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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
Fun, lighthearted read. Felt some of the characters were not fully explored, guessing as it was intended as a series and planned further character development to come, and was a tad annoyed by the quick wrapping up and cliffhanger. But did leave me wanting to read the 2nd installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Alcohol
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Garbage. One dimensional characters, implausible plot, poorly drawn alt-Earth, cartoon villains. I’d like my £3.99 back.
The descriptions of Cambridge are risible. The city is not some Dickensian network of alleyways! Magdalene College sits on a wedge of land defined by two main roads and the river. Motor boats on the Cam along the backs? Please!
The descriptions of Cambridge are risible. The city is not some Dickensian network of alleyways! Magdalene College sits on a wedge of land defined by two main roads and the river. Motor boats on the Cam along the backs? Please!
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
The Quantum Curators and the Fabergé Egg by Eva St. John was fast-paced and sometimes entertaining read that follows a team of curators from Alpha Earth, a team of time-traveling, world-hopping individuals who “rescue” priceless artifacts before they are “destroyed” in their current timeline. The team is tasked with retrieving a newly uncovered Imperial Fabergé Egg on Beta Earth and, in typical fashion, things go pear-shaped quickly.
The world building was serviceable, with Beta Earth being our world and Alpha Earth being a more advanced version of our current world because somehow
The plot was basic, a heist that goes badly wrong. The “twists” were telegraphed from the jump, so they weren’t especially surprising or unique. While the pacing was good, with the stakes being set from the start, there was very little tension build-up as the story moved along.
The character work was lacking, having no depth or nuance. All the characters were flat, boring, and one-note, being little more than a cliché (i.e., perfectionist leader, hot but absent-minded professor, trophy girlfriend, adventure seeking friend, gruff partner). I found Neith’s chapters highly annoying, her continual reference to Beta Earth as “less than” and “savage” extremely off-putting and her total obliviousness to things around her made me question her ability as capable leader that everyone says she is. Having the narrative switch between first person (Neith’s chapters) and third-person (everyone else) didn’t work; Neith’s chapters sounded braggadocious and arrogant, while others were set-up for the discovery and attempted retrieval of the Fabergé Egg (those were well done), and some were meant to showcase how “awesome” Neith is (bleck – don’t tell me how awesome she is, show me).
The premise for The Quantum Curators and the Fabergé Egg was intriguing, however the novel was lacking in execution. With a few tweaks and a stronger editor, this could have been an amazing story.
The world building was serviceable, with Beta Earth being our world and Alpha Earth being a more advanced version of our current world because somehow
Spoiler
not burning the Library of Alexandria means that humans stopped fighting, having petty differences, decided to freely share knowledge, and now live in perfect harmony and have “time” to invent all sorts of cool gadgets including the Q Field which allows the curators to jump between worlds . . . what????The plot was basic, a heist that goes badly wrong. The “twists” were telegraphed from the jump, so they weren’t especially surprising or unique. While the pacing was good, with the stakes being set from the start, there was very little tension build-up as the story moved along.
The character work was lacking, having no depth or nuance. All the characters were flat, boring, and one-note, being little more than a cliché (i.e., perfectionist leader, hot but absent-minded professor, trophy girlfriend, adventure seeking friend, gruff partner). I found Neith’s chapters highly annoying, her continual reference to Beta Earth as “less than” and “savage” extremely off-putting and her total obliviousness to things around her made me question her ability as capable leader that everyone says she is. Having the narrative switch between first person (Neith’s chapters) and third-person (everyone else) didn’t work; Neith’s chapters sounded braggadocious and arrogant, while others were set-up for the discovery and attempted retrieval of the Fabergé Egg (those were well done), and some were meant to showcase how “awesome” Neith is (bleck – don’t tell me how awesome she is, show me).
The premise for The Quantum Curators and the Fabergé Egg was intriguing, however the novel was lacking in execution. With a few tweaks and a stronger editor, this could have been an amazing story.
It was a fun read with a great premise (I’m all for time travel/alternate realities) but I’m pissed to be left on a cliff hanger without any real resolution. Blaaaah.
Also, it just felt a bit… undercooked. The characters didn’t necessarily have any depth (I liked julius, but honestly, Paul and Neith were bed mates but then had zero chemistry and never interacted? What?). Add in the twee tropes, and it all felt a bit… flat.
It’s a very plot driven book that could have used several rounds of editing (like at the end, J&N go from the pub, to a clue solving adventure and somehow, without it being made clear, are magically back at the pub? What?)
Loved the premise, sad at the implementation.
Also, it just felt a bit… undercooked. The characters didn’t necessarily have any depth (I liked julius, but honestly, Paul and Neith were bed mates but then had zero chemistry and never interacted? What?). Add in the twee tropes, and it all felt a bit… flat.
It’s a very plot driven book that could have used several rounds of editing (like at the end, J&N go from the pub, to a clue solving adventure and somehow, without it being made clear, are magically back at the pub? What?)
Loved the premise, sad at the implementation.
Glad I read it
I didnt know what to expect but now that I finished the first book in five hours I am greatly looking forward to the next!
I didnt know what to expect but now that I finished the first book in five hours I am greatly looking forward to the next!
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense