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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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
Omg the ending?!? I need the third book asap!
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
4.5 stars
This book was DRAMA, oh my lord. I loved every bit of it and I’m currently trying to figure out how to get into a coma for book 3 because that *ending* was so much digest.
The only minor complaint I have is that I really wished we could’ve seen more of the friendships develop between the young main cast. I much prefer heavy handedness when it comes to seeing a group of people become friends after dealing with a life or death situations. We’re told they’re friends, and some of their moments are very very sweet, however, I’d need a little more convincing than what we’re told to believe it 100%.
Besides that I loved my babies, I loved this story, and I’m really REALLY excited to see what book 3 & 4 behold!
This book was DRAMA, oh my lord. I loved every bit of it and I’m currently trying to figure out how to get into a coma for book 3 because that *ending* was so much digest.
The only minor complaint I have is that I really wished we could’ve seen more of the friendships develop between the young main cast. I much prefer heavy handedness when it comes to seeing a group of people become friends after dealing with a life or death situations. We’re told they’re friends, and some of their moments are very very sweet, however, I’d need a little more convincing than what we’re told to believe it 100%.
Besides that I loved my babies, I loved this story, and I’m really REALLY excited to see what book 3 & 4 behold!
3.5 ! FINALLY. This book could have easily been 200 pages shorter. There were definitely bits that made me roll my eyes (like the repeated video game-esque tutorials/info dumps about the Luck powers and Arlo's extremely cliche YA heroine "I'm special and not like other girls but also completely oblivious" tendencies) but overall it was still fun. Celadon's chapters were the best by far imo and I'll definitely read the next one.
adventurous
funny
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Death of parent
Minor: Torture
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
TL;DR: Still a lot of lovely queer representation, but that cannot carry this long and convoluted (but not complicated) book
(eARC provided by Netgalley)
As with its predecessor, I want to enjoy A Cruel and Fated Light more than I do, if nothing else than for its joyful queer representation. But I simply don't think the series is living up to its potential. This books feels far too long for the amount of ground it covers, and it particularly sucks for it to end so abruptly. The world of the series seems to be overpowering the actual narrative: there are so many abilities, rules, creatures, and categories that it all just feels arbitrary and even functional rather than intricate worldbuilding (Arlo's dice, for example, is just too game-y and plot-convenient for my taste). The characters still aren't that deep and again feel like pieces moved around more than feeling agents. I do think Riadne is an intriguing villain, but even there I worry it's skewing too simple. And for all the positive queer representation, I feel uncomfortable at how this series portrays such a European/colonial dominated world (North America ruled by two fae "Old World" monarchies with no acknowledgement of where Indigenous peoples come in). There is a fun story in there, but I just think it's being overworked.
4/10 in personal rating system
(eARC provided by Netgalley)
As with its predecessor, I want to enjoy A Cruel and Fated Light more than I do, if nothing else than for its joyful queer representation. But I simply don't think the series is living up to its potential. This books feels far too long for the amount of ground it covers, and it particularly sucks for it to end so abruptly. The world of the series seems to be overpowering the actual narrative: there are so many abilities, rules, creatures, and categories that it all just feels arbitrary and even functional rather than intricate worldbuilding (Arlo's dice, for example, is just too game-y and plot-convenient for my taste). The characters still aren't that deep and again feel like pieces moved around more than feeling agents. I do think Riadne is an intriguing villain, but even there I worry it's skewing too simple. And for all the positive queer representation, I feel uncomfortable at how this series portrays such a European/colonial dominated world (North America ruled by two fae "Old World" monarchies with no acknowledgement of where Indigenous peoples come in). There is a fun story in there, but I just think it's being overworked.
4/10 in personal rating system