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dark
emotional
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:
Yes
I liked this one, although it did have some odd choices in it. Some of the scenes felt unnecessarily uncomfortably sexual, which felt weird for the ages of the characters involved.
I liked the story a lot and it kept me guessing the entire time. I’m intrigued as to where the story is going and I’ll definitely be reading the sequel soon.
For me, the world building could have been a bit more fleshed out, but I’m hoping we get more of that in the next book.
I liked several of the characters a lot, and I think that was the biggest strength of the book.
I liked the story a lot and it kept me guessing the entire time. I’m intrigued as to where the story is going and I’ll definitely be reading the sequel soon.
For me, the world building could have been a bit more fleshed out, but I’m hoping we get more of that in the next book.
I liked several of the characters a lot, and I think that was the biggest strength of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I enjoyed this book. I have some complaints about how much time is just spent moving back and forth or like how hopeless so much of this book feels but this is also the first book where so much is just set up. But! The main characters are great and I do adore them. The twists felt good and interesting I stayed with this book and read this book pretty quickly because I wanted to know what would happen throughout. So generally I liked this a lot and want to know what will happen next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
There are horses that die offscreen but are mentioned in this.
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Animal death, Death, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
When the past is forgotten, then it can return. Only those who remember have the chance to stave it off. For the dark is never truly gone; it only waits for the world to forget, so that it may rise again.
Will has been on the run since his mother was murdered right in front of him. Hiding and always looking over his shoulder, Will has managed to find himself in London working odd jobs until one day his past catches up to him. It's then that Will finds out that he comes from a very powerful bloodline and that he might be the only one able to defeat the growing ancient evil. Joining the Stewards, the only ones who remember the ancient world of magic and who know what's coming, Will must train and gain allies while uncovering what really happened and how does he fit in this long standing fight.
I had fun with this one, it's a little slow at first but I get it because there was a lot of worldbuilding to do. There are also a lot of clues in this first part to all the big reveals at the end, and since I enjoy unraveling plot and mysteries I liked this bit and was paying close attention. It's a book that deals in complex moralities for all factions and demands focus of the reader. I guessed almost all the big plot twists but there were some I never saw coming, even I you realize things before time the way they're constructed and the road the author takes to get there are such a delight.
Will is a fantastic protagonist, he's not ultra powerful or noble he's someone who relies on wit and cleverness. He's always paying attention, he's manipulative yet very charismatic and easily draws people in. Violet is another standout character, she's strong and moral, dedicated and a great friend. The two of them made sense as the main POVs, both had different things to do and places to be and together they connected the plot points naturally.
I do think some events were a little bit too convenient, the plot hinges heavily on people assuming things and not double checking certain details. There are also some plot points that I'm still not too clear on,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Torture, Blood, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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:
Yes
Characters- 5
Each character had growth and depth to them. They all had their own goals and aspirations outside of not only the main character but their shared goals. Not only that but everyone interacted with each other in a way that made sense for each relationship. You grew with Will and Violet’s friendship so their bond was able to feel more concrete throughout the story. You were able to get into the characters’ heads which made their actions down the line more believable. Because of this it made it easier to relate to certain characters and feel as if their dreams and goals were your own. You rooted for each victory and felt upset at each loss.
Enjoyment- 5
Overall this was a fun read. I would reread it to see the build up with the knowledge I had of what happens in the end. The characters and world was refreshing to read about and nothing ever felt too forced. I was never pushed to the point of frustration with pacing or cliffhangers so it was a steady read. It was enough fantasy where it could be enjoyed by someone who doesn’t read the genre often and enough to keep someone who does stay engaged.
Messages- 5
What I took away from the book was that you are more than who you were and are. The characters were often tied with their identities and destinies and depending on who it was they either defied it or embraced it. Another one being that memory is both a blessing and a curse. It can plague the mind or be comforting as it gets passed down. Another theme that I noticed that was consistent with the book was that there is no solely good or solely evil. Everything had a grey area whether that be the systems in the world or the characters themselves. The author did a good job showcasing all the different aspects and perspectives within the book’s elements.
Plot- 5
There was never a point where I was pushed to frustration with the pacing of the book. The cliffhangers felt right where it was used and didn’t just feel like it was used just for dramatic effect. The only reason why it took me a little longer in the beginning versus the end of the book was because I just started getting back into reading so I had to build up my stamina for a little while. The plot was consistent even if it wasn’t always focused on it. Even though the story was broken down into different perspectives it still centered around the main plot in their own special ways.
Emotional impact- 5
Because these were kids being thrown into a world they didn’t fully understand it was easy to put myself in their shoes. Their fears felt as if it was my own due to the author’s way of describing not only the character’s response to it but the surroundings as well. The author showed the horrors of war in a way that felt real and not just killing characters just for a shock factor solely. The scenes were laid out so that there was tension and suspense not just thrown haphazardly in there. It made sense for the context surrounding it.
Worldbuilding- 5
I will not lie, in the beginning I was a bit lost in world building mostly because I was not familiar with boats and life in 1820’s London. However this was overlooked due to the natural and easy going way the author showcased the Old World and its rules and lore. It was spread throughout the book in digestible pieces that made it easier to immerse myself into the book. The world was consistent and felt lived in, not something just created for the book to talk about. The characters felt like they belonged in the world and it all melted together well. What I also appreciated was that the stories and what the characters knew about the world was slowly introduced throughout the book and not just info dumped. Each time a story was mentioned another element was added or how it was viewed was changed making it not feel repetitive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Alcohol, Colonisation
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
This book was amazing, C.S.Pacat did it again.
The characters are lovable, interesting, don't feel two dimensional at all.
The worldbuilding is interesting so far, and I feel we will explore more in the second book.
The chemistry between Will and James were chemistrying. As someone who read her other series, I believe the yearning will be even better in the second book.
I figured out the plot twist halfway through, but it did not make me lose enjoyment from the story.
I can't wait to read the second book.
The characters are lovable, interesting, don't feel two dimensional at all.
The worldbuilding is interesting so far, and I feel we will explore more in the second book.
The chemistry between Will and James were chemistrying. As someone who read her other series, I believe the yearning will be even better in the second book.
I figured out the plot twist halfway through, but it did not make me lose enjoyment from the story.
I can't wait to read the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Racism, Vomit
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Racism
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Alcohol, Classism
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ce livre a été sélectionné comme lecture commune pour notre bookclub à Reims et honnêtement je suis bien contente de l’avoir sorti de ma PAL 🥰
Le rythme de l’histoire ici est vraiment bien rythmé, c’est ni trop long, ni trop rapide. L’autrice sait capter notre attention tout du long des chapitres alors que ceux-ci sont quand même assez long, mais le temps passe vraiment bien. Par ailleurs, tout du long l’autrice nous fait croire quelque chose mais il s’avère qu’un plot twist que je n’ai pas vu venir s’immisce à travers les pages et finalement tout ce qu’on pensait être vrai s’avère finalement être faux. J’ai trouvé ça dingue parce qu’à aucun instant je m’attendais à ce dénouement et c’est ce qui a fait que j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé ce livre. De plus le world building est vraiment très bien construit et j’adore ça 😍
Pour parler des personnages ils sont tous très interessant, que ce soit Will, Violet ou Cyprian. J’ai bien aimé être dans la tête de chacun d’eux même si Cyprian n’a pas trop eu de lumière sur lui. Mais à travers le point de vue des deux autres on arrive à cerner le personnage qu’on déteste mais qu’on fini finalement par aimé. James m’intrigue aussi pas mal et j’ai hâte de savoir ce qu’il adviendra de lui par la suite.
Suite à cette fin j’ai qu’une hâte c’est de lire le tome 2 (qui prend un tout autre sens maintenant). Tout est possible désormais et j’ai très envie de savoir quel chemin l’autrice a décidé de suivre.
Vous l’aurez donc compris j’ai apprécié fortement cette lecture que je recommande 🤎
Le rythme de l’histoire ici est vraiment bien rythmé, c’est ni trop long, ni trop rapide. L’autrice sait capter notre attention tout du long des chapitres alors que ceux-ci sont quand même assez long, mais le temps passe vraiment bien. Par ailleurs, tout du long l’autrice nous fait croire quelque chose mais il s’avère qu’un plot twist que je n’ai pas vu venir s’immisce à travers les pages et finalement tout ce qu’on pensait être vrai s’avère finalement être faux. J’ai trouvé ça dingue parce qu’à aucun instant je m’attendais à ce dénouement et c’est ce qui a fait que j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé ce livre. De plus le world building est vraiment très bien construit et j’adore ça 😍
Pour parler des personnages ils sont tous très interessant, que ce soit Will, Violet ou Cyprian. J’ai bien aimé être dans la tête de chacun d’eux même si Cyprian n’a pas trop eu de lumière sur lui. Mais à travers le point de vue des deux autres on arrive à cerner le personnage qu’on déteste mais qu’on fini finalement par aimé. James m’intrigue aussi pas mal et j’ai hâte de savoir ce qu’il adviendra de lui par la suite.
Suite à cette fin j’ai qu’une hâte c’est de lire le tome 2 (qui prend un tout autre sens maintenant). Tout est possible désormais et j’ai très envie de savoir quel chemin l’autrice a décidé de suivre.
Vous l’aurez donc compris j’ai apprécié fortement cette lecture que je recommande 🤎
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, War
Minor: Vomit