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kraley's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't AS intriguing as the first book (Hollow Kingdom), but I did still stay up all night reading it. I really enjoy Ms. Dunkle's writing style. I wanted more of the Queen's golden snake, but maybe the third book will have more. :)
themarnacle's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the first one of the trilogy but this sequel wasn't as good. I kept expecting something more to happen but it falls flat. I did enjoy sables storyline though.
bookishblond's review against another edition
2.0
I really enjoyed The Hollow Kingdom and ordered the sequel a couple of weeks after finishing it. I really wish I hadn't. I should have let that book exist as a stand-alone!
Close Kin is the sequel to The Hollow Kingdom, about Kate's little sister, Emily, and Seylin, the boy who can turn into a cat. Emily and Seylin were pals in the first book but now they're all grown up (in their teens, at least). And since the goblin culture revolves around child marriage and bride stealing, Seylin asks Emily to marry him. She completely misses the hint and poor Seylin decides to go on a quest to find any surviving elves (he's part elf but elves are rumored to be extinct). Emily, learning of his departure, sets off on her own adventure.
The creepy bride-stealing culture worked in The Hollow Kingdom because that book's plot focused on Kate and the goblin king, a clearly recognizable re-telling of the princess and the goblin fairy tale. The sequel tries to re-use this plot devise but it's incredibly creepy. In the first book, Kate was at least a "strong" character, but here all the female characters are vapid and exist only as marriage material. Emily, for example, is incredibly immature and it's disturbing that she has to get married because that is the goblin way.
I see that this is a trilogy but I probably won't read the last book.
Close Kin is the sequel to The Hollow Kingdom, about Kate's little sister, Emily, and Seylin, the boy who can turn into a cat. Emily and Seylin were pals in the first book but now they're all grown up (in their teens, at least). And since the goblin culture revolves around child marriage and bride stealing, Seylin asks Emily to marry him. She completely misses the hint and poor Seylin decides to go on a quest to find any surviving elves (he's part elf but elves are rumored to be extinct). Emily, learning of his departure, sets off on her own adventure.
The creepy bride-stealing culture worked in The Hollow Kingdom because that book's plot focused on Kate and the goblin king, a clearly recognizable re-telling of the princess and the goblin fairy tale. The sequel tries to re-use this plot devise but it's incredibly creepy. In the first book, Kate was at least a "strong" character, but here all the female characters are vapid and exist only as marriage material. Emily, for example, is incredibly immature and it's disturbing that she has to get married because that is the goblin way.
I see that this is a trilogy but I probably won't read the last book.
amara_jordan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
claire_loves_books's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't really like how women were characterised in this.
The all seem fairly stereotyped and their life for the most part seems to revolve around men, Emily was a carefree and childish but when Seylin runs off she realises that she does care for him, and drops everything in her life to run after him, it just felt like the book was telling women to be appreciative of men and value relationships. Sable managed to make some of her own choices but was still thoroughly under the thumb of an abusive partner. Irina was just a terrible character.
I wish that the women in these books had more autonomy and freedom.
The all seem fairly stereotyped and their life for the most part seems to revolve around men, Emily was a carefree and childish but when Seylin runs off she realises that she does care for him, and drops everything in her life to run after him, it just felt like the book was telling women to be appreciative of men and value relationships. Sable managed to make some of her own choices but was still thoroughly under the thumb of an abusive partner
Spoiler
and in the end her salvation was a forced marriage (she had to marry someone even if she did get to choose who).I wish that the women in these books had more autonomy and freedom.
snipequeen's review against another edition
3.0
These are not necessarily objectively great books. But I really, really enjoy them every time I come back to them -- especially the first and third books.
eahk1996's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
michelefortie's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed being back in this world but this story just didn't work for me the way the first one did. The story arc didn't work super well for me, and would have liked more development in Syelin and Em's relationship and journey.
catladylover94's review against another edition
5.0
good about the next generation of characters and their love for each other
jasmyn9's review against another edition
3.0
We met the sisters Kate and Emily in the first book, Hollow Kingdom. Their life since the joining Goblin society has been "uneventful." They both have their jobs to do, although those jobs would seem strange to most humans, and have made a place for themselves in the underground kingdom. However, Emily is getting older, and as a human woman, the Goblin King is not so patiently waiting to see which of his subjects she will choose to marry. Everything goes a little crazy when Seylin, a friend Emily made in the first book, proposes and Emily doesn't even realize it! Completely offended and heartbroken, Seylin leaves the kingdom to try and find his ancestors, the elves. Once Emily realizes that Seylin has left and what she did to him, she sets off to find him and bring him back.
I still love Emily's character and I really wish we had seen more of her in this book. From the description, I thought it would be about half about her and half about Seylin. While Seylin was very heavily featured, Emily really lagged behind in coverage. Seylin is a very interesting character, but I didn't see him really grow or develop much here. I'm afraid that the second book in The Hollow Kingdom just isn't quite as good as the first, which is a trait I find quite often in series. I'm still going to try and read the third, but it will have to wait until I get some extra spending money.
3/5
I still love Emily's character and I really wish we had seen more of her in this book. From the description, I thought it would be about half about her and half about Seylin. While Seylin was very heavily featured, Emily really lagged behind in coverage. Seylin is a very interesting character, but I didn't see him really grow or develop much here. I'm afraid that the second book in The Hollow Kingdom just isn't quite as good as the first, which is a trait I find quite often in series. I'm still going to try and read the third, but it will have to wait until I get some extra spending money.
3/5