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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
This book was a slight disappointment. I think my biggest problem came from my inability to really connect with the characters.
Selah seemed to naive, and I found her naivety to be grating, and as a result of it, she read a lot younger than I think she was supposed to be.
I also find I have a bug-bear for characters using the term "mummy" or "daddy" when referring to parents, because this immediately makes me think of them as being very young children, so is jarring to hear teens/young adults refer to their parents as such.
I struggled in this book with keeping track of a lot of the characters. There is a lot of travel and meeting new people, but I couldn't even keep my head on most of the members of the Beholder, as so many vanished for large swathes of the book. Selah often expressed that she was close with this crew, but we were told this rather than shown, so it never came across as genuine.
Finally, the world felt a little bit like a mess. Half the time, countries and cities were called by their modern names; but half the time had completely made up names. As a result, it was difficult knowing which country was which, where the ship was supposedly heading, and also what sort of time period the book was supposed to be set in.
I really wanted to love this book, and it just fell flat for me!
Selah seemed to naive, and I found her naivety to be grating, and as a result of it, she read a lot younger than I think she was supposed to be.
I also find I have a bug-bear for characters using the term "mummy" or "daddy" when referring to parents, because this immediately makes me think of them as being very young children, so is jarring to hear teens/young adults refer to their parents as such.
I struggled in this book with keeping track of a lot of the characters. There is a lot of travel and meeting new people, but I couldn't even keep my head on most of the members of the Beholder, as so many vanished for large swathes of the book. Selah often expressed that she was close with this crew, but we were told this rather than shown, so it never came across as genuine.
Finally, the world felt a little bit like a mess. Half the time, countries and cities were called by their modern names; but half the time had completely made up names. As a result, it was difficult knowing which country was which, where the ship was supposedly heading, and also what sort of time period the book was supposed to be set in.
I really wanted to love this book, and it just fell flat for me!
Based upon the premise of this book I was really excited to read it. It sounded like a good mix of fantasy and reality, and really seemed like something I would enjoy. Sadly it wasn’t an amazing read and didn’t quite live up to what I hoped it would be. It wasn’t a bad book – it just wasn’t amazing, and I don’t find myself with any really strong feelings about it – it’s purely a “meh” read for me.
One of my main issues is the world-building in this book – or the lack thereof. This book honestly so confused me – it seems so similar to our world geographically but i also shrouded in myth and fantasy. It really baffled me if this was meant to be something like our world or not and there didn’t appear to be any real explanation for the world, and no real build up.
I also found it hard to connect to the main character Selah; her characterisation is honestly so irritating at times and she presented as very childish. I think my main issue is that she doesn’t seem to actually have a personality for most of the time and just seems to build herself from other characters.
The main plot itself is interesting; Selah is forced to find someone to marry in order to rule her kingdom. I got real Princess Diaries vibes from this bit and was hoping Selah would have a moment of confidence and power and stand up to everyone, but she doesn’t really do to so until the very end of the book. As with many fairytales there’s an evil step-mother intent on taking the crown for herself.
I think my biggest problem with this book is the insta-love in this book. Selah meets two suitors during her trips (so far); Bear and Torden. Both of whom she seems to fall instantly in love with, both of whom she would have to sacrifice her crown to have. I really hated the twist with Bear and I am baffled about how his family thought that pretending Bear was someone else would really work out. Was she just meant to scream with joy that he wasn’t a 40 year old man?? Baffling. And then she moves to the next visit and falls in love with Torden within less than two weeks and he’s proposing to her… I just felt like screaming.
I honestly feel like this book just fell into the problem of too many tropes and overly wasn’t executed well for me. I do think it was written well to an extent, but overall I just wasn’t enamored with the book. I couldn’t give this book any more than 3* but it also wasn’t anything less. Honestly i’ve struggled to write this review as I just felt very blase about this book and honestly didn’t have much to say.
One of my main issues is the world-building in this book – or the lack thereof. This book honestly so confused me – it seems so similar to our world geographically but i also shrouded in myth and fantasy. It really baffled me if this was meant to be something like our world or not and there didn’t appear to be any real explanation for the world, and no real build up.
I also found it hard to connect to the main character Selah; her characterisation is honestly so irritating at times and she presented as very childish. I think my main issue is that she doesn’t seem to actually have a personality for most of the time and just seems to build herself from other characters.
The main plot itself is interesting; Selah is forced to find someone to marry in order to rule her kingdom. I got real Princess Diaries vibes from this bit and was hoping Selah would have a moment of confidence and power and stand up to everyone, but she doesn’t really do to so until the very end of the book. As with many fairytales there’s an evil step-mother intent on taking the crown for herself.
I think my biggest problem with this book is the insta-love in this book. Selah meets two suitors during her trips (so far); Bear and Torden. Both of whom she seems to fall instantly in love with, both of whom she would have to sacrifice her crown to have. I really hated the twist with Bear and I am baffled about how his family thought that pretending Bear was someone else would really work out. Was she just meant to scream with joy that he wasn’t a 40 year old man?? Baffling. And then she moves to the next visit and falls in love with Torden within less than two weeks and he’s proposing to her… I just felt like screaming.
I honestly feel like this book just fell into the problem of too many tropes and overly wasn’t executed well for me. I do think it was written well to an extent, but overall I just wasn’t enamored with the book. I couldn’t give this book any more than 3* but it also wasn’t anything less. Honestly i’ve struggled to write this review as I just felt very blase about this book and honestly didn’t have much to say.
adventurous
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
The beginning was terrible. I was so so so disappointed because I though the setting was not supposed to be modern. Well, after all it wasn’t that modern. I didn’t enjoy the fact it was too closely similar to the real world - I rarely enjoy fantasy like this. I love when the world is completely different and set in different era. Well, but I just couldn’t put this book down anyway. 30 first pages were disappointing but after that it became a page turner to me and I couldn’t stop til finished.
Sometimes I fall in love with the world itself. I did not. I do not really love the setting but I do in fact adore some characters and their behavior, their personality. It’s original idea, a bit of a fairytale retelling. I wold have changed a lot of real aspects of the world building I didn’t like but... honestly it didn’t matter because the romance was SO good. I rarely find the romance beautiful because the characters lack of chemistry. But this was not the case. The chemistry was there! So I will definitely continue though some aspects were a bit disappointing to me, because the romance got me and some characters as well.
Sometimes I fall in love with the world itself. I did not. I do not really love the setting but I do in fact adore some characters and their behavior, their personality. It’s original idea, a bit of a fairytale retelling. I wold have changed a lot of real aspects of the world building I didn’t like but... honestly it didn’t matter because the romance was SO good. I rarely find the romance beautiful because the characters lack of chemistry. But this was not the case. The chemistry was there! So I will definitely continue though some aspects were a bit disappointing to me, because the romance got me and some characters as well.
3.5
Slow pacing for the first half of the book, had it not been a buddy read there is a good chance I wouldn't have finished it. Pace did pick up, and the final 1/4 of the book was really fun and action packed, will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel.
Slow pacing for the first half of the book, had it not been a buddy read there is a good chance I wouldn't have finished it. Pace did pick up, and the final 1/4 of the book was really fun and action packed, will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel.
The Beholder is a charmingly romantic fantasy that left me longing to cross the ocean and explore new lands.
When I went into this, I expected the story of a girl forced into a betrothal by an evil stepmother only to find she’s developing feelings for the one she’s meant to marry. While some of those aspects are somewhat true, this story took me by surprise and ended up subverting my expectations at multiple turns.
First, I fell in love with the crew of The Beholder and I fully expect to learn more about them in the next book, particularly our prickly captain.
Selah is blindsided by plans to marry her off across the world and quickly suspects something is afoot. However, she’s also awed and quickly swept away by the people, cultures, and new places she’s introduced to.
It was easy to get just as swept away as Selah. While this story can’t claim to be a retelling of a single story, there is a blending of elements from Cinderella, The Odyssey, King Arthur, and Hansel & Gretel into the story (and probably a few others I’m not thinking of off the top of my head).
My biggest caveat with this story is that Selah is the type of character that things seem to just happen to. And that is fine, but Selah doesn’t often use the agency she has to question and push for answers or seek answers on her own. There’s several instances of obvious foreshadowing in this that I felt Selah could have used a gateway to be more forward and stop letting people direct her life. However, this is something that Selah comes to do by the end of the book, it’s just unfortunate to see her characterized this way initially. It makes her seem very naive and aloof, especially when one considers how quickly and easily she is willing to give her heart away (something I hope she keeps close to herself in the next book).
Other than that, I’d say the time period is a little difficult to pin down. Initially, I felt the story took places in the 19th century for sure, but there is mention and use of a technology that won’t be as advanced as it is in this book until the early 20th century. If anything, there are times the world building is descriptive and interesting, but it does feel as though it’s fully realized and developed enough in this book. I’d love to see more explanation about how Potomac and the other countries came to be and their story, beyond the brief explanations we get in this book.
However, I think both Selah’s characterization and the time period/world-building are minor aspects to the whole of this book. It’s charming and romantic and definitely pulled me in to Selah’s story and adventures. I’m absolutely going to be reading the next one – I’m excited about where this book leaves us!
When I went into this, I expected the story of a girl forced into a betrothal by an evil stepmother only to find she’s developing feelings for the one she’s meant to marry. While some of those aspects are somewhat true, this story took me by surprise and ended up subverting my expectations at multiple turns.
First, I fell in love with the crew of The Beholder and I fully expect to learn more about them in the next book, particularly our prickly captain.
Selah is blindsided by plans to marry her off across the world and quickly suspects something is afoot. However, she’s also awed and quickly swept away by the people, cultures, and new places she’s introduced to.
It was easy to get just as swept away as Selah. While this story can’t claim to be a retelling of a single story, there is a blending of elements from Cinderella, The Odyssey, King Arthur, and Hansel & Gretel into the story (and probably a few others I’m not thinking of off the top of my head).
My biggest caveat with this story is that Selah is the type of character that things seem to just happen to. And that is fine, but Selah doesn’t often use the agency she has to question and push for answers or seek answers on her own. There’s several instances of obvious foreshadowing in this that I felt Selah could have used a gateway to be more forward and stop letting people direct her life. However, this is something that Selah comes to do by the end of the book, it’s just unfortunate to see her characterized this way initially. It makes her seem very naive and aloof, especially when one considers how quickly and easily she is willing to give her heart away (something I hope she keeps close to herself in the next book).
Other than that, I’d say the time period is a little difficult to pin down. Initially, I felt the story took places in the 19th century for sure, but there is mention and use of a technology that won’t be as advanced as it is in this book until the early 20th century. If anything, there are times the world building is descriptive and interesting, but it does feel as though it’s fully realized and developed enough in this book. I’d love to see more explanation about how Potomac and the other countries came to be and their story, beyond the brief explanations we get in this book.
However, I think both Selah’s characterization and the time period/world-building are minor aspects to the whole of this book. It’s charming and romantic and definitely pulled me in to Selah’s story and adventures. I’m absolutely going to be reading the next one – I’m excited about where this book leaves us!
The beginning of this book was difficult to read. It was kind of a mess, but as it went on I could not put it down. I had so many questions I wanted answers to all the time. In the end, I had so much fun reading it, and I'm desperate for the next book.
Update second reading: I'm obsessed
Update second reading: I'm obsessed
I loved Torden and that side of things and would love to see him stand up to his father! I am routing for Torden the whole way and feel that yes Selah is too quick to fall in love but we have to remember she’s been very sheltered and lived a naive life. I think Bear was her introduction to the possibility of a good live but I genuinely felt there was a connection with Torden and hope they find a way to be together.
I want to read the next one mostly to see who she does choose, see her confront the stepmother, and to see if she does grow into herself more
My major complaint with this book was the ended as the sudden change in pace it felt extremely rushed and I found it difficult to understand what was actually going on. I think I may just need to read it again tomorrow when it ISNT past midnight to make sure I did get everything right.
All in all I would say this is a 3.5/5 for me. There’s enough for me to want to read the next one, but I’m concerned it’s not got enough meat to carry it forward and I’m sons seed that the next book will just be Selah pining and whining a bit too much!
We shall see!
I want to read the next one mostly to see who she does choose, see her confront the stepmother, and to see if she does grow into herself more
My major complaint with this book was the ended as the sudden change in pace it felt extremely rushed and I found it difficult to understand what was actually going on. I think I may just need to read it again tomorrow when it ISNT past midnight to make sure I did get everything right.
All in all I would say this is a 3.5/5 for me. There’s enough for me to want to read the next one, but I’m concerned it’s not got enough meat to carry it forward and I’m sons seed that the next book will just be Selah pining and whining a bit too much!
We shall see!