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thenia's review against another edition
3.0
RTC
Previous book reviews:
✦ Lady of Light and Shadows (Tairen Soul #2)
✦ Lord of the Fading Lands (Tairen Soul #1)
Previous book reviews:
✦ Lady of Light and Shadows (Tairen Soul #2)
✦ Lord of the Fading Lands (Tairen Soul #1)
lulur3ads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.75
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
4.0
Continues to be a good fantasy series. While the romance is central to the story arc, it does not take up a large part of the book. The story is still building, so this didn't have a "middle of the series, just taking up time" feel to it.
_jorjah's review against another edition
4.0
What an ending!
This book took its time building up, I wasn't enjoying it as much as the others until those last few chapters. It was worth the wait.
Baby Kitlings. Casting out Ellie and Rain. The beginning of the war. Are her family lost or gone? Will Shani & Elfeya ever escape or be rescued? So many questions.
This book took its time building up, I wasn't enjoying it as much as the others until those last few chapters. It was worth the wait.
Baby Kitlings. Casting out Ellie and Rain. The beginning of the war. Are her family lost or gone? Will Shani & Elfeya ever escape or be rescued? So many questions.
anoveldestination's review against another edition
3.0
*Spoilers for the first two books in the series!*
I loved the first two books in this series, but I was quite disappointed by this third book. I still enjoyed it because I'm invested in the characters in this book, but the characters and their growth were the only things I enjoyed. Not a lot happens in this book. The main plotline and mystery revolve around the mysterious illness killing the Tairen kits. That could've been an intriguing plot, but it ends up having a fairly simple solution, and there's not a lot of action, so the plot felt weak. The plot didn't need 467 pages.
Most of those pages go to worldbuilding. This is the first book where we see the land of the Fey, and Wilson does a lot of worldbuilding. It was too much in my opinion, and some details about Fey culture and politics were repeated too many times. Also, one thing that rubbed me the wrong way is how all the characters seem to idolize the strict roles for men and women in Fey society. Towards the end of the book, it does seem like the gender roles are slightly less strict. Not all Fey women are healers, and there are comments about men working in the kitchens. However, I still don't like that all of the characters in the book seem to go along with this idea that men are warriors and women are healers that must be protected. We do see Ellysetta learning from the warriors, but her role as a healer and the person who will bring fertility back to the land is stressed a lot more. I feel like there's a lot of lost potential with the subplot of Ellysetta training like the warriors do.
Finally, I didn't like the conversations about how it was the duty of women to have children. There were also some comments about the sentience and killing of unborn tairen that felt similar to arguments used by pro-life advocates. This could be a misinterpretation, but I felt a strong pro-life message in the book that didn't sit well with me.
Strict gender roles themselves in literature aren't an issue. The issue for me is when these systems are idolized and not challenged by any characters because the theme becomes that we shouldn't question these systems.
I loved the first two books in this series, but I was quite disappointed by this third book. I still enjoyed it because I'm invested in the characters in this book, but the characters and their growth were the only things I enjoyed. Not a lot happens in this book. The main plotline and mystery revolve around the mysterious illness killing the Tairen kits. That could've been an intriguing plot, but it ends up having a fairly simple solution, and there's not a lot of action, so the plot felt weak. The plot didn't need 467 pages.
Most of those pages go to worldbuilding. This is the first book where we see the land of the Fey, and Wilson does a lot of worldbuilding. It was too much in my opinion, and some details about Fey culture and politics were repeated too many times. Also, one thing that rubbed me the wrong way is how all the characters seem to idolize the strict roles for men and women in Fey society. Towards the end of the book, it does seem like the gender roles are slightly less strict. Not all Fey women are healers, and there are comments about men working in the kitchens. However, I still don't like that all of the characters in the book seem to go along with this idea that men are warriors and women are healers that must be protected. We do see Ellysetta learning from the warriors, but her role as a healer and the person who will bring fertility back to the land is stressed a lot more. I feel like there's a lot of lost potential with the subplot of Ellysetta training like the warriors do.
Finally, I didn't like the conversations about how it was the duty of women to have children. There were also some comments about the sentience and killing of unborn tairen that felt similar to arguments used by pro-life advocates. This could be a misinterpretation, but I felt a strong pro-life message in the book that didn't sit well with me.
Strict gender roles themselves in literature aren't an issue. The issue for me is when these systems are idolized and not challenged by any characters because the theme becomes that we shouldn't question these systems.
showmeyourpages's review against another edition
5.0
Omg this series just keeps getting better! && I can't get over how EVIL the high mage of Eld is. Holy macaroni. I knew he was a baddie, but we get to see exactly HOW DEPRAVED and fucked he is.
I'm still in love with Gaelen and Bel. They are so damn loyal! & Gaelen ALWAYS MAKES SENSE AND I WANT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO HIM. How can fey who are THOUSANDS of years old be so stubbornly and WILLFULLY DENSE????
Queen of Song and Souls is calling me.
I want to live among fey.
I'm still in love with Gaelen and Bel. They are so damn loyal! & Gaelen ALWAYS MAKES SENSE AND I WANT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO HIM. How can fey who are THOUSANDS of years old be so stubbornly and WILLFULLY DENSE????
Queen of Song and Souls is calling me.
I want to live among fey.
clarmt's review against another edition
5.0
You'll suffer but you'll be happy about it
I give this 5 stars bc not only is the writing style and story telling expertly done but bc of how I fell in love the characters and cared about what would happen to them.
I would recommend this to adult readers (there is adult content like torture and sex) to want to well flushed out characters and world and don't want the drama that some Y.A books have the habit of having.
I give this 5 stars bc not only is the writing style and story telling expertly done but bc of how I fell in love the characters and cared about what would happen to them.
I would recommend this to adult readers (there is adult content like torture and sex) to want to well flushed out characters and world and don't want the drama that some Y.A books have the habit of having.
dedicatedreader's review against another edition
5.0
This I a review for all five books because once I began this series there was no moment in between where I wanted to stop and write down thoughts on the finished book, so a full review of all five books will do… no spoilers!
WOW, would be the very first thing that comes to mind when I think about this world I was just spun into and weaved very carefully into its mists. I never wanted to leave…not even once. I was wound up in the world, the story and the characters themselves.
Everything came to life in this book. it was almost as if I was reading a story that was real and had happened somewhere on this real earth.
WOW!
First time ever reading anything by C.J. Wilson and I am absolutely in love. You write beautifully, and the words just pushed me into a certain sphere where nothing existed but the characters and the story. Excellent work, Excellent indeed.
This was a world created like none I have ever read about. Forget about Sherrilyn Kenyon’s darkhunterverse…this was just brilliance screaming a very high perfect note. This world included normal humans, fey, witches, elves, mage and much more. Now, I am not a very big fan of this kind of fantasy but I do not know what happened…I just fell in love with this one. So totally and completely.
It was perfect in all ways it can be/
The characters were all welcoming. All of them, from the two main characters;rain and ellysetta (beatfiull name btw) to the other characters, Bel, Shan, Elfeya, Adrial, Gaelen, the twins, and everyone else.
You know when I started this book, I thought it would just be a simple book but no. it turned out to be more than just a simple story . it became a story that grew from a simple story to a complex yet beautiful story.
I loved every part of it, I loved how it all came.
I want to say I am speechless but no I am not. I am in awe of this story. Would I ever write five books the way this author has done? I hope so…one day.
This was too good.
I repeat…too good.
In love!!!
WOW, would be the very first thing that comes to mind when I think about this world I was just spun into and weaved very carefully into its mists. I never wanted to leave…not even once. I was wound up in the world, the story and the characters themselves.
Everything came to life in this book. it was almost as if I was reading a story that was real and had happened somewhere on this real earth.
WOW!
First time ever reading anything by C.J. Wilson and I am absolutely in love. You write beautifully, and the words just pushed me into a certain sphere where nothing existed but the characters and the story. Excellent work, Excellent indeed.
This was a world created like none I have ever read about. Forget about Sherrilyn Kenyon’s darkhunterverse…this was just brilliance screaming a very high perfect note. This world included normal humans, fey, witches, elves, mage and much more. Now, I am not a very big fan of this kind of fantasy but I do not know what happened…I just fell in love with this one. So totally and completely.
It was perfect in all ways it can be/
The characters were all welcoming. All of them, from the two main characters;rain and ellysetta (beatfiull name btw) to the other characters, Bel, Shan, Elfeya, Adrial, Gaelen, the twins, and everyone else.
You know when I started this book, I thought it would just be a simple book but no. it turned out to be more than just a simple story . it became a story that grew from a simple story to a complex yet beautiful story.
I loved every part of it, I loved how it all came.
I want to say I am speechless but no I am not. I am in awe of this story. Would I ever write five books the way this author has done? I hope so…one day.
This was too good.
I repeat…too good.
In love!!!
goldguardie's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars.
This story makes me feel all the feels. I can go from reading the happiest, most joyous chapter ever, to then being totally stressed out and feeling hopeless in the next.
Partly that's due to the character development. We have seen both Ellie and Rain change so much in the last three books, and have come to care about the Fey as a people as well as their Celiarian allies. We have even gotten a lot of development from the secondary and tertiary characters, which really rounds out the whole expansive world and story and makes it so much better.
However, it's also due to the fantastic protagonist in this book. I love to hate the Eld, and hate them I do. The High Mage needs to go down in a spout of fiery Tairen flame. Also Den Brodsen, because, seriously? He's a freaking worm. But as slowly as parts of this story move, I think a lot of that is because we're slowly but surely being fed information bit by bit, which is great for development. It shows us how truly evil Vadim Maur is, and even though I detest him with every fiber of my being, I appreciate how good he is at being evil.
That being said, I ADORE the Tairen pride. I love them. At the beginning of this literary journey, I was like...giant flying cats? HAHAHA. OK, STORY. SURE. But now...they've completely grown on me. They're adorable and kind but also protective and ferocious. They're fantastic. Every sad thing that happened to them in this book made me want to cry. The descriptions of the kitlings throughout were so cute and then WHEN WE FOUND OUT EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THEM (!!!!) it made me *so* angry.
I do have to admit, the beginning of this book did move pretty slowly for me. I was bored of the "let's get out of Celiaria and go to the Mists" part. I wanted to be in the Fading Lands sooner. But once we arrived, EVERYTHING WAS NEW! There was so much for the reader to see through Ellie's eyes and it was beautiful. If someone asked me right now which fictional place I'd want to go to right at this moment, I'd say Elverial. Because I love me some Lothlorien-like fictional places.
The story also expanded its range in this book. Not only are we now familiar with Celiaria, but the different parts of the Fading Lands, as well as Orest and Teleon, where the final giant scenes were played out. (This part was super stressful because the reader knows a lot more about what's going on with the Eld than the Fey do, and just...ugh). The lands we knew just doubled in size and I'm beginning to see on how grand of a scale this war is going to be. Tbh, I'm kind of worried.
This story makes me feel all the feels. I can go from reading the happiest, most joyous chapter ever, to then being totally stressed out and feeling hopeless in the next.
Partly that's due to the character development. We have seen both Ellie and Rain change so much in the last three books, and have come to care about the Fey as a people as well as their Celiarian allies. We have even gotten a lot of development from the secondary and tertiary characters, which really rounds out the whole expansive world and story and makes it so much better.
However, it's also due to the fantastic protagonist in this book. I love to hate the Eld, and hate them I do. The High Mage needs to go down in a spout of fiery Tairen flame. Also Den Brodsen, because, seriously? He's a freaking worm. But as slowly as parts of this story move, I think a lot of that is because we're slowly but surely being fed information bit by bit, which is great for development. It shows us how truly evil Vadim Maur is, and even though I detest him with every fiber of my being, I appreciate how good he is at being evil.
That being said, I ADORE the Tairen pride. I love them. At the beginning of this literary journey, I was like...giant flying cats? HAHAHA. OK, STORY. SURE. But now...they've completely grown on me. They're adorable and kind but also protective and ferocious. They're fantastic. Every sad thing that happened to them in this book made me want to cry. The descriptions of the kitlings throughout were so cute and then WHEN WE FOUND OUT EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THEM (!!!!) it made me *so* angry.
I do have to admit, the beginning of this book did move pretty slowly for me. I was bored of the "let's get out of Celiaria and go to the Mists" part. I wanted to be in the Fading Lands sooner. But once we arrived, EVERYTHING WAS NEW! There was so much for the reader to see through Ellie's eyes and it was beautiful. If someone asked me right now which fictional place I'd want to go to right at this moment, I'd say Elverial. Because I love me some Lothlorien-like fictional places.
The story also expanded its range in this book. Not only are we now familiar with Celiaria, but the different parts of the Fading Lands, as well as Orest and Teleon, where the final giant scenes were played out. (This part was super stressful because the reader knows a lot more about what's going on with the Eld than the Fey do, and just...ugh). The lands we knew just doubled in size and I'm beginning to see on how grand of a scale this war is going to be. Tbh, I'm kind of worried.
corinnek's review against another edition
3.0
- 3.5/5 stars -
This book was definitely a bit heavier on the plot than the first two, but I was pretty on board with it. The plot is interesting. I'm a little unsure of what to expect in the next book, because it seemed like things were wrapped as far as the over-arching narrative of the series, but I'll definitely read it.
This series is really well-written and definitely feels elevated when compared to some other romance-focused fantasy series, but it definitely is relentlessly heteronormative. Like, so much heterosexuality, it was a bit much for me. The whole, omg women can't kill anyone because they're sooo empathetic they would die if they hurt anyone at all :') so compassionate and amazing, women are so soft :') is veery grating, lol.
This book was definitely a bit heavier on the plot than the first two, but I was pretty on board with it. The plot is interesting. I'm a little unsure of what to expect in the next book, because it seemed like things were wrapped as far as the over-arching narrative of the series, but I'll definitely read it.
This series is really well-written and definitely feels elevated when compared to some other romance-focused fantasy series, but it definitely is relentlessly heteronormative. Like, so much heterosexuality, it was a bit much for me. The whole, omg women can't kill anyone because they're sooo empathetic they would die if they hurt anyone at all :') so compassionate and amazing, women are so soft :') is veery grating, lol.