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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
If you liked Divine Rivals, or Starling House, this has the same feel. Mortal against god, curse of an orphan. I really enjoyed it, however if you’re looking for romance or spice this is very tame. And no super happy ending either. And a huge unanswered question. But I still really enjoyed it!
I am so sad that this has to be a DNF at 65%, you can tell that I have really tried to give the book a fair chance but I just couldn’t bring myself to read any further than this. The book has an interesting premise with the promise of grand world building ,curses and mysterious portals to other worlds that opens with a key BUT it really fell flat in execution. I couldn’t really make sense of the world or the rules it abides by, the mix of magic realism just added more complexity. I kept getting frustrated because I couldn’t fully grasp the idea of the world and thus I was unable to focus on the plot which on the other hand felt quite dragged. I hadn’t felt any sense of intrigue with any of the characters either which is unfortunate, their chemistry and interactions felt super lackluster and the prose was unnecessarily dramatic/flowery. Sadly this isn’t a book for me
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Edit: the more I think about this and see other reviews, the more I'm leaning even lower than my original rating. 2.5-3.
I was going back and forth between a three and a four stars for this... The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards three, but part of that I can see being personal rather than a reflection on the quality of the book.
I'm sure this is going to be a hit when it finds the right audience, but I could see some not loving this. If you like those slow, atmospheric types of novels, I think you will love this story. If you're looking for something fast-paced with fully developed characters and clear answers at the end, I think this should be a pass for you.
The world is expansive and interesting, and that is truly the highlight of the story. I kept wanting to learn more and explore all of it. The writing is so beautifully descriptive that it makes the environment come to life. I found the concept unique and interesting.
The plot is probably where my enjoyment fizzled a little. There's always a lot going on, but at times it felt like it dragged, and it took until part 3 to hook me to the point where I couldn't put it down. Once it hit that point, I was all in. If you're okay with slower-paced stories, books that make you take your time when reading, then this will work for you.
There was something I found lacking in the characters as well. You aren't just in Violet's head, so you end up knowing more than she does, which ends up being frustrating and makes her feel a little underdeveloped. I also think the romance was rushed at the end. I liked them individually and together, but something was missing, and the ending didn't feel as earned as I wanted it to be.
For a debut, this is interesting, and I would be interested to see what this author does next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was going back and forth between a three and a four stars for this... The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards three, but part of that I can see being personal rather than a reflection on the quality of the book.
I'm sure this is going to be a hit when it finds the right audience, but I could see some not loving this. If you like those slow, atmospheric types of novels, I think you will love this story. If you're looking for something fast-paced with fully developed characters and clear answers at the end, I think this should be a pass for you.
The world is expansive and interesting, and that is truly the highlight of the story. I kept wanting to learn more and explore all of it. The writing is so beautifully descriptive that it makes the environment come to life. I found the concept unique and interesting.
The plot is probably where my enjoyment fizzled a little. There's always a lot going on, but at times it felt like it dragged, and it took until part 3 to hook me to the point where I couldn't put it down. Once it hit that point, I was all in. If you're okay with slower-paced stories, books that make you take your time when reading, then this will work for you.
There was something I found lacking in the characters as well. You aren't just in Violet's head, so you end up knowing more than she does, which ends up being frustrating and makes her feel a little underdeveloped. I also think the romance was rushed at the end. I liked them individually and together, but something was missing, and the ending didn't feel as earned as I wanted it to be.
For a debut, this is interesting, and I would be interested to see what this author does next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really enjoyed the world building and magic system of this book. It scratched the corner of my brain that loves fairy tales and the concept of adventure quite nicely. I’m not really a fan of open endings, but it was entertaining nonetheless
Está bien, pero poco más.
Es una historia que me ha recordado a Narnia y La brújula dorada, que para mí gusto tenía mucho potencial y se ha ido desinflando conforme han ido pasando los capítulos.
La premisa es muy buena y la pluma de la autora me ha gustado, pero el final me parece que deja incógnitas sin resolver claramente, la mayoría es como que asume que el lector va a leer entre líneas y va a entender lo que ha pasado.
Los personajes han estado bien, me hubiera gustado que los tíos tuvieran más relevancia, se me hace difícil de creer que dejan a Violet ir a investigar sobre su madre mientras ellos se quedan en casa tan tranquilos durante un año prácticamente y con la maldición tan cerca de tener que cumplirse.
La evolución de la trama prometía y se veía interesante pero es que todas las pistas acababan en saco roto y al final era un poco todo exasperante, ha ido gustándome menos cuanto más leía.
Tiene capítulos cortos, mucha magia y un poco de romance. Bien para pasar el rato, pero no me ha parecido increíble. Venía buscando una sensación similar a Caraval con el tema de la magia y... nada más lejos de la realidad
Es una historia que me ha recordado a Narnia y La brújula dorada, que para mí gusto tenía mucho potencial y se ha ido desinflando conforme han ido pasando los capítulos.
La premisa es muy buena y la pluma de la autora me ha gustado, pero el final me parece que deja incógnitas sin resolver claramente, la mayoría es como que asume que el lector va a leer entre líneas y va a entender lo que ha pasado.
Los personajes han estado bien, me hubiera gustado que los tíos tuvieran más relevancia, se me hace difícil de creer que dejan a Violet ir a investigar sobre su madre mientras ellos se quedan en casa tan tranquilos durante un año prácticamente y con la maldición tan cerca de tener que cumplirse.
La evolución de la trama prometía y se veía interesante pero es que todas las pistas acababan en saco roto y al final era un poco todo exasperante, ha ido gustándome menos cuanto más leía.
Tiene capítulos cortos, mucha magia y un poco de romance. Bien para pasar el rato, pero no me ha parecido increíble. Venía buscando una sensación similar a Caraval con el tema de la magia y... nada más lejos de la realidad