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rynflynn12's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.5
_hijabibookgirl_'s review against another edition
5.0
After devouring the first two book in less than a week, I had to wait AGES for my public library to get a hold on the third book and it drove me INSANE. I was there every day on edge waiting. I couldn't read a single other book because I was too preoccupied thinking of 50000 different endings to this trilogy. I did not expect it to go this way. The end had me in tears, I cried, I sobbed, and it wasn't those few shed tears that fall dramatically onto the paper. No, it was a whole waterfall, I simply EXPLODES. I was so attached to so many of these characters that watching their story come to an end in their own unique ways was breathtaking and heartbreaking all at once. The twists and turns made me ache. This ending.............wow. I still think about it all the time. The Shadow Player's series is not very well known, and at times it makes me happy because then, Jetta and Leo and Chakrana would be all to me and the handful of people who've read this series, but them, I get sad again, because not many people would be able to say they love them as much as I do.
If you've fallen in love with the works of Stephanie Garber and Chloe Gong, with romance and deeply thought-through world building (which happens to be Stephanie Garber's biggest strong suit here) and the idea of history and magic enterwined (Hit Chloe Gong's books up, she knows what she's doing) then...The Shadow Player's trilogy is for you.
If you've fallen in love with the works of Stephanie Garber and Chloe Gong, with romance and deeply thought-through world building (which happens to be Stephanie Garber's biggest strong suit here) and the idea of history and magic enterwined (Hit Chloe Gong's books up, she knows what she's doing) then...The Shadow Player's trilogy is for you.
lookingforamandaa's review against another edition
5.0
I want to start by saying a huge thank you to Heilig’s publicity team that reached out to me to see if I was interested in reading an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. On This Unworthy Scaffold is one of my most anticipated releases in 2021 and I literally screamed a little when I got the email asking if I was interested.
On This Unworthy Scaffold is the third and final book in the Shadow Players series. I won’t go too much into a summary of the book because there is a summary above and also this is the third book in a series. If you haven’t read the first two books you can read my reviews for For a Muse of Fire and A Kingdom for a Stage. This series follows Jetta, her family, and the friends she makes along the way. I’ve come to really love all of the side characters that make up the main group. Jetta and the rebels have a plan. But as things usually go, nothing goes according to plan. The plot of this story was really compelling. Jetta and Theodora go off on one mission. With this we finally get to see Aquitan. I liked this part of the story. We get to see Jetta think on her feet. She’s still often worried that her malheur. I liked that there was talk of her taking the elixir, a version of modern-day medication. I liked that she was aware of it and questioned herself sometimes to wonder if she was making good choices or not. I also really liked Jetta’s problem solving. She’s not afraid to stand up to those in power. I thought it was really clever the way that she brought things full circle when she finally performed in Aquitan. I just genuinely enjoyed seeing her in her own element, making choices on the fly to get herself out of the situation that she found herself in. I also loved Theodora. She’s an engineer/inventor. I feel like I didn’t get to see as much of her as I would have liked, but I still liked what we did see. She’s smart and unafraid to say what she thinks. Jetta and Theodora working together was really fun to read.
The other team is the Tiger, Leo, Akra, Cheeky, and Tia. Cheeky and Tia are absolutely the comedic relief of the story. But they bring good conversations to the table. They are sex workers and it’s always talked about in a positive way, never with any shame. I also still love Akra. He and Jetta have their ups and downs that come from her bringing him back from the dead, but I loved their relationship. And my dear sweet Leo. I hate the way his story ended. No, I don’t hate it. I hate how fitting it was for his part of this story to end that way. Leo has tried so hard to do good and be loved. He faces his own challenges through this series, but he never lets anything get him down for long. His love for Jetta is so clear. Jetta and Leo lift one another up and I couldn’t help but root for them.
Overall, this was a beautiful and heartbreaking finale to a series that I will reread and love for years to come. I love these characters. I love this story. It includes a lot of important things, like colonialism and bipolar. It’s filled with diverse and queer characters. It’s also written in a unique format, with sheet music, play scripts, myths, and prose. I cannot recommend this series enough.
On This Unworthy Scaffold is the third and final book in the Shadow Players series. I won’t go too much into a summary of the book because there is a summary above and also this is the third book in a series. If you haven’t read the first two books you can read my reviews for For a Muse of Fire and A Kingdom for a Stage. This series follows Jetta, her family, and the friends she makes along the way. I’ve come to really love all of the side characters that make up the main group. Jetta and the rebels have a plan. But as things usually go, nothing goes according to plan. The plot of this story was really compelling. Jetta and Theodora go off on one mission. With this we finally get to see Aquitan. I liked this part of the story. We get to see Jetta think on her feet. She’s still often worried that her malheur. I liked that there was talk of her taking the elixir, a version of modern-day medication. I liked that she was aware of it and questioned herself sometimes to wonder if she was making good choices or not. I also really liked Jetta’s problem solving. She’s not afraid to stand up to those in power. I thought it was really clever the way that she brought things full circle when she finally performed in Aquitan. I just genuinely enjoyed seeing her in her own element, making choices on the fly to get herself out of the situation that she found herself in. I also loved Theodora. She’s an engineer/inventor. I feel like I didn’t get to see as much of her as I would have liked, but I still liked what we did see. She’s smart and unafraid to say what she thinks. Jetta and Theodora working together was really fun to read.
The other team is the Tiger, Leo, Akra, Cheeky, and Tia. Cheeky and Tia are absolutely the comedic relief of the story. But they bring good conversations to the table. They are sex workers and it’s always talked about in a positive way, never with any shame. I also still love Akra. He and Jetta have their ups and downs that come from her bringing him back from the dead, but I loved their relationship. And my dear sweet Leo. I hate the way his story ended. No, I don’t hate it. I hate how fitting it was for his part of this story to end that way. Leo has tried so hard to do good and be loved. He faces his own challenges through this series, but he never lets anything get him down for long. His love for Jetta is so clear. Jetta and Leo lift one another up and I couldn’t help but root for them.
Overall, this was a beautiful and heartbreaking finale to a series that I will reread and love for years to come. I love these characters. I love this story. It includes a lot of important things, like colonialism and bipolar. It’s filled with diverse and queer characters. It’s also written in a unique format, with sheet music, play scripts, myths, and prose. I cannot recommend this series enough.
storiedadventures's review against another edition
4.0
Full review of the whole series on my blog, Storied Adventures!
I loved this finale! We finally get to see Aquitan. The final fight happens. New alliances are made. And Heilig should have just punched me in the heart. It would have hurt less.
I loved this finale! We finally get to see Aquitan. The final fight happens. New alliances are made. And Heilig should have just punched me in the heart. It would have hurt less.
pelargonia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lilybellreader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
rosie_khan's review against another edition
4.0
THIS BOOK...
As usual, beautiful writing and setting, clever plot, funny characters, and lovely ephemera between chapters.
I got answers to a lot of questions from A Kingdom for a Stage, but god damn, the ending of this book sort of ruined the amazing arc of the trilogy. I'd still recommend reading all three books, because they're fantastic and unique, but prepare to have your heart deflated at the end. I'm going to pretend everything from Chapter Twenty-One is a suggestion and not canon.
I'm also going to learn some of the songs on the piano with the sheet music included between chapters, because truly, these books are so full of heart.
SPOILER 1:
SPOILER 2:
SPOILER 3:
IT. DOES. NOT. MAKE. SENSE.
I know that Jetta hates how she brought Akra back and now has to obey her orders, but they're still making it work! He still has free will 98% of the time and he's still ALIVE. So why not bring Leo back???? She literally said she could! Everyone -- Theodora, Cheeky, Tia -- would want her to! RIP to Jetta but I'm different, I would rather Leo be reanimated and suffer the consequences than simply be gone forever. And, with Jetta's malheur, I would have expected her to rashly bring him back because she couldn't bear to see him gone and didn't even think twice. UGH. I mean, reading the last chapter where Jetta is blanketed in grief and has no interest in making puppets or doing anything--what the HELL why didn't she BRING HIM BACK.
Of course, I should have seen this coming because Leo had been writing a song for her al this time. But they could have had a happy ending rather than this pointless tragedy. It is NOT the case that it couldn't have happened any other way.
I'm going to pretend what actually happened is that Jetta brought Leo back and everyone lived happily ever after.
As usual, beautiful writing and setting, clever plot, funny characters, and lovely ephemera between chapters.
I got answers to a lot of questions from A Kingdom for a Stage, but god damn, the ending of this book sort of ruined the amazing arc of the trilogy. I'd still recommend reading all three books, because they're fantastic and unique, but prepare to have your heart deflated at the end. I'm going to pretend everything from Chapter Twenty-One is a suggestion and not canon.
I'm also going to learn some of the songs on the piano with the sheet music included between chapters, because truly, these books are so full of heart.
SPOILER 1:
Spoiler
Raik's death was so sudden and didn't feel earned!!! I don't really know what else could have happened to him but I think his death made me realize that his character was very flat all along. And I wanted more angst or more reaction from Camreon. I feel like he was so vivid, mysterious, charismatic, and magnetic in A Kingdom for a Stage but in this book, he's sort of just...there.SPOILER 2:
Spoiler
The way the shadow play performance went for the King was super underwhelming. The King interrupted partway through and then he and Jetta just went off on the griffin to go get Theodora, like....there was no FIGHT? There was no FIRE? No blood? I was expecting an absolute catastrophe and mayhem and I was disappointed by how easily Jetta succeeded at getting away.SPOILER 3:
Spoiler
WHY DID LEO HAVE TO DIE AND WHY DID JETTA NOT BRING HIM BACK?!IT. DOES. NOT. MAKE. SENSE.
I know that Jetta hates how she brought Akra back and now has to obey her orders, but they're still making it work! He still has free will 98% of the time and he's still ALIVE. So why not bring Leo back???? She literally said she could! Everyone -- Theodora, Cheeky, Tia -- would want her to! RIP to Jetta but I'm different, I would rather Leo be reanimated and suffer the consequences than simply be gone forever. And, with Jetta's malheur, I would have expected her to rashly bring him back because she couldn't bear to see him gone and didn't even think twice. UGH. I mean, reading the last chapter where Jetta is blanketed in grief and has no interest in making puppets or doing anything--what the HELL why didn't she BRING HIM BACK.
Of course, I should have seen this coming because Leo had been writing a song for her al this time. But they could have had a happy ending rather than this pointless tragedy. It is NOT the case that it couldn't have happened any other way.
I'm going to pretend what actually happened is that Jetta brought Leo back and everyone lived happily ever after.