Reviews

Malarkoi by Alex Pheby

gholt1's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

3.75

jammydodger's review

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

meerkarl's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Animal death

remontoire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

spacegirl14's review

4.0

This book takes WORK to understand. And then you’ll probably still be confused.

I think this is one of the most creative books I’ve read. But it is so complex. As others have noted, there is no one clear narrative. Around 1/3 of the way in, are able to follow a few different storylines of characters we knew from Mordew and I think that’s when it got better. We learned so much more about what was going behind the scenes of Mordew that I was satisfied in some ways but this book also raises infinitely more questions than it answers.

I was close to rating this lower but at the end of the day, if you kind of just let it wash over you and not take it so seriously, it’s a wild ride that has deep and poignant moments and some that had me laughing out loud. I didn’t get it all but I think that is partially the point. This isn’t the kind of fantasy book where you learn the exact mechanics of the magic or the full motivations of everyone. We are taken through as Gam and Prissy were: thrown into the crazy and trying to grasp what you can.

Also MAKE SURE to read the end sections. I feel like they actually changed my understanding of plot points a lot and kind of wish they had been incorporated as events were happening rather than in the afterthought section.

thewulverslibrary's review

2.0

Mordew was an absolutely amazing start to a series but this was full of info-dump and babble for the sake of it. I’ll need to sit with it but I’m feeling disappointed.

zakkramer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In the spirit of Titus Groan

amlewi8's review

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

swineberg's review

adventurous challenging dark reflective 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

4.5

bouncy_knight_reads's review against another edition

4.5

Confusing here and there which was expected but I was thrilled to get more Prissy, Gam, and Dashini