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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
fast-paced
I’m surprised this is a middle grade. It’s quite complex and the themes are dark. Really enjoyed how mature Stephanie is for a 12 year old!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
It's a funny thing. I read so much fantasy and so much middle grade. Those are probably my two favorite genres. And yet, it's so rare for me to find something that checks all the boxes to be a truly 5 star read.
Skulduggery Pleasant was a fun, wild ride from beginning to end. One that kept me thinking and wondering and guessing even when I couldn't actually be reading it. And one that when I told myself "oh just one more chapter" turned into one of those cases of "that's it? where's the rest of the book"? (Not in the cliffhanger sense--the ending is very solid and the book stands alone so you don't have to continue the series unless you want to--but in the sense of I very much wanted there to be more of the story.)
The characters are very layered and endearing, and the world and its magic--while not unique compared with a lot of the magic systems we see these days--was solid and believable and well utilized. It's so rare to read a story these days that relies on different types of magic rather than pure sorcery, so it was interesting to see different types and styles interact. I also liked that it wasn't a sense of sorcery vs other magics. Rather, all of the protagonists and antagonists either used a mix of both or the groups were composed of individuals who used a variety of magics. Usually, it's the bad guys using sorcery and the good guys using something else, but in this case, there were some of both magic users on both sides. I was also pleased with how the ancient feeling magic systems and worlds somehow also fit smoothly into a contemporary context.
One thing that middle grade can sometimes struggle with is pacing and plot. And that was one thing that this author really impressed me with. Every time I thought "damn there's the plot hole," suddenly it was being fixed. And every time I thought "well that doesn't make sense" or had questions that made me start to withdraw from the story, I would flip a page and suddenly it was being answered or explained. The author also did an excellent job of weaving together the themes and plot twists in a tangible way and pacing the story so that we got all of the necessary information and "slow" scenes in a way that still felt exciting or intriguing because of the mystery component of the story. And there was enough fast paced action and adventure scenes and ACTUAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ACTIONS/CHOICES woven in as well that the story just felt very rewarding to read.
One of my favorite themes in the story harkens toward faery magic and the importance of not letting anyone know your name because they can use it against you. And the characters explain how every person has three names--the name you're born with, the name you're given, and the name you take--and it was really interesting to see how that theme and plot point wove through the story because it was both emotionally/psychologically layered into the plot as well as physically. Very interesting to see play out.
Also, the level of sass and sense of humor dotting the pages just made the story really enjoyable.
So there you have it. Another recent 5 star read for me. Interesting feeling getting so many recently. But hey, I won't complain. This one will stick with me for a little while. I can think of a lot of people who would love it.
Skulduggery Pleasant was a fun, wild ride from beginning to end. One that kept me thinking and wondering and guessing even when I couldn't actually be reading it. And one that when I told myself "oh just one more chapter" turned into one of those cases of "that's it? where's the rest of the book"? (Not in the cliffhanger sense--the ending is very solid and the book stands alone so you don't have to continue the series unless you want to--but in the sense of I very much wanted there to be more of the story.)
The characters are very layered and endearing, and the world and its magic--while not unique compared with a lot of the magic systems we see these days--was solid and believable and well utilized. It's so rare to read a story these days that relies on different types of magic rather than pure sorcery, so it was interesting to see different types and styles interact. I also liked that it wasn't a sense of sorcery vs other magics. Rather, all of the protagonists and antagonists either used a mix of both or the groups were composed of individuals who used a variety of magics. Usually, it's the bad guys using sorcery and the good guys using something else, but in this case, there were some of both magic users on both sides. I was also pleased with how the ancient feeling magic systems and worlds somehow also fit smoothly into a contemporary context.
One thing that middle grade can sometimes struggle with is pacing and plot. And that was one thing that this author really impressed me with. Every time I thought "damn there's the plot hole," suddenly it was being fixed. And every time I thought "well that doesn't make sense" or had questions that made me start to withdraw from the story, I would flip a page and suddenly it was being answered or explained. The author also did an excellent job of weaving together the themes and plot twists in a tangible way and pacing the story so that we got all of the necessary information and "slow" scenes in a way that still felt exciting or intriguing because of the mystery component of the story. And there was enough fast paced action and adventure scenes and ACTUAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ACTIONS/CHOICES woven in as well that the story just felt very rewarding to read.
One of my favorite themes in the story harkens toward faery magic and the importance of not letting anyone know your name because they can use it against you. And the characters explain how every person has three names--the name you're born with, the name you're given, and the name you take--and it was really interesting to see how that theme and plot point wove through the story because it was both emotionally/psychologically layered into the plot as well as physically. Very interesting to see play out.
Also, the level of sass and sense of humor dotting the pages just made the story really enjoyable.
So there you have it. Another recent 5 star read for me. Interesting feeling getting so many recently. But hey, I won't complain. This one will stick with me for a little while. I can think of a lot of people who would love it.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
pleasantly surprised that i still enjoyed this as a reread of a childhood favorite. love the banter between them. i genuinely had a couple audible laughs listening to this one
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
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:
Yes