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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
A good solid fantasy novel. I was pleasantly surprised it was a standalone story (sometimes you just don't want to commit to 7+ widely spaced volumes) but equally would love to indulge in more of this world. I enjoyed the diverse range of characters, loved visiting the universe that was created, and was gripped by the interlinking stories. The folklore and background are also really consistent and well plotted out. I love a good back story as much as I enjoy the present day moments, so it was a delight to read overall.
I did feel that the main driving point of the story (the nameless one returning) was over quite quickly. Once it reached that stage, it almost felt like it wasn't that big of a threat to begin with. However that is pretty much my one gripe, in an otherwise seamless tale. 5/5
I did feel that the main driving point of the story (the nameless one returning) was over quite quickly. Once it reached that stage, it almost felt like it wasn't that big of a threat to begin with. However that is pretty much my one gripe, in an otherwise seamless tale. 5/5
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I do wish some of the characters’ deaths were a bit more fleshed out, so many just felt so quickly brushed off, but otherwise a fantastic book.
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m finally released from the claws of this book! It took me over five months to read this. You’d think after taking several breaks, I’d have thrown in the towel. But I kept coming back, thanks to the pesky sunk-cost fallacy. And I ask myself… was it worth it in the end? Frankly, there’s nothing bad in this book. Some parts were very good and riveting. Other parts were mild or boring. Nothing poorly written. But never anything *great*. It’s all just… very okay.
Out of a diverse cast of POV characters, the only one I remotely cared about was Ead. The book put forth most of its effort to her, but even when her stuff was good, it could still be so stilted. And if Ead’s story is stilted, then the rest are just dry and dull, save for some choice parts of Niclays Roos and his chaotic character arc. I just could never sink into a character’s head, understand their motivations, their way of thinking. I could probably find more to say about their occupations rather than their personalities. After time, they became so lifeless to me and never escaped their generic fantasy tropes. Is this really a feminist book because there’s female characters in power? Because all these women have the same boring, dutiful “personalities” regardless of their origin, race, religion, or circumstances. It’s a shame; I see a lot of praise for this book for its female characters, but if all of that is wooden and penciled in, then it’s pointless. You’ve wasted my time.
Regarding the queer rep, it was honestly a big letdown. Ead’s romance with Sabran is fleeting, tame and boring. When something is marketed as a sapphic romance, I expect some sapphic themes in the book; not just the literal presence of sapphic characters in a queernorm world. Because then you’re on the edge of pandering to me. There’s barely any understanding to me of why Ead and Sabran were drawn to one another other than their forced proximity. Where’s the chemistry? The intimate scenes? The acts of love? They have few true conversations before they become physical, and that’s after a harrowing event for Sabran. Some of these lofty expectations are my fault, hoping for an intense romance to blow me away. But everything is so detached even in moments that should clearly be an emotional peak.
In fact, so much of this book is severely hampered by this widespread restraint. The characters rarely emote, hardly ever reflect, and if they do, it’s in this very sober, disciplined sort of way I found myself grasping to relate to. Even the way Shannon describes the world is reserved. I could not tell you what a single city or country in this book looks like; the locations lack detail and richness, and it’s super evident because we are constantly traveling and hopping between supposedly diverse cultures and parts of the world. Even character descriptions are withheld until far late in the book at times. The scenes as I read them in my head never progressed from rough sketches to finished pieces. And yet if the book had any sort of upfront descriptions, it would probably be 1000+ pages long.
Sadly, overall, this was a joyless read. When it comes to my own personal reading experience, I much prefer books that prioritize character over plot; I can excuse a lot when character shines. However, I found this book to be far too enmeshed in a rather bland world with uninteresting characters and generic good vs evil story. I’d almost prefer the book had been outright terrible, because then I would not have kept hanging on, hoping for it to improve or be anything but what it was. I’m not sure if I used my time wisely here, but at least I know Shannon’s style, while structurally sound I suppose, is ultimately not for me.
Out of a diverse cast of POV characters, the only one I remotely cared about was Ead. The book put forth most of its effort to her, but even when her stuff was good, it could still be so stilted. And if Ead’s story is stilted, then the rest are just dry and dull, save for some choice parts of Niclays Roos and his chaotic character arc. I just could never sink into a character’s head, understand their motivations, their way of thinking. I could probably find more to say about their occupations rather than their personalities. After time, they became so lifeless to me and never escaped their generic fantasy tropes. Is this really a feminist book because there’s female characters in power? Because all these women have the same boring, dutiful “personalities” regardless of their origin, race, religion, or circumstances. It’s a shame; I see a lot of praise for this book for its female characters, but if all of that is wooden and penciled in, then it’s pointless. You’ve wasted my time.
Regarding the queer rep, it was honestly a big letdown. Ead’s romance with Sabran is fleeting, tame and boring. When something is marketed as a sapphic romance, I expect some sapphic themes in the book; not just the literal presence of sapphic characters in a queernorm world. Because then you’re on the edge of pandering to me. There’s barely any understanding to me of why Ead and Sabran were drawn to one another other than their forced proximity. Where’s the chemistry? The intimate scenes? The acts of love? They have few true conversations before they become physical, and that’s after a harrowing event for Sabran. Some of these lofty expectations are my fault, hoping for an intense romance to blow me away. But everything is so detached even in moments that should clearly be an emotional peak.
In fact, so much of this book is severely hampered by this widespread restraint. The characters rarely emote, hardly ever reflect, and if they do, it’s in this very sober, disciplined sort of way I found myself grasping to relate to. Even the way Shannon describes the world is reserved. I could not tell you what a single city or country in this book looks like; the locations lack detail and richness, and it’s super evident because we are constantly traveling and hopping between supposedly diverse cultures and parts of the world. Even character descriptions are withheld until far late in the book at times. The scenes as I read them in my head never progressed from rough sketches to finished pieces. And yet if the book had any sort of upfront descriptions, it would probably be 1000+ pages long.
Sadly, overall, this was a joyless read. When it comes to my own personal reading experience, I much prefer books that prioritize character over plot; I can excuse a lot when character shines. However, I found this book to be far too enmeshed in a rather bland world with uninteresting characters and generic good vs evil story. I’d almost prefer the book had been outright terrible, because then I would not have kept hanging on, hoping for it to improve or be anything but what it was. I’m not sure if I used my time wisely here, but at least I know Shannon’s style, while structurally sound I suppose, is ultimately not for me.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-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
Vraiment bien mais parfois trop de facilité prise. Du style: oh un bateau quand on en a besoin!
Le démarrage est long mais le world building et les persos sont bien construits. J’etais pas trop perdue mais je pense que certains combats ou certaines morts mériteraient plus de longueur/details.
Le démarrage est long mais le world building et les persos sont bien construits. J’etais pas trop perdue mais je pense que certains combats ou certaines morts mériteraient plus de longueur/details.
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced