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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
This was everything I wanted and more in a book. Thank you Bridget Collins for another fantastic read!
3.75
the betrayals by bridget collins is not at all what i was expecting. all i knew about this was: dark academia novel inspired by hesse’s glass bead game.
ultimately, it is is that and so much more. everyone has secrets and while reading, you might think that you’re figuring it all out but soon realise that you didn’t know shit. this is a fun read and if you’re into dark academia and mystery books, that’s definitely your cup of tea.
personally, i’m not that satisfied with the ending but some people might disagree. it feels a little rushed and in the middle, some parts could’ve been shorter. all in all i do think that it’s a great book and very enjoyable, though.
the betrayals by bridget collins is not at all what i was expecting. all i knew about this was: dark academia novel inspired by hesse’s glass bead game.
ultimately, it is is that and so much more. everyone has secrets and while reading, you might think that you’re figuring it all out but soon realise that you didn’t know shit. this is a fun read and if you’re into dark academia and mystery books, that’s definitely your cup of tea.
personally, i’m not that satisfied with the ending but some people might disagree. it feels a little rushed and in the middle, some parts could’ve been shorter. all in all i do think that it’s a great book and very enjoyable, though.
At Montverre, an exclusive academy tucked away in the mountains, the best and brightest are trained for excellence in the grand jeu: an arcane and mysterious contest. Léo Martin was once a student there, but lost his passion for the grand jeu following a violent tragedy. Now he returns in disgrace, exiled to his old place of learning with his political career in tatters.
Montverre has changed since he studied there, even allowing a woman, Claire Dryden, to serve in the grand jeu’s highest office of Magister Ludi. When Léo first sees Claire he senses an odd connection with her, though he’s sure they have never met before.
Both Léo and Claire have built their lives on lies. And as the legendary Midsummer Game, the climax of the year, draws closer, secrets are whispering in the walls…
I loved every page of this book! The unearthly feeling of Montverre is beautifully evoked, I could see the dust motes in the air, hear the creaking floorboards, shiver in the cold and sweat in the heat. The mystery unfolds slowly but it's a book where the main story is almost unimportant as it's such a wonderful read.
Montverre has changed since he studied there, even allowing a woman, Claire Dryden, to serve in the grand jeu’s highest office of Magister Ludi. When Léo first sees Claire he senses an odd connection with her, though he’s sure they have never met before.
Both Léo and Claire have built their lives on lies. And as the legendary Midsummer Game, the climax of the year, draws closer, secrets are whispering in the walls…
I loved every page of this book! The unearthly feeling of Montverre is beautifully evoked, I could see the dust motes in the air, hear the creaking floorboards, shiver in the cold and sweat in the heat. The mystery unfolds slowly but it's a book where the main story is almost unimportant as it's such a wonderful read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well worth a read but I was left feeling rather underwhelmed by the ending.
I was excited to read this book from the description on the jacket, but ended up feeling disappointed. I think the story elements for a great book are in there....I just don't think they ever fleshed out enough to pull me in. I felt like I had to slog through to get to the good part and it only came in the last 75 pages but without the punch I was expecting. I guess I was hoping for more with all the ambiguity earlier in the book. I also was anticipating more when a grand jeu was finally performed....something that would make not fully understanding what the grand jeu was, while it kept being described as almost religious, giving me a sense of how beautiful it was. Instead we were told that most politicians get bored of it (which I get for emphasis on their character) without the juxtaposition of how scholars, magisters, and game journalists feel about it. Maybe if one of the former scholars was a journalist....I don't know. I didn't hate it, just left feeling disappointed and wishing for more from it.
I believe many didn’t enjoy this book because the grand jeu was not thoroughly explained or defined but for me, it made me feel more immersed in the book. It gives you permission to imagine how you yourself want the grand jeu to be presented, all you know is how it makes the characters feel and experience this world, which I think is most important.
There are things I really enjoyed about this and things I did not, I’m sad to say I feel just the tiniest bit queer baited but am still pleased by the character growth. The Binding still holds its special place in my heart.
There are things I really enjoyed about this and things I did not, I’m sad to say I feel just the tiniest bit queer baited but am still pleased by the character growth. The Binding still holds its special place in my heart.
UPDATED RATING: 3.5 stars
This was unlike any book I have read!
I picked this up because I was recommended it by someone who said that Bridget’s writing was incredible. I have to agree that the writing of this was gorgeous and but definitely requires a good concentration to be able to understand and keep track of everything.
Even after finishing this I’m still not entirely sure of what was going on as I found it to be quite a confusing read. The author doesn’t really explain everything and tends to leave things open for interpretation. For this reason I can understand why people don’t like this book as I did find this annoying in the beginning. However as I continued reading I managed to just enjoy the writing and found the confusion sort of played into the mystery of the book.
I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic and a little rushed. Politics and religion seemed to play a big role in this book and yet by the end it sort of felt forgotten.
I have to be honest I keep changing my opinions on this book every time I go back to it which is why I have given it 3 stars. It is definitely different and it was an interesting read. I would like to try reading ‘The Bindings’ as it seems people enjoyed that book better.
EDIT: I have not stopped thinking about this book since I read it and I like it more and more every time I think about it! I would definitely up my rating to 3.5 stars.
I have just bought the binding and I am super excited to start it.
This was unlike any book I have read!
I picked this up because I was recommended it by someone who said that Bridget’s writing was incredible. I have to agree that the writing of this was gorgeous and but definitely requires a good concentration to be able to understand and keep track of everything.
Even after finishing this I’m still not entirely sure of what was going on as I found it to be quite a confusing read. The author doesn’t really explain everything and tends to leave things open for interpretation. For this reason I can understand why people don’t like this book as I did find this annoying in the beginning. However as I continued reading I managed to just enjoy the writing and found the confusion sort of played into the mystery of the book.
I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic and a little rushed. Politics and religion seemed to play a big role in this book and yet by the end it sort of felt forgotten.
I have to be honest I keep changing my opinions on this book every time I go back to it which is why I have given it 3 stars. It is definitely different and it was an interesting read. I would like to try reading ‘The Bindings’ as it seems people enjoyed that book better.
EDIT: I have not stopped thinking about this book since I read it and I like it more and more every time I think about it! I would definitely up my rating to 3.5 stars.
I have just bought the binding and I am super excited to start it.
Al principio promete mucho y luego se desinfla. La idea del Grand Jeu podría ser original si no fuera porque la misma autora admite que es un homenaje a una muy similar de Hermann Hesse. No está mal, pero le falta algo.