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shelby_hannahh's review against another edition
4.0
3.5ish????
I'm really torn on this book. Parts were really really great and well-written but then were parts that just weren't. I was really confused for much of this just because there was so much going on all at the same time, which is fine but this was nearly excessive. The magic was shaky as well and some things could have been much more easily and better explained. Also the insta hate to love we had?? lmao what? I'm just gonna sleep on this for a while
I'm really torn on this book. Parts were really really great and well-written but then were parts that just weren't. I was really confused for much of this just because there was so much going on all at the same time, which is fine but this was nearly excessive. The magic was shaky as well and some things could have been much more easily and better explained. Also the insta hate to love we had?? lmao what? I'm just gonna sleep on this for a while
koppelwoman's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars (rounded down)
I enjoy this fantasy world and that there are different types of magic. The problem I had with this book was the main character, Elanna. As a character she feels so uneven for most of the book. The last quarter of the book she finally makes sense to me. But definitely not my favorite character.
I enjoy this fantasy world and that there are different types of magic. The problem I had with this book was the main character, Elanna. As a character she feels so uneven for most of the book. The last quarter of the book she finally makes sense to me. But definitely not my favorite character.
doryreads's review against another edition
1.0
One star for the use/idea of the magic use in this world. however the main character, just ruins it for me so I'm walking away from this book.
imamandajulius's review against another edition
2.0
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.
Click here for entire review.
Edit: initially gave this 3 stars but knocked it down to 2 because I can't really imagine myself recommending it to anyone.
The best way I can describe the book is this: imagine you have a bunch of really great ingredients to make a really delicious meal, but you don't really know how to cook so you just throw things in and hope it works. Thus, when you give it a try, it's okay but you are overall fairly unsatisfied.
That's how this book made me feel. It had a strong beginning, an interesting premise, and characters with real potential, but things just never came together. There is also WAY too much relying on the inner monologue/turmoil which becomes really grating. I found myself hardcore skimming the last third of the book.
Click here for entire review.
Edit: initially gave this 3 stars but knocked it down to 2 because I can't really imagine myself recommending it to anyone.
The best way I can describe the book is this: imagine you have a bunch of really great ingredients to make a really delicious meal, but you don't really know how to cook so you just throw things in and hope it works. Thus, when you give it a try, it's okay but you are overall fairly unsatisfied.
That's how this book made me feel. It had a strong beginning, an interesting premise, and characters with real potential, but things just never came together. There is also WAY too much relying on the inner monologue/turmoil which becomes really grating. I found myself hardcore skimming the last third of the book.
eabrevaya's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.75
bellehelene's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
2.25
eh alright
biblioholicbeth's review against another edition
5.0
Ripped from her family at gunpoint at the age of five, Lady Elanna has been raised by the king who took her. She has been treated more or less as a daughter, and she has no desire to remember the parents who let her go or the homeland she came from—nor the mysterious power she has always had. When the king dies, seemingly murdered by the very plant Elanna has been studying, she is accused of regicide—and so she flees…ending up for the first time back in the homeland from which she was taken. As her power grows, so do the threats against her, and Elanna finds herself the figurehead of a rebellion against the only place she has ever called home.
The Waking Land has a distinct Celtic feel to it, from the people all the way to the lands they call home. Even some of the language rings as though it may have come from Eire herself. However, the world within the book is a creation of Bates’, and she did a wonderful job evoking the lush feel of the forests, as well as the sometimes stifling feel of a city. The descriptions of the various settings within the story are so vivid that picturing them, and feeling the emotions tied to them, comes easy. Standing stones are a very important piece of the puzzle in this land, and Bates managed to create a plausible reason for them, within the magic structure she wrote. They are not just stones, but they are alive—and they guard those who live within the land.
The characters are just as well written, their lives flowing off of the page like the magic that Elanna has. While she may be the main character, she truly is surrounded by a cast of characters who all help the story come to life, from the King, all the way down to the stableboy who finds himself in over his head. However, it is Elanna who truly carries the book. She is strong, determined, and absolutely refuses to let the circumstances of her life dictate who she must become. She makes her choices, and is prepared to stand by them. Elanna also does a lot of growing up in the book—from a girl who grew up in court, to a girl in charge of a rebellion—and she truly figures out who (and what) she is.
Overall, I simply enjoyed The Waking Land far more than I anticipated. It’s a coming-of-age novel, though done far better than so many others. The writing is beautiful, and the story is one I keep coming back to in my head. While it is a stand-alone novel (from what I have been able to determine), I would be thrilled if Bates wrote another book set within these magical lands—and even more so if she wrote a sequel. As this is also her debut novel, I look forward to following her work in the future!
The Waking Land has a distinct Celtic feel to it, from the people all the way to the lands they call home. Even some of the language rings as though it may have come from Eire herself. However, the world within the book is a creation of Bates’, and she did a wonderful job evoking the lush feel of the forests, as well as the sometimes stifling feel of a city. The descriptions of the various settings within the story are so vivid that picturing them, and feeling the emotions tied to them, comes easy. Standing stones are a very important piece of the puzzle in this land, and Bates managed to create a plausible reason for them, within the magic structure she wrote. They are not just stones, but they are alive—and they guard those who live within the land.
The characters are just as well written, their lives flowing off of the page like the magic that Elanna has. While she may be the main character, she truly is surrounded by a cast of characters who all help the story come to life, from the King, all the way down to the stableboy who finds himself in over his head. However, it is Elanna who truly carries the book. She is strong, determined, and absolutely refuses to let the circumstances of her life dictate who she must become. She makes her choices, and is prepared to stand by them. Elanna also does a lot of growing up in the book—from a girl who grew up in court, to a girl in charge of a rebellion—and she truly figures out who (and what) she is.
Overall, I simply enjoyed The Waking Land far more than I anticipated. It’s a coming-of-age novel, though done far better than so many others. The writing is beautiful, and the story is one I keep coming back to in my head. While it is a stand-alone novel (from what I have been able to determine), I would be thrilled if Bates wrote another book set within these magical lands—and even more so if she wrote a sequel. As this is also her debut novel, I look forward to following her work in the future!
novelshire's review against another edition
3.0
Book received from a goodreads giveaway.
I had a lot of trouble with this book, hence the unusually long time it took for me to finish.
I liked a lot of the ideas and world involved but felt like we didn't get to see enough of it. The main character spends half the book with obvious stockholm syndrome which, when the whole book is from their perspective, can make for a frustrating read. I wished for the occasional chapter from someone else (as it's not often that all the main characters are all together doing the same thing) to break it up a bit or maybe interludes with some of the songs/stories that seem to be important to the Caerisian's culture.
The halfway mark arrives, the pace picks up and it becomes a much more enjoyable read although with a fairly quick wrap-up compared to the pace of the start.
I'd be interested in reading more about the world if the author plans a follow up.
I had a lot of trouble with this book, hence the unusually long time it took for me to finish.
I liked a lot of the ideas and world involved but felt like we didn't get to see enough of it. The main character spends half the book with obvious stockholm syndrome which, when the whole book is from their perspective, can make for a frustrating read. I wished for the occasional chapter from someone else (as it's not often that all the main characters are all together doing the same thing) to break it up a bit or maybe interludes with some of the songs/stories that seem to be important to the Caerisian's culture.
The halfway mark arrives, the pace picks up and it becomes a much more enjoyable read although with a fairly quick wrap-up compared to the pace of the start.
I'd be interested in reading more about the world if the author plans a follow up.
roary47's review against another edition
2.0
I struggled with this book. It has a lot of great ideas with magic and our main character basically is Mother Nature. I couldn’t get around the politics in the book and just didn’t get into the storyline. I would not call it a bad book just not one I was able enjoy.
wlreed312's review against another edition
3.0
Elanna Valtai is taken as a political prisoner when she is five years old and held at the court of a corrupt king. 14 years later, the king is murdered, Elanna is accused of the crime and must flee the city, reuniting with supporters of her father's who want to use magic that has been banned to end the existing line of rulers and allow people to use magic freely once more.
3.5 stars, I think. (Although the cover gets all the stars just look at how glorious it is). This was fairly run of the mill for me. I enjoyed it enough while I was reading it, but nothing about it was new or groundbreaking or even stood out to me in any way. A story like that can often be saved by compelling characters, but none of the characters except Jahan were really interesting to me. I notice other people have commented on Elanna's, shall we say, waffling between loyalties. This seems to be a point of contention for some readers, but I thought it was actually an interesting look at how Stockholm Syndrome can manifest. The magic system seemed to draw quite a bit from Celtic mythology, which is cool. I thought the ending was strong, and I'll probably pick up book two, but I'm not in a hurry. I wouldn't recommend this one if you aren't a fan of epic fantasy.
3.5 stars, I think. (Although the cover gets all the stars just look at how glorious it is). This was fairly run of the mill for me. I enjoyed it enough while I was reading it, but nothing about it was new or groundbreaking or even stood out to me in any way. A story like that can often be saved by compelling characters, but none of the characters except Jahan were really interesting to me. I notice other people have commented on Elanna's, shall we say, waffling between loyalties. This seems to be a point of contention for some readers, but I thought it was actually an interesting look at how Stockholm Syndrome can manifest. The magic system seemed to draw quite a bit from Celtic mythology, which is cool. I thought the ending was strong, and I'll probably pick up book two, but I'm not in a hurry. I wouldn't recommend this one if you aren't a fan of epic fantasy.