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very_mellifluous's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I bought this book on a whim, as I loved reading Hiddensee several years ago. I'm totally uninitiated to the Wicked universe, and this was a pleasant introduction. I really like Gregory Maguire's worldbuilding and the incorporation of historic and original myth. Actually, not knowing the lore behind Rain or where/what she may have come from (only knowing, as the back cover will tell you, that she is Elphaba's granddaughter), and letting this story stand on its own without the Wicked series backing it up, was fun. Sometimes I accidentally start series in the middle based on what storyline feels the most interesting...and this felt kind of similar, except on a whole universe level.
I think I'll continue reading this series, and I'm invested in these characters, but it may not be on the top of my priority list. It's certainly enjoyable to read, and despite this semi-understated review, I couldn't stop reading it for a few days. Possibly the pacing will pick up a bit in the next installments.
I think I'll continue reading this series, and I'm invested in these characters, but it may not be on the top of my priority list. It's certainly enjoyable to read, and despite this semi-understated review, I couldn't stop reading it for a few days. Possibly the pacing will pick up a bit in the next installments.
crazylady_usmc's review against another edition
3.0
Fiction is a break from the norm for me but I found The Brides of Maracoor to be rather interesting. Apparently giving a partial star is not allowable (dear goodreads lol) but I would give this a solid 3.5, a good read, and I found myself immediately on my local libraries website to secure the 2nd and 3rd books in the series.
kaitlynleigh's review against another edition
2.0
I truly tried so hard to get into this book, so many times I had to switch to audio so I could actually finish it.
augustlight's review against another edition
5.0
I keep thinking one of these days I'm going to get tired of Gregory Maguire, having read almost all of his books. It has yet to happen. I got sucked into Maracoor as easily as I was sucked into Oz, if not more; the island occupied by the brides is such a weird little insulated world and I loved living in it. I do think this works pretty well as a standalone but it's worth reading at least "Wicked" and "Out of Oz" for context.
mnmeg's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? No
4.0
I'm not ready to be done with the Wicked/Oz series. This was a bumpy start . . . I had to start over once or twice and really focus to get into it. But after a relatively brief period, I was drawn in. I turn to these books for adventures that I won't personally experience and I continue to enjoy the series. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
alyxbeau's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
I was immediately disconcerted by the CONSTANT mention of a woman's period in different ways by the 10 year old narrator by our male author. There is no universe in which a ten year old is so desperate to get this horrible experience, especially after witnessing the pain and inconvenience of it from the other 6 women on this island. The ten year old later proceeded to contemplate letting small creatures drown to see if the would come back to life like a fish going back into water. (Creature coming back to air) and talked often of getting her own baby to raise. At 10. she also tried to commit suicide at the end of the book to see what dying was like.
Our second narrator is the man who visits the island of seven women. After the visit to check on them, we hear him talk lovingly of his wife and three children before he nonchalantly in the middle of talking about that mentions he is taking a lover at this port town, and that it always makes him reveere his wife even more.
All things that made it really hard to like this book. I can't help but feel that the style of writing used by authors (male and female, but usually male in the fantasy space) is purposely a bit antiquated to make ot seem like an older less developed time. What this does is broach topics in an unapproachable way with unapproachable characters. Our historical concept of how things were doesn't mean we want to READ about things that way in a fantasy book. It's fantasy. Change it up.
Anyway, I didn't like this authors writing. I found it to fall into the sphere of "writing characters how we would have described medieval women and men" with an emphasis on all the horrible expectations (none for men to make them faithful) and all the drawbacks for a woman. For a book with so many women this was a really unpleasant writing style.
Our second narrator is the man who visits the island of seven women. After the visit to check on them, we hear him talk lovingly of his wife and three children before he nonchalantly in the middle of talking about that mentions he is taking a lover at this port town, and that it always makes him reveere his wife even more.
All things that made it really hard to like this book. I can't help but feel that the style of writing used by authors (male and female, but usually male in the fantasy space) is purposely a bit antiquated to make ot seem like an older less developed time. What this does is broach topics in an unapproachable way with unapproachable characters. Our historical concept of how things were doesn't mean we want to READ about things that way in a fantasy book. It's fantasy. Change it up.
Anyway, I didn't like this authors writing. I found it to fall into the sphere of "writing characters how we would have described medieval women and men" with an emphasis on all the horrible expectations (none for men to make them faithful) and all the drawbacks for a woman. For a book with so many women this was a really unpleasant writing style.
situationnormal's review against another edition
3.0
More like 2.5 stars and rounding up. I love Rain and Iskinaary but it took me a long time to warm up to the other characters (and I still never really did). I'm so glad the plot is moving in a direction I'm excited for, though, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book. It was tough to learn about this new world (?) but Maguire does make that part so seamless and natural that it takes some of the difficulties out.
readingjas's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
london9319's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5