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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
I thought tsunami was my favorite and then I thought glory was my favorite but wow sunny is my favorite
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
My kiddo has really enjoyed listening to me read these. It's a great series for talking about what we think will happen next. He loves the characters and imagining more about that world.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Synopsis:
- Shattered emotionally by what she heard from Morrowseer, Sunny questioned her worth. A few NightWings abruptly kidnapped her to be their hostage, but she escaped. Following her kidnappers to the deserts of the SandWing Kingdom, Sunny was determined to save what remaining belief she had within her, met new and unexpected dragons, revealed more secrets, and befriended someone who she thought was impossible.
Strengths:
1. Progressive world building (especially with the scavengers and inter-tribe relationships.)
2. Explored Sunny's insecurities (personal worth, faith, validation, etc) and her 'emotional wreck-ness'.
3. Interesting juxtaposition (Sunny leads the end of arc.)
4. Some welcomed (and several returning) side characters.
5. Wholesome ending (wraps up the arc decently.)
Flaws:
1. Same old problems (convenient plot lines, unfocused priorities, pacing problems, plot holes, etc.)
2. Lost potential with Sunny's growth.
3. The book had an identity crisis (and can't commit.)
4. Tons of tension killers.
5. A bit underwhelming as the end of the arc.
Remarks and Rating:
- Don't get me wrong, Sunny's character had a development. But my problem is not the 'What', but the 'How'. It could have been better executed, like making something tragic/dark out of her persistent positive outlook...or something else better than what the book gave.
- I think the best parts was the various side characters within. They were unique and charming on their own ways. There's even a lot of revisiting characters, which was expected since this should be the arc finale.
- I was expecting more from the NightWings more, especially considering what happened from previous books. They're barely on this book.
- I like the humor here. A tad better than others.
- I'm not a big fan of the 3rd act. Though I'm impressed just because of Sunny as the main perspective. Her character works best on grounded stories...and this book is definitely not that. A brave and bold attempt by Tui T. Sutherland indeed.
- End of arc commentary: Only The Hidden Kingdom impressed me even for a bit (definitely not biased here.) This one's pretty average, and rushed in some parts.
- With everything considered, I'll rate Wings of Fire: The Brightest Night a 6/10.
WINGS OF FIRE BOOKS RANKED:
1. The Dangerous Gift (9/10)
2. Moon Rising (8/10)
3. Talons of Power (8/10)
4. Winter Turning (7/10)
5. The Hidden Kingdom (7/10)
6. The Poison Jungle (7/10)
7. The Lost Continent (7/10)
8. The Dark Secret (6/10)
9. The Brightest Night (6/10)
10. The Dragonet Prophecy (6/10)
11. The Lost Heir (5/10)
12. The Flames of Hope (4/10)
13. Darkness of Dragons (4/10)
14. Escaping Peril (4/10)
15. The Hive Queen (4/10)
JUSTIFICATION:
- Being the finale book of arc 1, my expectations were high. Arc 1 books tend to explore the point-of-view's identity (specifically) and weaved it into the plot. It does not help that this was Sunny's book (one of the best characters in arc 1), so I was thirsty for a good story about her. But in the end, the book undelivered. It was still ok though, and is a better novel overall compared the the other two arc finales later on.
Sunny's quest to find her own worth was moving, the introduction of Thorn and the Scorpion's Den was a welcome, Burn's Fortress was unironically imposing, and Smolder's character and his intentional sarcasm to Sunny (who mostly misinterpreted them as genuine) was a blast to read. His scavenger, Flower, was also cute and delightful.
My main problem with this was the 3rd act itself. There's something offbeat on how easy it was. Sunny's plan to let the three SandWing sisters had some insane luck, and it just doesn't appear to be realistic. It was also paced too fast. With all the buildup since the first book, the final event wasn't as satisfying as it could be. It's okay if this was any other book, but it hurts much more that it's the arc 1 conclusion.
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
This is for the first five books.
Plot:
Five young dragons were prophesied to end a civil war between three dragon queens, but one of the five was killed before it even hatched, proving that the prophecy is not set in stone. Now, the four dragonets of the prophecy and a last minute replacement need to figure out how to end the war that started long before their hatching.
Note on ratings:
* Horrible.
** Below average
*** Average. Not good or bad.
**** Above average
***** Above and beyond
Content: ***** (Content based off my personal level of squeamishness.)
Some violence including main characters killing other dragons humans getting eaten, not by the main characters, and the usual war-related loss of life. No swearing or sex. Probably deserves a PG rating.
Originality and world building: ****
Having a story about dragons is pretty neat. Humans, called “scavengers,” are only a minor element.
Characters and their Arcs: ****
Each character gets an arc in the book that’s about them. Some weren’t that interesting, but I really liked Glory.
Writing style and Pacing: *****
The pacing is fast, making it very hard to put these books down.
What I liked:
The pace. There wasn’t much to dislike in these books, though I guess I might not have related really well to some of the characters.
What I didn’t like:
These books feel super short, which isn’t surprising considering they’re intended for MG audiences. It was sometimes a disappointment finishing a book because I wanted to read more from that character’s point of view instead of being stuffed into another dragon’s head.
Is it worth reading?
Yes, most definitely. Since it’s pretty clean, I’d also recommend it to younger readers.
Plot:
Five young dragons were prophesied to end a civil war between three dragon queens, but one of the five was killed before it even hatched, proving that the prophecy is not set in stone. Now, the four dragonets of the prophecy and a last minute replacement need to figure out how to end the war that started long before their hatching.
Note on ratings:
* Horrible.
** Below average
*** Average. Not good or bad.
**** Above average
***** Above and beyond
Content: ***** (Content based off my personal level of squeamishness.)
Some violence including main characters killing other dragons humans getting eaten, not by the main characters, and the usual war-related loss of life. No swearing or sex. Probably deserves a PG rating.
Originality and world building: ****
Having a story about dragons is pretty neat. Humans, called “scavengers,” are only a minor element.
Characters and their Arcs: ****
Each character gets an arc in the book that’s about them. Some weren’t that interesting, but I really liked Glory.
Writing style and Pacing: *****
The pacing is fast, making it very hard to put these books down.
What I liked:
The pace. There wasn’t much to dislike in these books, though I guess I might not have related really well to some of the characters.
What I didn’t like:
These books feel super short, which isn’t surprising considering they’re intended for MG audiences. It was sometimes a disappointment finishing a book because I wanted to read more from that character’s point of view instead of being stuffed into another dragon’s head.
Is it worth reading?
Yes, most definitely. Since it’s pretty clean, I’d also recommend it to younger readers.