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hanzy's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful.
I'm lost for words in trying to review this book but if I could use one adjective to describe it, it'd be 'perfect'. Many different themes, adventures, and magic - all beautifully composed within the tale of a young girl on her path to self-discovery. There's nothing about this book that left me unsatisfied or discontent.
It's a book with many layers - those who like to delve deeper can discover themselves lost amidst its many waters and those who like to wallow in the shallows, its an incredibly beautiful tale to be enjoyed just the same.
I'm lost for words in trying to review this book but if I could use one adjective to describe it, it'd be 'perfect'. Many different themes, adventures, and magic - all beautifully composed within the tale of a young girl on her path to self-discovery. There's nothing about this book that left me unsatisfied or discontent.
It's a book with many layers - those who like to delve deeper can discover themselves lost amidst its many waters and those who like to wallow in the shallows, its an incredibly beautiful tale to be enjoyed just the same.
snillum's review against another edition
3.75
This was good, but not great.
It had the potential for greatness, and still does. I hope harrow pulls a Samantha shannon and does a re-write in a few years to fix the flaws, and even expand the world building and characters.
The first half is a slog to get through; the change in narrative from first person, to first person journal-style, to third person is jarring and feels like an author trying to be too clever. Trust in the reader to put together the links in your story! You could have just told the story yourself rather than having your characters also try to be authors (like for one of those characters it makes sense, but that should have just been the epilogue)
I’m normally a fast reader but this one had me only reading a few pages a day, if that. The set up was too long for the “big reveal” and it’s not until the final third of the book where you finally see some character development and things start to happen - only for it to then it feel too rushed of an ending.
A satisfactory ending, but a slog to get there.
There was much potential in this. And in the characters created, but unfortunately we don’t delve too deeply into anyone. It’s pretty surface level, which is a shame as the way she writes the imagery of the worlds and the relationships themselves between characters is beautiful.
It had the potential for greatness, and still does. I hope harrow pulls a Samantha shannon and does a re-write in a few years to fix the flaws, and even expand the world building and characters.
The first half is a slog to get through; the change in narrative from first person, to first person journal-style, to third person is jarring and feels like an author trying to be too clever. Trust in the reader to put together the links in your story! You could have just told the story yourself rather than having your characters also try to be authors (like for one of those characters it makes sense, but that should have just been the epilogue)
I’m normally a fast reader but this one had me only reading a few pages a day, if that. The set up was too long for the “big reveal” and it’s not until the final third of the book where you finally see some character development and things start to happen - only for it to then it feel too rushed of an ending.
A satisfactory ending, but a slog to get there.
There was much potential in this. And in the characters created, but unfortunately we don’t delve too deeply into anyone. It’s pretty surface level, which is a shame as the way she writes the imagery of the worlds and the relationships themselves between characters is beautiful.
juchinnii's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
lauren__l's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
pandaorb's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Racism and Animal cruelty
Minor: Blood
toolizzforyou's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lisamchuk's review against another edition
3.0
Shockingly similar to The Starless Sea, but I liked this one better. Doors and books and words and allies and bad men and a heroine who, though not flawless, isn’t necessarily unlikeable. The lead up to the climax felt rushed and convenient, but the ending was satisfying so there’s that.
brittthebull93's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
4.0