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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
[Minor SPOILER!!]
I LOVED this series.. until......
Until a completely platonic relationship, which has been so good all the time, between a mentor (aged somewhere around his 30's) and a teenage girl (she's 16 in this last book, 13! in the first).. somehow becomes a romantic and sexual one!?
What the actual....- HOW is this okay!? How did Tamora think this was totally fine and cute when she wrote it??
Also, this series is mainly aimed at teenagers of around the age of the main character... think of the example this sets for them, impressionable as they are around that age.
Honestly, it pretty much ruined the series for me. It's F-ed up and I'm actually truly sad about it.
I LOVED this series.. until......
Until a completely platonic relationship, which has been so good all the time, between a mentor (aged somewhere around his 30's) and a teenage girl (she's 16 in this last book, 13! in the first).. somehow becomes a romantic and sexual one!?
What the actual....- HOW is this okay!? How did Tamora think this was totally fine and cute when she wrote it??
Also, this series is mainly aimed at teenagers of around the age of the main character... think of the example this sets for them, impressionable as they are around that age.
Honestly, it pretty much ruined the series for me. It's F-ed up and I'm actually truly sad about it.
And the last Daine book. It was great to reread this series -- usually when I want to pick up a Tortall book, it's Kel (I've read Alanna so many times that it has to be a special occasion, and the Aly books are a little bit more of a time commitment), but I am really fond of Daine and her friends, both people and People.
I was really excited to finally finish this series and the first half of the book was so good and then they made Daine a 16 be in a relationship with her mentor who has is probably twice her age. and i don’t know but it kinda of ruined the end of the book for me.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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:
No
Who knew some darkings could steal my heart?!
• • •
"'You forget how things tasted when you first came here.' A fluffy orange-and-white marbled cat leaped onto the table to sit in front of Daine. She stared at the girl with large amber eyes, pink nose twitching. 'In the Divine Realms, you eat the essence of things, not the shadow. I am Queenclaw, goddess of house cats.'
Respectfully, the girl bowed. Queenclaw was an impressive creature. 'It's a very great honor, meeting you.'
'Of course it is.' The cat began to wash."
"'Here, life is forbidden to remain a slave of its creator,' explained the badger. 'It's why so many children and servants of gods act against the interests of those who gave them life. The darkings are forming their own ideas and ways to communicate, and they're getting names.'"
• • •
"'You forget how things tasted when you first came here.' A fluffy orange-and-white marbled cat leaped onto the table to sit in front of Daine. She stared at the girl with large amber eyes, pink nose twitching. 'In the Divine Realms, you eat the essence of things, not the shadow. I am Queenclaw, goddess of house cats.'
Respectfully, the girl bowed. Queenclaw was an impressive creature. 'It's a very great honor, meeting you.'
'Of course it is.' The cat began to wash."
"'Here, life is forbidden to remain a slave of its creator,' explained the badger. 'It's why so many children and servants of gods act against the interests of those who gave them life. The darkings are forming their own ideas and ways to communicate, and they're getting names.'"
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Read it in a few short hours, gripped and heartbroken by turns. Another smashing finale to a Tortall series. I need to read the 'Defender of the Small' and 'Trickster' series now; I haven't read them before, unlike 'The Song of the Lioness' and 'The Immortals' series. I only hope they're as gripping and the main characters are as rounded and complex as Alanna and Daine.
----
Second review from listening to the audiobook
The narration is good as always from Sarah Ovens.
I have been thinking about this book a lot while listening to it on and off. When I first read this book as a 15 year old I loved the idea of the romance between Daine and Numair, and when I re-read in 2019 it was with nostelgia. Listening to it as an adult, I actually find it quite disturbing that nobody raised in the impropriety of a teacher having a romantic relationship with his student. It's not the age difference - 15 years isn't all that much- but the fact that Daine is so young and Numair is in a position of authority over her. Even though it is mentioned in the book that Numair feels some concern that Daine might be persuaded that she was in love with him when she wasn't, it's a few sentences. If they'd agreed to wait a few years until she was an adult or in her twenties, then maybe it wouldn't be so squicky but as it is, it's disturbing. I don't think that it influenced me too much but a child more easily influenced might be more open to predatory adults if they read about it as romantic and acceptable in fiction aimed at young teens.
I don't know. I'm conflicted about this book.
----
Second review from listening to the audiobook
The narration is good as always from Sarah Ovens.
I have been thinking about this book a lot while listening to it on and off. When I first read this book as a 15 year old I loved the idea of the romance between Daine and Numair, and when I re-read in 2019 it was with nostelgia. Listening to it as an adult, I actually find it quite disturbing that nobody raised in the impropriety of a teacher having a romantic relationship with his student. It's not the age difference - 15 years isn't all that much- but the fact that Daine is so young and Numair is in a position of authority over her. Even though it is mentioned in the book that Numair feels some concern that Daine might be persuaded that she was in love with him when she wasn't, it's a few sentences. If they'd agreed to wait a few years until she was an adult or in her twenties, then maybe it wouldn't be so squicky but as it is, it's disturbing. I don't think that it influenced me too much but a child more easily influenced might be more open to predatory adults if they read about it as romantic and acceptable in fiction aimed at young teens.
I don't know. I'm conflicted about this book.
I have a deep love for this series but we do need to discuss one thing....
spoilers
it's weird that numair and daine get together. I like them together, I'll be honest. But she's 16 in this book and he's late 20's maybe 30? That's kinda gross. No not kinda gross.. really gross. I really wish Daine was in her early 20s at least in this book.. It would still have made sense with the rest of the plot.
spoilers
it's weird that numair and daine get together. I like them together, I'll be honest. But she's 16 in this book and he's late 20's maybe 30? That's kinda gross. No not kinda gross.. really gross. I really wish Daine was in her early 20s at least in this book.. It would still have made sense with the rest of the plot.