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bexwalsh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
firstbreaths's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have no idea what to make of this book after listening to it.
The good: I loved that this story gave some form of explanation for the steampunk nature of Tyen's world, and acknowledged the contradictions of machines running alongside magic, as well as the consequences of using magic more generally. A highly unique take on world-building, and I'm really curious to see how the use of magic differs in the other worlds it's been teased we'll be visiting. I also liked both our MCs, and appreciated that they were both conscientious, good-hearted people - villains are fun, but I always enjoy seeing well-intentioned people trying to make their way in the world (even if I wanted to shout at both Rielle and Tyen to stand up for themselves on occasion). I also loved Vella - even if she felt a bit more like a (literal) plot device than a trapped person occasionally - and hope she gets an expanded role in the rest of the series.
The bad: Speaking of villains, the ones in this book are pretty flat (with the exception of the corrupt priest who unfortunately feels very true to reality). More generally, this book is generally pretty slow-paced - I genuinely think a good editor could have removed a lot of repetitive scenes and cut down on some of the long-winded descriptions.
The two stories: This is where the book gets hard to review. I think I would have loved a book about either Tyen or Rielle individually, but I'm not sure I loved the plot device of telling two separate stories about characters that don't even meet (not to mention the cheap trick of always switching POVs after a cliffhanger). I think it was made worse by the exact content of the plots - while I understand the point the author was trying to make about how societal advancement benefits women, the juxtaposition of reading about a man who flies airships and evades law enforcement alongside a woman whose preoccupations are all about marriage and whether or not she can give her lover a baby was pretty jarring, and it made me more bitter towards Rielle than I think I otherwise would have been.
I'm going to reverse my judgment until I read the sequel (some day) and see if things get better when our two storylines converge.
The good: I loved that this story gave some form of explanation for the steampunk nature of Tyen's world, and acknowledged the contradictions of machines running alongside magic, as well as the consequences of using magic more generally. A highly unique take on world-building, and I'm really curious to see how the use of magic differs in the other worlds it's been teased we'll be visiting. I also liked both our MCs, and appreciated that they were both conscientious, good-hearted people - villains are fun, but I always enjoy seeing well-intentioned people trying to make their way in the world (even if I wanted to shout at both Rielle and Tyen to stand up for themselves on occasion). I also loved Vella - even if she felt a bit more like a (literal) plot device than a trapped person occasionally - and hope she gets an expanded role in the rest of the series.
The bad: Speaking of villains, the ones in this book are pretty flat (with the exception of the corrupt priest who unfortunately feels very true to reality). More generally, this book is generally pretty slow-paced - I genuinely think a good editor could have removed a lot of repetitive scenes and cut down on some of the long-winded descriptions.
The two stories: This is where the book gets hard to review. I think I would have loved a book about either Tyen or Rielle individually, but I'm not sure I loved the plot device of telling two separate stories about characters that don't even meet (not to mention the cheap trick of always switching POVs after a cliffhanger). I think it was made worse by the exact content of the plots - while I understand the point the author was trying to make about how societal advancement benefits women, the juxtaposition of reading about a man who flies airships and evades law enforcement alongside a woman whose preoccupations are all about marriage and whether or not she can give her lover a baby was pretty jarring, and it made me more bitter towards Rielle than I think I otherwise would have been.
I'm going to reverse my judgment until I read the sequel (some day) and see if things get better when our two storylines converge.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
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