tied up the mysteries introduced in the first book, offering a sense of closure that was immensely gratifying.
By the end, I found myself shedding a few tears during an especially poignant moment. The book, overall, was enchanting. El, the protagonist, is a richly complex character who initially challenged my empathy but ultimately won my heart in the end.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
