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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
My reading experience with this really was a rollercoaster. The novel feels like it is a series of 3 novellas in one and I think the pacing felt so disjointed. The synopsis does not provide an accurate description of the novel at all; the ghost aspect of the novel is like the first 30 pages and does not have any real importance to the book imo. I got over that once our main character, Rune, started traveling and working in the city. Lackey provided some interesting discussions on gender representation, church control and class injustices through tax and tithes - I was surprised and impressed that this was what the novel was focusing on and I even started to really enjoy the novel. But then again, the story changed again and it became a love story. And then again, it became a separate political plot once they meet another character. I feel like each third of the novel could have been its own book and did not feel cohesive. I wish I could have enjoyed it more because that first third was stellar.
adventurous
emotional
medium-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
mostly bc nostalgia tbh, but likely won't revisit this world again
medium-paced
As workmanlike as most of Lackey's work I've read, but I particularly enjoyed the musical aspects here. There was also almost zero magic until nearly the end, but lots of setup for broad magical and political conflict. (Also liked the traditional treatment of elves and nontraditional treatment of the lost heir .)
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Mercedes Lackey has odd pacing, spending lots of time developing characters and then apparently remembering plot as an afterthought. Major events are described in a page and a half or happen entirely off screen, and chapters are spent describing the mundane. I love it
Fun fact: I first read this book before I knew how to pronounce the word "whore." It's still a fun read, lo, these many years later -- sometimes I just want an absurdly friendly fantasy world.
I love all the Bardics series, but this one really shines.
adventurous
This was so delightful! I wish the latter half of the book had been more of a linear narrative (it turns into vignettes after a particularly pivotal plot point), but it was a fun time nonetheless.
This was just okay. I never felt super engaged outside of the first third of the story, the suspense and tension never felt high, and as a result the denouement to story arcs was not satisfying, the romances felt lacklustre… but three stars for world building which was intricate and extremely interesting.