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zimbarzimbar's review
5.0
This book can be dark, unsettling, and make you very very mad.
But it's so damn good, with the most satisfying ending.
But it's so damn good, with the most satisfying ending.
malvaljun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cynam0nka's review against another edition
dark
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
maria_not_mariah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Even tho this book is most definitely not perfect or anything, it did everything right in my opinion. The only complaint i have is that ot could've been longer. I would love to get more content about the girls and be able to get to know them more as well as have the whole journey to Menos which made me be excited about this book in the first place so i was disappointed when it was just a recap of some sorts. I loved the culture differences of all the girls, how they saw the world and reacted to it, their past trauma and backstories and how it all connects into one beautiful story.
kellysavagebooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
5.0
lostinagoodbook's review against another edition
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley in return for an un-biased review.
This has been a really good month for me! First I got The Girl in the Tower which I was dying to read. Then I got this book, Naondel, and I’ve been so excited to read this! The book gods are shining down on me right now!
This book is the second in the Red Abbey Chronicles series, but it actually serves as a kind of prequel to the first book, Maresi. This book follows the same themes, but it fills in the backstory to Maresi.
The Red Abbey, the setting for Maresi, lies on an island and is home to displaced girls and women. It is a haven for the broken, abused and powerless. The women there raise the girls and they work together to create a society of love, acceptance, and safety. They receive education and training as well. It sounds wonderful! Naondel is the story of the women who founded this society.
The story begins with a woman named Kabira, she has access to a source of magical power which has belonged to her family. She is courted by a man named Iskan, who only wants access to this magic. He is a cruel sociopath, and as the years pass he becomes more and more powerful and sadistic. He collects women and girls into his harem, all gathered from different continents and cultures, they are similar in their courage and resolve. These wives and concubines, are abused and controlled by Iskan, but they are in the end indomitable. These women come to care for and respect one another and how they are able to cope with their circumstances, and rise above them. They are a remarkable group of women.
Maresi was a little feminist gem of a book. I knew Naondel would be written in the same vein, but this book pleased me more than I had imagined. It reminds me a little of The Joy Luck Club and other books by Amy Tan who writes moving stories full of wonderful, strong women and their relationships with one another. It also reminded me of a tv show I watched recently. Big Little Lies starts out as a “Real Housewives of Monterey” type show, but deepens into a conversation about violence against women. It highlights, particularly in it’s final moments, how powerful women can be when we act as advocates for one another. When we can get past the superficial differences among us, in order to assist each other is when we can start to achieve great things.
Please read Naondel & Maresi, especially if you’re of the feminist persuasion. You won’t be sorry you did. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. I fully intend to grovel at the Publisher’s door when ARC time arrives for book 3.
Song for this book: Mr. Moon by Eisley
This has been a really good month for me! First I got The Girl in the Tower which I was dying to read. Then I got this book, Naondel, and I’ve been so excited to read this! The book gods are shining down on me right now!
This book is the second in the Red Abbey Chronicles series, but it actually serves as a kind of prequel to the first book, Maresi. This book follows the same themes, but it fills in the backstory to Maresi.
The Red Abbey, the setting for Maresi, lies on an island and is home to displaced girls and women. It is a haven for the broken, abused and powerless. The women there raise the girls and they work together to create a society of love, acceptance, and safety. They receive education and training as well. It sounds wonderful! Naondel is the story of the women who founded this society.
The story begins with a woman named Kabira, she has access to a source of magical power which has belonged to her family. She is courted by a man named Iskan, who only wants access to this magic. He is a cruel sociopath, and as the years pass he becomes more and more powerful and sadistic. He collects women and girls into his harem, all gathered from different continents and cultures, they are similar in their courage and resolve. These wives and concubines, are abused and controlled by Iskan, but they are in the end indomitable. These women come to care for and respect one another and how they are able to cope with their circumstances, and rise above them. They are a remarkable group of women.
Maresi was a little feminist gem of a book. I knew Naondel would be written in the same vein, but this book pleased me more than I had imagined. It reminds me a little of The Joy Luck Club and other books by Amy Tan who writes moving stories full of wonderful, strong women and their relationships with one another. It also reminded me of a tv show I watched recently. Big Little Lies starts out as a “Real Housewives of Monterey” type show, but deepens into a conversation about violence against women. It highlights, particularly in it’s final moments, how powerful women can be when we act as advocates for one another. When we can get past the superficial differences among us, in order to assist each other is when we can start to achieve great things.
Please read Naondel & Maresi, especially if you’re of the feminist persuasion. You won’t be sorry you did. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. I fully intend to grovel at the Publisher’s door when ARC time arrives for book 3.
Song for this book: Mr. Moon by Eisley
daladala's review
4.0
Tyylikäs fantasiaseikkailu haaremin huoneissa nykyaikaisen tyttökirjan hengessä. Oli ilo lukea!
mtaltos's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? No
4.0
leothil's review
4.0
Such an excellent fantasy book! Without having too much focus on the magic, it is still woven through the story and a basis for everything. This is the women telling their stories, women of very different backgrounds and representing different values. I loved them all, loved getting to know them, and how they came together through suffering, fear and hatred. Highly recommended!