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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
Well I kind of disappointed... I was expecting more of this. Yes, the book is entertaining, it's intriguing in some ways, but above all, it wasn't enough and it felt like a big plot hole.
I like the main characters but they didn't manage to interest me enough to be into them and their love story. I think the main reason is that their chemistry was lacking for me. Since they met there were already sparks flying and probably I am more used to Richelle Mead's slow burning romances.
The religious aspect was the other point that I felt flat. We were constantly told that heretics are forbidden but we never were really shown what were the consequences of those practices till 80% of the book. I can see what she wanted to do but it wasn't well developed, she payed more attention to the "glittering" aspects of the book. Yes I enjoyed reading about the lessons, the dresses, and even the suitors, but I couldn't wraps the cultural and political plot that took place at the end because we were too invested in Adelaide romantic interest to really care, which felt kind of rush in my opinion.
I did like the book enough to continue with the series. I want to know more about Mira and Tamsin and what are their secrets, which felt like plot holes in the end, and see where the story is going to go. She said that the next book is going to be darker and I just hope that she blows my mind as she did with VA and Bloodlines.
I like the main characters but they didn't manage to interest me enough to be into them and their love story. I think the main reason is that their chemistry was lacking for me. Since they met there were already sparks flying and probably I am more used to Richelle Mead's slow burning romances.
The religious aspect was the other point that I felt flat. We were constantly told that heretics are forbidden but we never were really shown what were the consequences of those practices till 80% of the book. I can see what she wanted to do but it wasn't well developed, she payed more attention to the "glittering" aspects of the book. Yes I enjoyed reading about the lessons, the dresses, and even the suitors, but I couldn't wraps the cultural and political plot that took place at the end because we were too invested in Adelaide romantic interest to really care, which felt kind of rush in my opinion.
I did like the book enough to continue with the series. I want to know more about Mira and Tamsin and what are their secrets, which felt like plot holes in the end, and see where the story is going to go. She said that the next book is going to be darker and I just hope that she blows my mind as she did with VA and Bloodlines.
ugh this book was such a let down i had such hopes for this book and i couldn't really finish it i just skimmed thought the rest of it,the love interest's secret was just odd and didn't fit the plot of the book at all,Tasmin,one of the girls at the Glittering Court was just so bratty and yeah overall it was just a huge disappointment from one of my fav authors I actually thought Soundless was better
DNF @ 30%
I was about 25% through and was like, "How was that not the full book already?" Then I skimmed through the rest of the book and just could not force myself to care about the MC, her love interest, or any of their problems...
I was about 25% through and was like, "How was that not the full book already?" Then I skimmed through the rest of the book and just could not force myself to care about the MC, her love interest, or any of their problems...
I've always quite like Richelle Mead. Her YA novels have for the most part offered some amount of entertainment value. I wanted to believe in her, i really did... but this book was a total disappointment. I dealt with the dull characters, paper-thin world-building, predictable plotline and uninspired romance for three quarters of the novel before skimming through to the end. Vampire Academy and Bloodlines were always enjoyable, even when they veered off into stupidity, but this was just plain boring.
on the positive side...I finished a book on my TBR and don't have another series to get through.
this book should've been called "how to make Samm eye roll so many times that she goes blind."
it seemed like the author changed her mind several times as to what the plot was. the characters were all so similar that they just blended together.
this book should've been called "how to make Samm eye roll so many times that she goes blind."
it seemed like the author changed her mind several times as to what the plot was. the characters were all so similar that they just blended together.
The Glittering Court is the first in a series of companion novels that take place around the same events and I was intrigued to see how this would work. The first book follows Lady Witmore, Countess of Rothford who decides to disguise herself as a maid and seek her fortune in the growing nation of Adoria.
I enjoyed the first half of the book for the friendships and Lady Witmore's, now called Adelaide, attempts to hide her noble birth. I was completely surprised by where the rest of the story went however. I liked that the book was aiming to be more than a story about arranged marriages and fancy dances, but the pacing didn't feel right to me. Parts of the story felt too rushed, while others had too much focus (the dancing and parties!)
Adelaide's story is complete, however there are a few blank spaces surrounding her friends, which will be answered in the following books. If I hadn't known that there would be separate stories for the secondary characters, I would have been confused by why certain things were included and never explained.
I enjoyed the book overall although I had a few problems with the plot and the pacing. I liked the frontier setting, which I haven't seen before in YA, but I'm unsure at this point if I will continue the series. The companion storylines do seem interesting though and I may consider revisiting this world.
2.5 stars
I enjoyed the first half of the book for the friendships and Lady Witmore's, now called Adelaide, attempts to hide her noble birth. I was completely surprised by where the rest of the story went however. I liked that the book was aiming to be more than a story about arranged marriages and fancy dances, but the pacing didn't feel right to me. Parts of the story felt too rushed, while others had too much focus (the dancing and parties!)
Adelaide's story is complete, however there are a few blank spaces surrounding her friends, which will be answered in the following books. If I hadn't known that there would be separate stories for the secondary characters, I would have been confused by why certain things were included and never explained.
I enjoyed the book overall although I had a few problems with the plot and the pacing. I liked the frontier setting, which I haven't seen before in YA, but I'm unsure at this point if I will continue the series. The companion storylines do seem interesting though and I may consider revisiting this world.
2.5 stars
I liked the direction the book turned and that it didn't finish when all the girls were married off.
Warning: contains mild spoilers
Rating: 3 stars
I gotta say, I'm not as impressed with this book as I expected to be. I had some high expectations since this is Richelle Mead and she always makes books that I love to read. But this one just wasn't very special to me.
Some characters (mostly the supporting ones) felt very flat to me. Tamsin was awful for half of the book, and I was so shocked during the first half when Adelaide (technically Elizabeth but whatever) stated that she was her best friend. Afterwards... yeah, Tamsin was much better and a loyal friend. I didn't feel the friendship between Adelaide, Tamsin, and Mira until nearly the end of the book. I couldn't believe how easily Adelaide accepted Cedric's secret when she first discovered it. I didn't feel like she had much of a basis then to trust him at that point. The betrayal of a certain character was very predictable. The plot was kind of ridiculous. The "glittering court" gave me a big "the selection" feel. There was no closure with Adelaide's grandmother (which I assume will be given in the next installment). A few other aspects of the plot could've been explained in further detail too.
My favorite thing about this novel has to be Adelaide. I admire her tough personality and willingness to give up everything to follow what she knows is right. I like that she's able to get tough when she need to be as well. The reveal of Tamsin's true background was interesting, and I loved that one scene near the end where all Adelaide, Tamsin, and Mira come together to save Cedric.
Overall, I think this book was very average. It has an interesting premise, but a poor execution. I'm a little disappointed, but I think I would still read any subsequent novels (because I like Adelaide and I'm a loyal Mead fan). Anyways, onto another book...
5/4/2020:
Debating whether or not this is worth rereading, and then finishing up the two novels that follow. I’ve been on a Mead kick recently, trying to read all of her books like a loyal fan, so I think I most likely will.
I recall my disappointment in this book, especially after glancing at the above review. But maybe my opinion will change with a new perspective, 4 years later.
One thing that hit me right off the bat when reading the description to this book: Adelaide escapes an arranged marriage just to go to a school where the goal is to get married off? Hmmmm. I guess the difference there is choice, but it seems a bit counter-productive to me.
I guess I’ll start reading it... fingers crossed it’s more entertaining this time around!
Post re-read:
Oof. Okay. I understand my above review now, and overall dull 3 star rating.
I enjoyed the wittiness between many of our characters, but I agree that many of the side characters felt very flat. The only person I truly felt a connection to was Adelaide (I ain’t calling her Elizabeth still).
I felt like there was a lot of build up for things that simply fell short. Mira’s absent nights, Tamsin’s double faux deaths by natural disaster. I found the secret of practicing an illegal religion to be a real let down. I know Mead loves religion and all, so I’m sure that was the reason for this, but it wasn’t all that exciting to read about.
Unsurprisingly, the threat of rape was present in this book. Perhaps I’m only noticing this after reading the Dark Swan series, where rape was the entire plot, but since then I’ve also read Age of X (where Mae is raped) and a month ago I reread bloodlines (where Sydney’s sister is raped). And in this book, Adelaide is nearly raped by Warren. What is Mead’s fascination with this troupe? I fully understand how common it is in society. I suppose I’ve just never seen it be such a focal point in so many books.
I guess I’ll continue to read on, just for the sake of seeing if things improve. I don’t have a strong interest, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I gave up mid-way through the next book. I really can’t see how there’s much else of a story to tell, but I suppose I’ll find out.
5/5/2020:
Upon finally finishing the trilogy, I would like to formally apologize to Richelle Mead for ever daring to call Mira and Tamsin “flat” characters. I did it twice over the span of 3 years and I’ve never been more wrong. Wow.
Rating: 3 stars
I gotta say, I'm not as impressed with this book as I expected to be. I had some high expectations since this is Richelle Mead and she always makes books that I love to read. But this one just wasn't very special to me.
Some characters (mostly the supporting ones) felt very flat to me. Tamsin was awful for half of the book, and I was so shocked during the first half when Adelaide (technically Elizabeth but whatever) stated that she was her best friend. Afterwards... yeah, Tamsin was much better and a loyal friend. I didn't feel the friendship between Adelaide, Tamsin, and Mira until nearly the end of the book. I couldn't believe how easily Adelaide accepted Cedric's secret when she first discovered it. I didn't feel like she had much of a basis then to trust him at that point. The betrayal of a certain character was very predictable. The plot was kind of ridiculous. The "glittering court" gave me a big "the selection" feel. There was no closure with Adelaide's grandmother (which I assume will be given in the next installment). A few other aspects of the plot could've been explained in further detail too.
My favorite thing about this novel has to be Adelaide. I admire her tough personality and willingness to give up everything to follow what she knows is right. I like that she's able to get tough when she need to be as well. The reveal of Tamsin's true background was interesting, and I loved that one scene near the end where all Adelaide, Tamsin, and Mira come together to save Cedric.
Overall, I think this book was very average. It has an interesting premise, but a poor execution. I'm a little disappointed, but I think I would still read any subsequent novels (because I like Adelaide and I'm a loyal Mead fan). Anyways, onto another book...
5/4/2020:
Debating whether or not this is worth rereading, and then finishing up the two novels that follow. I’ve been on a Mead kick recently, trying to read all of her books like a loyal fan, so I think I most likely will.
I recall my disappointment in this book, especially after glancing at the above review. But maybe my opinion will change with a new perspective, 4 years later.
One thing that hit me right off the bat when reading the description to this book: Adelaide escapes an arranged marriage just to go to a school where the goal is to get married off? Hmmmm. I guess the difference there is choice, but it seems a bit counter-productive to me.
I guess I’ll start reading it... fingers crossed it’s more entertaining this time around!
Post re-read:
Oof. Okay. I understand my above review now, and overall dull 3 star rating.
I enjoyed the wittiness between many of our characters, but I agree that many of the side characters felt very flat. The only person I truly felt a connection to was Adelaide (I ain’t calling her Elizabeth still).
I felt like there was a lot of build up for things that simply fell short. Mira’s absent nights, Tamsin’s double faux deaths by natural disaster. I found the secret of practicing an illegal religion to be a real let down. I know Mead loves religion and all, so I’m sure that was the reason for this, but it wasn’t all that exciting to read about.
Unsurprisingly, the threat of rape was present in this book. Perhaps I’m only noticing this after reading the Dark Swan series, where rape was the entire plot, but since then I’ve also read Age of X (where Mae is raped) and a month ago I reread bloodlines (where Sydney’s sister is raped). And in this book, Adelaide is nearly raped by Warren. What is Mead’s fascination with this troupe? I fully understand how common it is in society. I suppose I’ve just never seen it be such a focal point in so many books.
I guess I’ll continue to read on, just for the sake of seeing if things improve. I don’t have a strong interest, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I gave up mid-way through the next book. I really can’t see how there’s much else of a story to tell, but I suppose I’ll find out.
5/5/2020:
Upon finally finishing the trilogy, I would like to formally apologize to Richelle Mead for ever daring to call Mira and Tamsin “flat” characters. I did it twice over the span of 3 years and I’ve never been more wrong. Wow.
-POTENTIAL SPOILERS-
*MY SECOND BEST BOOK OF 2017.*
OMG. I know we're only four days into the new year, but I get the feeling this will be on my Best Books of 2017 list, and be on there fairly high. This is pretty much EXACTLY what I'd write, only set in England instead of the Russian Empire.
I immediately got sucked into the world. Yes, it's not really fantasy and I had a hard time categorizing the world, but I understood what all the nations and religions were modeled after in the real world.
It's like The Selection, only the girls have more personality! The main character in this was a lot of fun and I loved watching her grow and develop as the novel progressed. At first she's sheltered and spoiled, snarky and sassy, yet maintains an air of sophistication around her. I loved watching her try to fit in with the poor girls and try to pass herself off as her maid! Eventually she becomes courageous, hardworking, and mature, but still maintains her air of grace and splendor, and even her spunk, even in the harshest of conditions.
The plot was fast-paced and constantly was on the move, taking me from place to place. One minute, I'm at a gorgeous ball, the next, I'm digging for gold in the Wild West. Granted the descriptions weren't as descriptive as I usually like, but they were serviceable enough.
I loved the descriptions of all the beautiful dresses though! Every time one was described I would swoon from its beauty! I wanted to be there, looking pretty for all the men in my bejeweled dress!
I also loved her two best friends, and I can't wait to read their companion novels! I really want to know how Tamsin survived both a ship sinking in a storm and becoming part of that Native American tribe! And where did Mira get that crossbow?
Did I mention how much I loved this book? Because I did!
*MY SECOND BEST BOOK OF 2017.*
OMG. I know we're only four days into the new year, but I get the feeling this will be on my Best Books of 2017 list, and be on there fairly high. This is pretty much EXACTLY what I'd write, only set in England instead of the Russian Empire.
I immediately got sucked into the world. Yes, it's not really fantasy and I had a hard time categorizing the world, but I understood what all the nations and religions were modeled after in the real world.
It's like The Selection, only the girls have more personality! The main character in this was a lot of fun and I loved watching her grow and develop as the novel progressed. At first she's sheltered and spoiled, snarky and sassy, yet maintains an air of sophistication around her. I loved watching her try to fit in with the poor girls and try to pass herself off as her maid! Eventually she becomes courageous, hardworking, and mature, but still maintains her air of grace and splendor, and even her spunk, even in the harshest of conditions.
The plot was fast-paced and constantly was on the move, taking me from place to place. One minute, I'm at a gorgeous ball, the next, I'm digging for gold in the Wild West. Granted the descriptions weren't as descriptive as I usually like, but they were serviceable enough.
I loved the descriptions of all the beautiful dresses though! Every time one was described I would swoon from its beauty! I wanted to be there, looking pretty for all the men in my bejeweled dress!
I also loved her two best friends, and I can't wait to read their companion novels! I really want to know how Tamsin survived both a ship sinking in a storm and becoming part of that Native American tribe! And where did Mira get that crossbow?
Did I mention how much I loved this book? Because I did!
I never thought Mead's book would be boring. But But But.....