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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
It's so, so good. one of my favorite duologies ever.
I like a story that executes the little moments well. At this point, not much in the way of YA fantasy surprises me anymore, so I look for good execution. Do I like the characters? Can I root for them, and do they have humanizing moments? Can I imagine them kicking around a campfire teasing stories and jokes? Do they avoid monumentally stupid mistakes that have me yelling at the pages? Ok then.
The award for best character goes to: Barf, for not dying that one time.
Cutest boyfriend goes to: Tavin, for basically being every kind of adorable.
Best jerk turned bro goes to: Jas, for turning awesome.
Best bro turned jerk goes to: Hangdog, for being a jerk.
Best acting goes to: Fie for acting like she didn’t like Tavin for 50% of the book.
Cutest boyfriend goes to: Tavin, for basically being every kind of adorable.
Best jerk turned bro goes to: Jas, for turning awesome.
Best bro turned jerk goes to: Hangdog, for being a jerk.
Best acting goes to: Fie for acting like she didn’t like Tavin for 50% of the book.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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:
Yes
The beginning is a bit slow and it takes awhile for the story to kick into full gear, but Margaret Owen never misses with her characters. I especially love her portrayals of queer characters in straight relationships while still honoring and validating their queerness. I'm very excited for the next one.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.5, and very cheerfully rounded higher.
This is an excellent comparison read to Children of Blood and Bone, but I actually, y'know, liked this one.
Now I think about it, CoBaB and Merciful Crow are quite similar. There's a timeline deadline plot in which we have to hurry up and get somewhere--but we do away with the need to gather McGuffins on the way and make it more of a survival story. There's a romance between two people on opposite sides, but rather than this spontaneous Javert "I've been hunting you" heel turn to romance and back, the two in this story have a natural growth together before they start acting romantically, and they're aware of society limitations and the push back and forth between them and that. It's got scary scenes with a fantasy KKK that feel achingly sharp and tense and relentless. There's a tremendous sense of work that goes into everything the characters do. The main character is good with magic, sure, but she has to work to be able to use more than one tooth at any given point. She's never just handed things like the characters in CoBaB. It's much more like Queen of Blood's earnest effort. I appreciate that so much.
The world feels rich, and the settings are elaborate. This is a movie on a page. I feel like I can pick out some of her inspirations (is that a One Piece based water city?), but it's just familiar enough and just different enough to appeal to me.
I love the characters. Fie is so gorgeous. The way she approaches problems, the way she struggles with real issues, real loss and grief and growth. It's beautiful to watch.
The book summary makes you think it's going to be something it isn't, though. The more blind you can go in, the happier you'll be. That cat it promises is hardly there at all, for instance.
Note that it's mostly clean aside from the violence until one character finally snaps and drops an F-bomb toward the end. That's the only instance of language, and it's used in a good place. Like the PG-13 movie that gets it written in once for effect. :)
This is an excellent comparison read to Children of Blood and Bone, but I actually, y'know, liked this one.
Now I think about it, CoBaB and Merciful Crow are quite similar. There's a timeline deadline plot in which we have to hurry up and get somewhere--but we do away with the need to gather McGuffins on the way and make it more of a survival story. There's a romance between two people on opposite sides, but rather than this spontaneous Javert "I've been hunting you" heel turn to romance and back, the two in this story have a natural growth together before they start acting romantically, and they're aware of society limitations and the push back and forth between them and that. It's got scary scenes with a fantasy KKK that feel achingly sharp and tense and relentless. There's a tremendous sense of work that goes into everything the characters do. The main character is good with magic, sure, but she has to work to be able to use more than one tooth at any given point. She's never just handed things like the characters in CoBaB. It's much more like Queen of Blood's earnest effort. I appreciate that so much.
The world feels rich, and the settings are elaborate. This is a movie on a page. I feel like I can pick out some of her inspirations (is that a One Piece based water city?), but it's just familiar enough and just different enough to appeal to me.
I love the characters. Fie is so gorgeous. The way she approaches problems, the way she struggles with real issues, real loss and grief and growth. It's beautiful to watch.
The book summary makes you think it's going to be something it isn't, though. The more blind you can go in, the happier you'll be. That cat it promises is hardly there at all, for instance.
Note that it's mostly clean aside from the violence until one character finally snaps and drops an F-bomb toward the end. That's the only instance of language, and it's used in a good place. Like the PG-13 movie that gets it written in once for effect. :)
Leseprobe, bin noch nicht dazu gekommen, das Buch zu lesen
I feel bad because the audiobook struggled to hold my attention. I think I’d like to revisit this book another time because the magic system was really interesting.