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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
I don't even dare to look how long this book has been rotting away on my shelf. It is probably a long time. A very long time. I don't even know why I waited so long to pick it up and to read it, because when I bought it I really wanted to have it and was so curious. And not just because the three covers for these books are so amazing.
The most brilliant part is without a doubt the world building. Angelini did such an amazing job, because she's juggling a few very hard elements and also has to combine them. At first there is the whole sci-fi part when it comes to inter-dimensional-traveling. Then there is the witch part, coming with powers and rules and lessons to be learned. And then there is this other dimension, in a way medieval and in a way also not. Each element on its own is already hard to create, but the combination really works and feels solid and well explained.
And although I didn't quite connect on a very deep emotional level with any of the characters (that would have earned the book a fifth star it now didn't get), I was impressed by how complex and layered they were. Each and every character had a backstory, a passion and a goal and a very clear unique personality. And although we are partly reading about an ongoing war we get to see all sides of the conflict AND it was easy to understand them all.
And last but not least: the plot. A part of it seemed very simple: Lily just wants to go back home. But this isn't just HER story. She's brought to this world for a reason and I'm pretty sure that when it comes to that part of the plot, the story has only just started. I'm really curious to see what will happen in the next two books and I promise they won't rot away on the shelves for much longer!
The most brilliant part is without a doubt the world building. Angelini did such an amazing job, because she's juggling a few very hard elements and also has to combine them. At first there is the whole sci-fi part when it comes to inter-dimensional-traveling. Then there is the witch part, coming with powers and rules and lessons to be learned. And then there is this other dimension, in a way medieval and in a way also not. Each element on its own is already hard to create, but the combination really works and feels solid and well explained.
And although I didn't quite connect on a very deep emotional level with any of the characters (that would have earned the book a fifth star it now didn't get), I was impressed by how complex and layered they were. Each and every character had a backstory, a passion and a goal and a very clear unique personality. And although we are partly reading about an ongoing war we get to see all sides of the conflict AND it was easy to understand them all.
And last but not least: the plot. A part of it seemed very simple: Lily just wants to go back home. But this isn't just HER story. She's brought to this world for a reason and I'm pretty sure that when it comes to that part of the plot, the story has only just started. I'm really curious to see what will happen in the next two books and I promise they won't rot away on the shelves for much longer!
halynah's review against another edition
3.0
To tell the truth, I'm fairly disappointed. The book had stellar reviews, unlike her Starcrossed (though I loved Starcrossed), so I expected so much more. Th idea of the plot and world-building are pretty good, but there were plenty of boring, unnecessary moments, and I can't say I'm crazy about any of the characters. I'm intrigued enough to read the sequel, but all those praises are not deserved, that's for sure.
dreamsinviolet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
booklover1994's review against another edition
5.0
I loved reading trial by fire and cannot wait until the next book is released. Once I finished it I was so disappointed that I had and I wanted it to continue I wanted to know was coming next. That is the exact feeling I want to feel when I read book that is part of a series I want it to carry on I want to know how the story ends. I could go into so much detail about this book and its one of the books I'd happily talk about for hours but I'm not going to give anything away as I think anything I say will spoil little bits of the story for you if want to read it which I recommend you do.
shawniebooks's review
3.0
This was good, but a little too YA for my mood right now. My mind wandered a bit in the middle. I like the idea of world-walking and may continue on with the series at a later time.
imgunnagetyou's review against another edition
2.25
average dogwater ya romance fantasy novel from 2014. romance makes zero sense, writing isnt great, also main chara is extreme mary sue. shes so fucking special its not even funny. shes like the only witch in history to have 3 willstones, she perfects incredibly difficult magic immediately after we were told that witches like Lilian took decades to learn
steph01924's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to rate this higher. Deep in the middle of the book, I really thought I was going to. I was fresh off a high from another really good book, and this one had me reading happy, but I took a break to finish the last twenty pages or so, and I think that break didn't do this book any favors.
This book was a bell curve. The beginning is a bit slow. The writing felt a bit juvenile, simplistic. I was still eager about the premise, so I pressed on. Once Lily met up with Rowan, things got a bit better. I was enjoying the sparks between Lily and Rowan, her learning more about magic and how to use it. But then once LilyI got a bit bored. By the ending 'battle', I found myself kind of skimming along. I don't know the exact spot where my interest waned, but it probably had something to do with the writing and the inability to sustain the nuances the plot required.
I couldn't get into Lily's motivations. And I just liked her less and less as we went along. She got infinitely less interesting when she jumped wholeheartedly into magic and firewalking with such ease. Perhaps because she's now suddenly powerful enough to rival someone who spent their whole life learning and practicing magic? *cough*MarySueWitch*cough* Possibly.
I also got tired of hearing about Lillian's big personality change but spoiler alert! the book ends without really revealing WHAT happened to her that made her go scientist-death-hungry. I don't 'get' how she's doing all she's doing for I guess what also frustrates me is that Lillian is supposed to be our evil Lily counterpart; she's acting like a psycho, but only for the last year. She's supposedly a fairly decent ruler, if a little spoiled, before that. So I really can't buy what the book is selling me as the root cause of all her evil . If I sound all over the place, it's because the book felt that way, too, when it came to Lillian.
This book was a bell curve. The beginning is a bit slow. The writing felt a bit juvenile, simplistic. I was still eager about the premise, so I pressed on. Once Lily met up with Rowan, things got a bit better. I was enjoying the sparks between Lily and Rowan, her learning more about magic and how to use it. But then once Lily
Spoiler
started claiming a couple of people, got captured, tortured, and started throwing her magic around left and right,I couldn't get into Lily's motivations. And I just liked her less and less as we went along. She got infinitely less interesting when she jumped wholeheartedly into magic and firewalking with such ease. Perhaps because she's now suddenly powerful enough to rival someone who spent their whole life learning and practicing magic? *cough*MarySueWitch*cough* Possibly.
I also got tired of hearing about Lillian's big personality change but spoiler alert! the book ends without really revealing WHAT happened to her that made her go scientist-death-hungry. I don't 'get' how she's doing all she's doing for
Spoiler
Rowan, because she just lurves him so much, which includes doing things like hanging his father. Ever heard of a conversation, Lillian? You've seen something terrible and bad, maybe, oh, I don't know, describe it in detail so people can understand where shit went wrong and prevent it in your world? Instead of just killing and torturing people. Maybe?Spoiler
AKA traveling to other dimensions and seeing the destruction nuclear energy causes. As far as I can guess, anyway.sly99's review against another edition
2.0
So, I am sitting here in front of my laptop thinking of how to write the review for this one. I have mix feelings for the book. I think it was nice enough to give it 3 stars, and it was unlikeable to be 2 stars. See what I mean?
I liked the whole parallel world mystery and it is not about time travelling! What I did not like is from the shallow conversations to bland events. IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL. Think about it. Having a plot of the parellal world could take you to endless possibilies. Subplot after subplot. ALAS! Is is just me who sees the potential?
I liked the whole parallel world mystery and it is not about time travelling! What I did not like is from the shallow conversations to bland events. IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL. Think about it. Having a plot of the parellal world could take you to endless possibilies. Subplot after subplot. ALAS! Is is just me who sees the potential?