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midici's review against another edition
4.0
I had forgotten how much I love this book. If rereading the first two quartets made me feel nostalgic, this book simply sucked me straight back in. This is some of Tamora's best world-building with the Emelan raised mages clashing with high-born Namornese society.
At the beginning the four siblings are at odds. They have been away for years, they have each experienced wonderful and terrible things and they don't fit they way they used to. But when Sandry is summoned to Namorn by her cousin, the empress Berenene, all four travel together. And fight. There is so much fighting. But the way they clash is realistic and watching the four learn about each other's new quirks and remember their old ones and slowly reclaim their former friendship and trust is amazing.
The plot is very action packed, of course. Sandry, a ridiculously rich countess with lands and titles inherited from her Namornese mother, potentially has a lot of political power in Namorn. Berenene wants her and her siblings to stay as part of her court. At first this isn't sinister. It's a politically savvy move, to woo strong mages and heiresses to stay and increase he wealth and prestige of the empire. The four all find things they enjoy. But the longer they stay the more obvious it is that Berenene is willing to do almost anything to keep them there and that unless the four work together the way they used to they are in a lot of danger.
My favourite of the Circle books by far.
At the beginning the four siblings are at odds. They have been away for years, they have each experienced wonderful and terrible things and they don't fit they way they used to. But when Sandry is summoned to Namorn by her cousin, the empress Berenene, all four travel together. And fight. There is so much fighting. But the way they clash is realistic and watching the four learn about each other's new quirks and remember their old ones and slowly reclaim their former friendship and trust is amazing.
The plot is very action packed, of course. Sandry, a ridiculously rich countess with lands and titles inherited from her Namornese mother, potentially has a lot of political power in Namorn. Berenene wants her and her siblings to stay as part of her court. At first this isn't sinister. It's a politically savvy move, to woo strong mages and heiresses to stay and increase he wealth and prestige of the empire. The four all find things they enjoy. But the longer they stay the more obvious it is that Berenene is willing to do almost anything to keep them there and that unless the four work together the way they used to they are in a lot of danger.
My favourite of the Circle books by far.
hinn_raven's review against another edition
5.0
This is still one of my all-time favorite books, by Pierce or any other author.
rsherlock's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ringfinder33's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
shivani_dances's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
moondom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
There's a lot of darkness and intensity in this book that does not come across very well in the audiobook version - I felt the narration and voice acting was too superficial and unemotional or even flippant about very serious topics of sexual assault, kidnapping, and violence against women, and it took me out of the story a bit because I was shocked that the characters would act this way. I think I would enjoy this book a lot more in text instead of audio.
tasha_v's review against another edition
5.0
Strange political systems. Leaders who contradict each other by nature. A culture that we visited once before but get to be more immersed in. These are just some of the things this book gives us. I adore it.
anemone42's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5