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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
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
Nostalgia carried me through til about page 400 and then I suddenly was less enthralled, but it was cute. Shrug emoji.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*review is very cobbled together and i'll probably reorganize it later*
this really felt like a divergence from all the things that make the earlier books in this series compelling.
did not feel like lovisa was a very fleshed out character, like even if she doesn't know what to do with her life, she should have passions and feelings and inner turmoil? felt none of that. and following multiple perspectives means that even if lovisa had been better developed, she still wouldn't have been as compelling as previous protagonists, because we still wouldn't be spending the entire book following only her story. honestly i don't think this story is salvageable into what i wish it were. the plot felt like a very boring and predictable mystery. the worldbuilding was weird, like i'm not thrilled about the magical elements, and technologically this world felt very different from the previous stories. combined with writing that felt too juvenile and too modern, plus poor characterization of returning characters, it did not feel like the same series.
and the writing? did not feel like her previous books at all, the writing felt like a less experienced author, and again, it lacked the emotional component of the first three books that made them so meaningful to me. and i can allow for a very corny moment where fire tells bitterblue she came all the way to monsea to comfort bitterblue, but winterkeep was full of way to many corny lines and convenient conversations. sometimes trying a little to hard to say something pointed to the audience. also i think she repeated po's line of no shame in crawling if one can't walk? again?
not only was it odd to have multiple perspectives, but also to have men's perspectives, when this series has up till this point exclusively followed women. i do not think giddon benefitted from the spotlight. his character was too goofy, i couldn't take him seriously. he was just the haha funny guy with big muscles. boring. why's this 32 year old hanging out with a 23yo and a 20yo. make friends your own age bro.
i'm personally betrayed that he's in love with bitterblue. thought it was so sweet that in bitterblue's book she had giddon as an older adult she could seek advice from, one of po and katsa's peers, and really believed the easiness of their relationship was due to the surety of its platonic nature. still cannot believe they're supposedly in love. like? looking forward to giddon telling katsa he knocked up her baby sister and katsa promplty knocking him flat. <3.
this really felt like a divergence from all the things that make the earlier books in this series compelling.
and the writing? did not feel like her previous books at all, the writing felt like a less experienced author, and again, it lacked the emotional component of the first three books that made them so meaningful to me. and i can allow for a very corny moment where fire tells bitterblue she came all the way to monsea to comfort bitterblue, but winterkeep was full of way to many corny lines and convenient conversations. sometimes trying a little to hard to say something pointed to the audience. also i think she repeated po's line of no shame in crawling if one can't walk? again?
not only was it odd to have multiple perspectives, but also to have men's perspectives, when this series has up till this point exclusively followed women. i do not think giddon benefitted from the spotlight. his character was too goofy, i couldn't take him seriously. he was just the haha funny guy with big muscles. boring. why's this 32 year old hanging out with a 23yo and a 20yo. make friends your own age bro.
i'm personally betrayed that he's in love with bitterblue. thought it was so sweet that in bitterblue's book she had giddon as an older adult she could seek advice from, one of po and katsa's peers, and really believed the easiness of their relationship was due to the surety of its platonic nature. still cannot believe they're supposedly in love. like? looking forward to giddon telling katsa he knocked up her baby sister and katsa promplty knocking him flat. <3.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Not as good as Bitterblue, but up to snuff with rest of series
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Violence
Minor: Animal death, Sexual assault
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse