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adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
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
I absolutely adored this book, i was fully immersed and have not loved anyones writing as much before. I now feel emptiness after having completed this duology... What am i supposed to do now without this beautiful, intricate yet dark world. I NEED MORE 😭❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
dark
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Blood, Murder
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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
“Nor Rowan nor Yew, but somewhere between. A pale tree in winter neither red, gold nor green. Black hides the bloodstain, but washes the realm. First of his name- King of the Elms”
Wow. I was not ready for the rollercoaster this book was going to take me on. I laughed, I screamed, I kicked my feet in delight, I cried. A truly beautiful way to end The Shepherd King series.
I finished this book in two sittings and was hooked all the way through. I liked that it was multi-perspectives and focused a lot on Elm, Ione and Ravyn’s story.
The interweaved chapters of the Shepherd King’s memories returning through the eyes of Elspeth was inspired and the plot twists I could never predict.
5 ⭐️ and a 5⭐️ series for me. Truly a masterpiece.
Wow. I was not ready for the rollercoaster this book was going to take me on. I laughed, I screamed, I kicked my feet in delight, I cried. A truly beautiful way to end The Shepherd King series.
I finished this book in two sittings and was hooked all the way through. I liked that it was multi-perspectives and focused a lot on Elm, Ione and Ravyn’s story.
The interweaved chapters of the Shepherd King’s memories returning through the eyes of Elspeth was inspired and the plot twists I could never predict.
5 ⭐️ and a 5⭐️ series for me. Truly a masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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 Factor 4/5
☆ Writing Style 5/5 (SOOO whimsical and reminiscent of Grimm's Fairy Tales)
☆ Characters 4/5
☆ Plot 4/5 (just enough mysteries sprinkled throughout to keep it interesting)
☆ Setting 4/5
☆ Feels 1/5
☆ Spiciness 2/5 (two sex scenes, both mostly implied but still well written)
☆ Gore 4/5 (torture, brutality, murder galore)
If this were a movie it'd be rated: PG-13 for mild sexual situations, crude humor, intense violence, disturbing imagery, gore
☆FOR FANS OF: Darker fairy tales
Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ I didn't really care for Elm or Ione in book one, but they REALLY come together in this one
Review:
Color me impressed. It is SO rare for a sequel to do literally everything better and bolder. Instead of one POV we got 4. Instead of just first person POV we also got third person. There were multiple plotlines running at the same time. The side characters from the first book were fully realized and had their own character arcs. The romance and the action were better, the pacing was quicker. The foreshadowing and mysteries from the first book got satisfying answers. The ending was solid. Like. Literally everything that was good about the first one was just BETTER here.
This is probably one of the tightest, best written duologies I've read in a really really long time. It's just really soli
☆ Writing Style 5/5 (SOOO whimsical and reminiscent of Grimm's Fairy Tales)
☆ Characters 4/5
☆ Plot 4/5 (just enough mysteries sprinkled throughout to keep it interesting)
☆ Setting 4/5
☆ Feels 1/5
☆ Spiciness 2/5 (two sex scenes, both mostly implied but still well written)
☆ Gore 4/5 (torture, brutality, murder galore)
If this were a movie it'd be rated: PG-13 for mild sexual situations, crude humor, intense violence, disturbing imagery, gore
☆FOR FANS OF: Darker fairy tales
Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ I didn't really care for Elm or Ione in book one, but they REALLY come together in this one
Review:
Color me impressed. It is SO rare for a sequel to do literally everything better and bolder. Instead of one POV we got 4. Instead of just first person POV we also got third person. There were multiple plotlines running at the same time. The side characters from the first book were fully realized and had their own character arcs. The romance and the action were better, the pacing was quicker. The foreshadowing and mysteries from the first book got satisfying answers. The ending was solid. Like. Literally everything that was good about the first one was just BETTER here.
This is probably one of the tightest, best written duologies I've read in a really really long time. It's just really soli
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2.5 stars. I really enjoyed the first book and thought it was a great introduction to a unique fantasy series. I loved the world building, the prose, the main character (!!!), and it ended on a great cliffhanger. But this finale was a let down.
The protagonist of the first book (Elspeth) is barely around which was disappointing. Most of the story is instead focused on a secondary character whose arc felt forced and completely uninteresting. The main plot is rushed through and overshadowed by a romance that wasn't present in the first book and a subplot that felt so longwinded and unnecessary. Ravyn's POV, and the relationship between Elspeth and the Nightmare are the best parts and none of it gets the justice it deserved.
The entire book could have been focused on Ravyn's journey to get the Twin Alders Card, so many incredible scenes could have been expanded while they were journeying through the forest. I don't really see the point of Elm's POV at all, that could have been its own standalone novel.
I'm excited to see what Gillig writes in the future, she clearly has talent and a unique voice in the fantasy realm, but this was not it for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail