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leanne_miron's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death, Murder, Blood, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, and Medical content
elizabethdove's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
4.75
Thoroughly enjoyed this not-a-sequel to Middlegame. The book expands the world of McGuire's alchemical fears series but isn't a sequel to Rodger and Dodger's story. I loved learning more about the alchemical world running parallel to ours, and the characters are all flawed, interesting, lovely people who manage to still be grounded and realistic even when in the midst of a fantastical, John Hughes road trip. I loved the moments of Americana and the way the story seems so grounded in place, familiar and yet unfamiliar.
It's a different story to Middlegame but it's wonderful, and if you enjoyed that one I think Alchemical Fears won't disappoint you.
It's a different story to Middlegame but it's wonderful, and if you enjoyed that one I think Alchemical Fears won't disappoint you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent and Medical content
kaleidoscope_heart's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Death, and Blood
Minor: Colonisation and Death of parent
magellen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Less complex than Middlegame but continuing to build the same universe, Seasonal Fears plays out over the course of a few days rather than years, again tracking the growth of two people who make each other whole. McGuire plays with fairytale and folklore, our fears of predestination over will and our hopes for meaning in all things even when all things are meaningless.
SF is lighthearted in a way Middlegame is not - you can't begrudge its exuberance however, as the MCs (set for heartbreak from the start) find their balance, their compromise, and hope after years of dread. The plot walks over itself a few times in explanation but with each new angle more of the lore leaks through the cracks and you believe, along with a disbelieving mc, chaos and all. I can see where some readers are frustrated by that second quarter stretch but I'll take it over the alternatives. Another book would probably take that opportunity to shove more Harry/Aven conflict over Mel or a greater miscommunication between Harry and Mel than them running at the different levels of their Ascension. Personally, I love that McGuire stuck to the mcs being A Set. I'll take that the conflict is coming to terms with the death of the people they were, while growing into beings that seem too big for mortal form. There are not enough truly ride of die pairs out there, and the struggle for Harry and Mel to see themselves and each other as they are rather than who they were is treated with the weight it should be.
Is there a lot of explanation? Yes.
Do I care? NOPE because this book does more with its pages than plenty of other "acclaimed" books I'd get strung up for decrying as bloated.
MY BIG FAVE THO is that we get the return of Rodger and Dodger and confirmation of how they've repeatedly rerolled the universe. I didn't realise how much I'd missed Erin until she was back on the page and now I'm ever so grateful she was salvaged. I do think this book strikes clearer in explaining what the manifestations of these universal forces/seasons/concepts means.
This book reminds me of Diana Wynne Jones in all the best ways - hope and belief are as strong of forces as destruction and true magic meets at that crux. The unimaginable must only be imagined, breathed into, before it erupts into reality - why would we think otherwise, when so often things take on a life of their own?
SF is lighthearted in a way Middlegame is not - you can't begrudge its exuberance however, as the MCs (set for heartbreak from the start) find their balance, their compromise, and hope after years of dread. The plot walks over itself a few times in explanation but with each new angle more of the lore leaks through the cracks and you believe, along with a disbelieving mc, chaos and all.
Is there a lot of explanation? Yes.
Do I care? NOPE because this book does more with its pages than plenty of other "acclaimed" books I'd get strung up for decrying as bloated.
This book reminds me of Diana Wynne Jones in all the best ways - hope and belief are as strong of forces as destruction and true magic meets at that crux. The unimaginable must only be imagined, breathed into, before it erupts into reality - why would we think otherwise, when so often things take on a life of their own?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
meliroo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Confinement, Death, Child death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship
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