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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ok. I’ll admit it, I am impressed. Starting out, The Iron Trial feels more or less like any magical boarding school fantasy, complete with an evil enemy and a long sought chosen savior. By the time I was halfway through, I conceded that while it was entertaining, it felt largely juvenile (I have plans to read something much more grown-up next.) And then everything changed.
I shouldn’t act like the book does a total about face. From the beginning, Call isn’t your typical hero. He’s too smart, too acidic, and genuinely not interested in the spotlight at all. He’s the weird kid on the bus who doesn’t want to go to magic school, who really does suck at magic even though he has immense raw ability. His disability – a bum leg – keeps him from showing physical prowess of any kind, and though he comes to be somewhat skilled magically, as the climax of the book shows, not being able to move well will still get in the way of saving the day.
It’s not until the big switch mid way through the book that you begin to realize what Callum Hunt’s story actually sounds like
I haven’t had the pleasure of reading Cassandra Clare yet (that was sarcasm there, mild sarcasm, but still), but I adored Holly Black’s [b:White Cat|6087756|White Cat (Curse Workers, #1)|Holly Black|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358274572s/6087756.jpg|6264661], and I could definitely detect her flavor in Call’s wittiness and in many of the story’s darker elements. Those who are familiar with Clare’s reputation will probably raise an eyebrow at how derivative Magisterium sounds of Harry Potter. JK Rowling did not invent the magical boarding school, but I can definitely see the resemblance nonetheless. We have a golden trio of two guys and a girl, an evil enemy of the previous generation who seeks to conquer death, a protagonist who was raised dissociated from the magical world he should've been born into, and we even get a Draco clone in a pompous bully by the name of Jasper. However, I get the feeling that this was partly intentional - referencing the common tropes we see in the genre, and then giving them a little (or a big) twist. The magical lesson plan is deconstructed into something much more free form (instead of learning spells out of a book and making potions, Call and company spend hours sorting grains of sand), the bully begins to earn sympathy points early by being from a disgraced family and putting himself under immense pressure to reclaim their prestige (I realize that that’s exactly Draco Malfoy’s trajectory in HP, but in this case we didn’t have to wait six books for it), and of course. It is derivative, sure, but I’m of the belief that that doesn’t stop something from being entertaining or of possessing quality.
Because this is very enjoyable. It’s quick and clever, there are funny moments, scary moments, and touching moments too (I feel like we’re looking at a long road of Call and Aaron having touching moments). The characters are complex and well-drawn, Call is character that you can really get behind, despite his obvious flaws. There’s even an adorable zombie wolf-cub, and now I totally want one for myself. Even though it’s very clearly middle grade, it doesn’t talk down to its audience. Obvious twists and plot points aren’t drawn out for the sake of suspense, it assumes that the reader is just as quick as the plot. On the downside, it's not particularly complex, and it doesn't have much depth in the world building or set dressing. So far, the use of magic seems really flimsy and all over the place, and I’m curious as to what kind of magical world exists outside of the Magisterium (I suppose that’s the HP nut in me talking).
I’m not really the type to get super eager about getting the next installment in a series, but I gotta tell ya, when I turned that last page, I was making grabby hands for the as-of-yet imaginary second book. I want to know where this goes. Badly. Because it looks like we’re in for more bonding with creatures infused with the void, alchemical magic (seriously, we’d better get more about how this shit works), and angst . So much angst.
I shouldn’t act like the book does a total about face. From the beginning, Call isn’t your typical hero. He’s too smart, too acidic, and genuinely not interested in the spotlight at all. He’s the weird kid on the bus who doesn’t want to go to magic school, who really does suck at magic even though he has immense raw ability. His disability – a bum leg – keeps him from showing physical prowess of any kind, and though he comes to be somewhat skilled magically, as the climax of the book shows, not being able to move well will still get in the way of saving the day.
It’s not until the big switch mid way through the book that you begin to realize what Callum Hunt’s story actually sounds like
Spoiler
- that of a villain’s. Because that’s precisely what he is. His blonde-haired, Steve Rogers-esque best friend, Aaron, is the chosen hero, and if the laws of the Cinquian are to be followed (fire wants to be burn, water wants to flow, air wants to rise, earth wants to bind, chaos wants to devour) they will find themselves on opposite sides of a war over immortality and the void. And obviously, that’s what’s going to happen, we’ve got five books left, and don’t we all love a story about brothers forced into conflict with each other.I haven’t had the pleasure of reading Cassandra Clare yet (that was sarcasm there, mild sarcasm, but still), but I adored Holly Black’s [b:White Cat|6087756|White Cat (Curse Workers, #1)|Holly Black|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358274572s/6087756.jpg|6264661], and I could definitely detect her flavor in Call’s wittiness and in many of the story’s darker elements. Those who are familiar with Clare’s reputation will probably raise an eyebrow at how derivative Magisterium sounds of Harry Potter. JK Rowling did not invent the magical boarding school, but I can definitely see the resemblance nonetheless. We have a golden trio of two guys and a girl, an evil enemy of the previous generation who seeks to conquer death, a protagonist who was raised dissociated from the magical world he should've been born into, and we even get a Draco clone in a pompous bully by the name of Jasper. However, I get the feeling that this was partly intentional - referencing the common tropes we see in the genre, and then giving them a little (or a big) twist. The magical lesson plan is deconstructed into something much more free form (instead of learning spells out of a book and making potions, Call and company spend hours sorting grains of sand), the bully begins to earn sympathy points early by being from a disgraced family and putting himself under immense pressure to reclaim their prestige (I realize that that’s exactly Draco Malfoy’s trajectory in HP, but in this case we didn’t have to wait six books for it), and of course
Spoiler
the whole fostering the soul of the enemy inside oneself is given way more playBecause this is very enjoyable. It’s quick and clever, there are funny moments, scary moments, and touching moments too (I feel like we’re looking at a long road of Call and Aaron having touching moments). The characters are complex and well-drawn, Call is character that you can really get behind, despite his obvious flaws. There’s even an adorable zombie wolf-cub, and now I totally want one for myself. Even though it’s very clearly middle grade, it doesn’t talk down to its audience. Obvious twists and plot points aren’t drawn out for the sake of suspense, it assumes that the reader is just as quick as the plot. On the downside, it's not particularly complex, and it doesn't have much depth in the world building or set dressing. So far, the use of magic seems really flimsy and all over the place, and I’m curious as to what kind of magical world exists outside of the Magisterium (I suppose that’s the HP nut in me talking).
I’m not really the type to get super eager about getting the next installment in a series, but I gotta tell ya, when I turned that last page, I was making grabby hands for the as-of-yet imaginary second book. I want to know where this goes. Badly. Because it looks like we’re in for more bonding with creatures infused with the void, alchemical magic (seriously, we’d better get more about how this shit works),
Spoiler
a protagonist debating the benefits of becoming the villain of the story (and there are serious benefits, for one, the body of Callum Hunt is high maintenance to say the least, and the body of Constantine Madden which he would return to if he chose to retake his identity is presumably in good condition),Spoiler
(kind of super psyched about seeing Call interact with his dad, when his dad knows for sure that he is Constantine Madden, because they were enemies and presumably friends in a past life, and now he's his son, ugh, I love it)
Harry Potter. Toho v téhle knize několikrát uvidíte.
Četlo se to dobře, bylo to zajímavé, ale...
Tohle je prostě mířeno na děti, které si přečtou Harryho a chtějí číst něco podobného. A tady tu podobnost najdou.
Jsem zvědavá na další díl, zajímá mě, jak to bude s hlavním hrdinou Callumem, protože s ním je to dost netypické (aspoň pro mě, protože nejsme tak sečtělá, tak nevím, jestli tohle už někde bylo).
Četlo se to dobře, bylo to zajímavé, ale...
Tohle je prostě mířeno na děti, které si přečtou Harryho a chtějí číst něco podobného. A tady tu podobnost najdou.
Jsem zvědavá na další díl, zajímá mě, jak to bude s hlavním hrdinou Callumem, protože s ním je to dost netypické (aspoň pro mě, protože nejsme tak sečtělá, tak nevím, jestli tohle už někde bylo).
This story had me smiling. Call’s cynical views and sardonic inner monologue is incredibly amusing. The humor in this book is overall something that needs to be appreciated.
Stop hating on the authors. No, this isn’t a Harry Potter knockoff.
That being said, I don’t believe I’m invested in the outcome of the series and won’t be continuing.
Stop hating on the authors. No, this isn’t a Harry Potter knockoff.
That being said, I don’t believe I’m invested in the outcome of the series and won’t be continuing.
*Be aware friend, this review contains some spoilers!*
Here is a little description:
Callum Hunt does not want to go to magic school, all his life his father had warned him to stay away from magic. He told him that succeeding in the Iron Trial and then being admitted to the Magisterium school would only bring bad things. That only leaves him one option: he has to fail for the Iron Trial so he would never have to deal with magic ever again.
There's only one problem: he fails at failing. He gets sucked into a world where danger awaits him and he will only be able to defeat it with hard work, loyal friends, and an unexpected helper.
What I liked
- I freaking love Call as a character - he is not the perfect main character that many books have and he definitely doesn't know what he is doing. You would think Aaron would be the main character, being the kind golden boy and all. But Cassandra Clare and Holly Black decided to put a spin on this trope and basically follow the perspective of the so-called 'other' boy.
- The worldbuilding of this book was awesome and I loved exploring it along with the characters. I also loved the school and the history that played a big part in this book, it was all very well thought of.
- The ending was amazing, well-paced, and had some fun and cool reveals! I am not going to say that they weren't predictable, because they totally were, but it's middle-grade and it was just so much following along and see they went about it!
-
What I didn't like
- The end was what made my rating higher, in my opinion, the middle was lacking and felt often boring or rushed.
- Lots of times the authors told the story rather than telling and I prefer the latter. It made it hard for me to really be sucked into the story, all though I still really enjoyed it!
Overall, I thought this book was a great middle-grade book with entertaining characters, a well-thought-through world, and a plot that broke some tropes and explored interesting themes!
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Here is a little description:
Callum Hunt does not want to go to magic school, all his life his father had warned him to stay away from magic. He told him that succeeding in the Iron Trial and then being admitted to the Magisterium school would only bring bad things. That only leaves him one option: he has to fail for the Iron Trial so he would never have to deal with magic ever again.
There's only one problem: he fails at failing. He gets sucked into a world where danger awaits him and he will only be able to defeat it with hard work, loyal friends, and an unexpected helper.
What I liked
- I freaking love Call as a character - he is not the perfect main character that many books have and he definitely doesn't know what he is doing. You would think Aaron would be the main character, being the kind golden boy and all. But Cassandra Clare and Holly Black decided to put a spin on this trope and basically follow the perspective of the so-called 'other' boy.
- The worldbuilding of this book was awesome and I loved exploring it along with the characters. I also loved the school and the history that played a big part in this book, it was all very well thought of.
- The ending was amazing, well-paced, and had some fun and cool reveals! I am not going to say that they weren't predictable, because they totally were, but it's middle-grade and it was just so much following along and see they went about it!
-
Spoiler
I love the idea of the soul switch... it gives a lot of conflict on if a soul makes you who you are and how it affects you as a person. Does a 'bad' soul automatically make you a bad person vice versa? I think it's a very interesting thing to think about and the authors explore this in a very good way!What I didn't like
- The end was what made my rating higher, in my opinion, the middle was lacking and felt often boring or rushed.
- Lots of times the authors told the story rather than telling and I prefer the latter. It made it hard for me to really be sucked into the story, all though I still really enjoyed it!
Overall, I thought this book was a great middle-grade book with entertaining characters, a well-thought-through world, and a plot that broke some tropes and explored interesting themes!
BLOG | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
I had a lot of fun reading this little book. There are some obvious comparisons to Harry Potter. The group of friends is 2 boys and a girl at a magic school, but beyond that, I don't think the comparisons go that far.
We are brought into this mysterious world of the Magisterium, a collection of mages. (Why is mage so popular? Carry On by Rainbow Rowell also uses the term Mages.) Callum is told by his father that this world is horrible and he is brought up to hate it. He tries to fail his test to get into the school and he fails miserably to fail. They are spectacular misfires of magic. He meets his team and they are put through slow boring lessons where he makes his first friends of his life.
I thought the world was interesting with lots of fun surprises. I did love the ending of this book. I thought I had things figured out, but I was a little surprised by the ending. I have to say it was nice. Maybe my brain is worn out and I should have caught this.
There are plenty of mysteries to be solved by Callum and his friends and plenty of tests that must be taken. There are plenty of failures and triumphs by the 3 kids. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. It is an exciting new addition to the middle grade genre by 2 talented writers. I'm excited to know more about this world.
We are brought into this mysterious world of the Magisterium, a collection of mages. (Why is mage so popular? Carry On by Rainbow Rowell also uses the term Mages.) Callum is told by his father that this world is horrible and he is brought up to hate it. He tries to fail his test to get into the school and he fails miserably to fail. They are spectacular misfires of magic. He meets his team and they are put through slow boring lessons where he makes his first friends of his life.
I thought the world was interesting with lots of fun surprises. I did love the ending of this book. I thought I had things figured out, but I was a little surprised by the ending. I have to say it was nice. Maybe my brain is worn out and I should have caught this.
There are plenty of mysteries to be solved by Callum and his friends and plenty of tests that must be taken. There are plenty of failures and triumphs by the 3 kids. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. It is an exciting new addition to the middle grade genre by 2 talented writers. I'm excited to know more about this world.
When I first picked this book up I didn't want to have any expectations at all, but all the comments about it being a new "harry potter" wanna be story made me have doubts about it.
But those doubts where immediately blow away by the storyline I was confronted with.
The only thing similar to harry potter is this: this book is about wizards who go to a wizardry school.
But honestly? How many books are there with wizards and/or wizardry schools? Yes, thousands of them!
I was confronted with this amazing storyline, amazing background infos about the characters, and a ton of amazingly unexpected plot twists.
I think to sum up the feelings I had through reading this book there's only so much to say: As I reached the last 15/10 pages of this books, and thought I knew what would happen now, the story turned a full 380°. I DID NOT SEE SUCH A THING HAPPENING AT ALL AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROVES THIS BOOK CAN GIVE YOU THAT IT IS NOT ANYTHING LIKE HARRY POTTER!
I think, before saying this is just another book which wants the fame of Harry Potter, just give it a try and you'll see fast enough that it's not at all like that.
I'd suggest it so everybody who likes friendship, magic, action, (Harry Potter) and just an amazingly written and well thought of book.
But those doubts where immediately blow away by the storyline I was confronted with.
The only thing similar to harry potter is this: this book is about wizards who go to a wizardry school.
But honestly? How many books are there with wizards and/or wizardry schools? Yes, thousands of them!
I was confronted with this amazing storyline, amazing background infos about the characters, and a ton of amazingly unexpected plot twists.
I think to sum up the feelings I had through reading this book there's only so much to say: As I reached the last 15/10 pages of this books, and thought I knew what would happen now, the story turned a full 380°. I DID NOT SEE SUCH A THING HAPPENING AT ALL AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROVES THIS BOOK CAN GIVE YOU THAT IT IS NOT ANYTHING LIKE HARRY POTTER!
I think, before saying this is just another book which wants the fame of Harry Potter, just give it a try and you'll see fast enough that it's not at all like that.
I'd suggest it so everybody who likes friendship, magic, action, (Harry Potter) and just an amazingly written and well thought of book.
I'm sorry, I just can't get into Black's works. I've tried a bunch and they all fall flat. Love Clare but this did nothing for me. :(
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated