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gilliske's review against another edition
3.0
Dit tweede deel vond ik beter dan het eerste: de personages waren naar mijn gevoel iets beter en vooral realistischer uitgewerkt en ook het verhaal was net dat tikkeltje meer verrassend. Ook het 'magische' was iets beter verwerkt in het verhaal en niet opgespaard tot op het einde zoals in het vorige boek. Hierdoor maakte de magie echt deel uit van het hele verhaal en voelde het niet zo geforceerd aan.
Voor de rest is dit eigenlijk een klassieke romance: er is sprake van onbeantwoorde liefdes, harten die gebroken worden, maar vooral ook een happy end op het eind, waarbij iedereen op zijn manier de liefde vindt.
Een boek voor romantische zielen dus, die zich niet laten afschrikken door een vleugje fantasy.
Eén van de sterkste punten aan de schrijfstijl van Marillier vind ik hoe ze erin slaagt de soms chaotische gedachten en gedachtensprongen die er in een menselijke geest omgaan te verwoorden. Je krijgt het gevoel dat je echt kan meekijken in de personages hun denkwereld. Dit maakt dat je hun acties en handelingen veel beter begrijpt en dat ook onlogische stappen begrijpelijk worden.
Voor de rest is dit eigenlijk een klassieke romance: er is sprake van onbeantwoorde liefdes, harten die gebroken worden, maar vooral ook een happy end op het eind, waarbij iedereen op zijn manier de liefde vindt.
Een boek voor romantische zielen dus, die zich niet laten afschrikken door een vleugje fantasy.
Eén van de sterkste punten aan de schrijfstijl van Marillier vind ik hoe ze erin slaagt de soms chaotische gedachten en gedachtensprongen die er in een menselijke geest omgaan te verwoorden. Je krijgt het gevoel dat je echt kan meekijken in de personages hun denkwereld. Dit maakt dat je hun acties en handelingen veel beter begrijpt en dat ook onlogische stappen begrijpelijk worden.
awishman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kcdcwrites's review against another edition
5.0
I wasn't able to put this book down, and I'm also unable to explain why, exactly. I loved it. It was different. It was intriguing, and I had that girl-gut-feeling thing where I *knew* Character A and Character B needed to end up together. Overall, very fantastical and an excellent read to escape, but not your stereotypical fantasy. I'd say it's more of a gory faerie tale.
thestoryowl's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked the way this story was dealt with. Moral ambiguities and the exploration of how we define "evil" has become a subject that fascinates me. I liked this story much more than Wolfskin, it felt, I don't know, truer to me in a sense. Of course, I still got my nice happy ending at the end, and that's important to me, so there. PBbbbbllllllt!
issabeau's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
thistlereads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
omnivorous's review against another edition
2.0
First, I want to mention that the audiobook's narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, does an excellent job. If Goodreads had the option, I would give the narration 5 stars.
**Now for the review. It contains spoilers.**
While I liked Wolfskin well enough, it never pulled me in. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself really enjoying this sequel. Then "Keeper" was introduced. And everything fell apart.
Creidhe's a likeable protagonist. Marillier's protagonists tend to be exceptional in some way, but Creidhe's mostly normal. She excels at typical skills for a woman in her society and is an all-around nice person. She *does* weave prophetic stories on a cloth, but it hardly comes up. I liked how Creidhe's normalcy contrasts with her mother's otherworldliness (her mother, Nessa, is one of the previous book's protagonists). Creidhe's strength comes from her love for her friends/family and her courage in aiding them.
Creidhe is selfless and brave. She sneaks aboard when her friends, Sam and Thorvald, embark on their quest. Thorvald wants to find the man who he's recently learned is his father (Somerled, the antagonist from the previous book). Creidhe, certain that going with them is the only way to keep Thorvald safe, leaves everything behind to join them.
In contrast, Thorvald tends to be selfish and grumpy. But he's young and these traits seem like something the novel is setting up for Thorvald to recognize and overcome over the course of his hero's journey rather than permanent character flaws.
Here's how I assumed the story would go:
(1) Thorvald acts coldly towards Creidhe and takes her for granted.
(2) Thorvald meets his father.
(3) After years of exile and self-reflection, Somerled is a changed man. He helps Thorvald realize selfish ambition can end in one's own destruction.
(4) Thorvald gradually comes to realize the depth of his feelings for Creidhe.
(5) Profit.
The first half of the story unfolded just as I'd thought it would. Thorvald saves Creidhe from falling off a cliff; he shows real fear at the prospect of losing her. Later, Thorvald's told Creidhe has died; he cries (here the story notes Thorvald never cried, not even as a child). Thorvald is showing real character growth. His icy heart is melting. Things are going swimmingly.
Then comes "Keeper." Keeper's lived on his own since he was a child and he shows serious social maladjustment as a result. He's spent his entire late childhood, adescence, and adulthood on a tiny, isolated island with nothing but his mute nephew for company. He treats Creidhe like a goddess to be worshipped rather than like an actual person. His mannerisms are constantly reminding Creidhe of those of a child, not a man. Oh, and he goes on murderous rampages, showing no sympathy for those he kills. In my 21st century opinion, he belongs in therapy, not a relationship.
When Creidhe starts falling for him it's unsettling. She falls for a thoroughly broken man thinking she can change him. No. No. No, Creidhe! Bad, Creidhe! Go for Thorvald. Just look at all that character growth! Or Sam. Sam's nice! Or even that man your father wanted to set you up with. At least that man has property! Anyone but *Keeper.* Creidhe, you deserve better than a man who insists you call him by some name he made up when he was like eight.
I kept reading. I thought: maybe she'll realize Keeper's more friend-material? He needs a friend. Friends would be good.
They got married. Well, I thought: maybe he'll die. Yeah, that would be good. Creidhe will be sad for a while, but she'll get over it. Thorvald or Sam or even that landowner guy can comfort her. Creidhe won't be stuck living in Keeper's filthy cave while dressed in bird feathers. Besides, there was a battle coming up. Keeper was going to be outnumbered. Dying seemed likely. Inevitable even. I could even see the tombstone: Here lies Keeper. Bullet dodged.
But something was wrong. The writing made it feel like this whole Keeper/Creidhe thing was supposed to feel "romantic." I grew worried. So, at 75% of the way through the book, I skipped to the end. Keeper was still there. They "loved" each other. Blech! They were probably still in that filthy cave. I don't know. I immediately deleted the book from my device and returned it to the library.
Someone was waiting to check it out. Poor sod.
**Now for the review. It contains spoilers.**
While I liked Wolfskin well enough, it never pulled me in. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself really enjoying this sequel. Then "Keeper" was introduced. And everything fell apart.
Creidhe's a likeable protagonist. Marillier's protagonists tend to be exceptional in some way, but Creidhe's mostly normal. She excels at typical skills for a woman in her society and is an all-around nice person. She *does* weave prophetic stories on a cloth, but it hardly comes up. I liked how Creidhe's normalcy contrasts with her mother's otherworldliness (her mother, Nessa, is one of the previous book's protagonists). Creidhe's strength comes from her love for her friends/family and her courage in aiding them.
Creidhe is selfless and brave. She sneaks aboard when her friends, Sam and Thorvald, embark on their quest. Thorvald wants to find the man who he's recently learned is his father (Somerled, the antagonist from the previous book). Creidhe, certain that going with them is the only way to keep Thorvald safe, leaves everything behind to join them.
In contrast, Thorvald tends to be selfish and grumpy. But he's young and these traits seem like something the novel is setting up for Thorvald to recognize and overcome over the course of his hero's journey rather than permanent character flaws.
Here's how I assumed the story would go:
(1) Thorvald acts coldly towards Creidhe and takes her for granted.
(2) Thorvald meets his father.
(3) After years of exile and self-reflection, Somerled is a changed man. He helps Thorvald realize selfish ambition can end in one's own destruction.
(4) Thorvald gradually comes to realize the depth of his feelings for Creidhe.
(5) Profit.
The first half of the story unfolded just as I'd thought it would. Thorvald saves Creidhe from falling off a cliff; he shows real fear at the prospect of losing her. Later, Thorvald's told Creidhe has died; he cries (here the story notes Thorvald never cried, not even as a child). Thorvald is showing real character growth. His icy heart is melting. Things are going swimmingly.
Then comes "Keeper." Keeper's lived on his own since he was a child and he shows serious social maladjustment as a result. He's spent his entire late childhood, adescence, and adulthood on a tiny, isolated island with nothing but his mute nephew for company. He treats Creidhe like a goddess to be worshipped rather than like an actual person. His mannerisms are constantly reminding Creidhe of those of a child, not a man. Oh, and he goes on murderous rampages, showing no sympathy for those he kills. In my 21st century opinion, he belongs in therapy, not a relationship.
When Creidhe starts falling for him it's unsettling. She falls for a thoroughly broken man thinking she can change him. No. No. No, Creidhe! Bad, Creidhe! Go for Thorvald. Just look at all that character growth! Or Sam. Sam's nice! Or even that man your father wanted to set you up with. At least that man has property! Anyone but *Keeper.* Creidhe, you deserve better than a man who insists you call him by some name he made up when he was like eight.
I kept reading. I thought: maybe she'll realize Keeper's more friend-material? He needs a friend. Friends would be good.
They got married. Well, I thought: maybe he'll die. Yeah, that would be good. Creidhe will be sad for a while, but she'll get over it. Thorvald or Sam or even that landowner guy can comfort her. Creidhe won't be stuck living in Keeper's filthy cave while dressed in bird feathers. Besides, there was a battle coming up. Keeper was going to be outnumbered. Dying seemed likely. Inevitable even. I could even see the tombstone: Here lies Keeper. Bullet dodged.
But something was wrong. The writing made it feel like this whole Keeper/Creidhe thing was supposed to feel "romantic." I grew worried. So, at 75% of the way through the book, I skipped to the end. Keeper was still there. They "loved" each other. Blech! They were probably still in that filthy cave. I don't know. I immediately deleted the book from my device and returned it to the library.
Someone was waiting to check it out. Poor sod.
effyapples's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
takeagillpill's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Rape, War, Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault