Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
4.5/5 Stars
The Summer War is a classic fairytale story (with a few twists) of how people act on their values of love, honor, and revenge. I loved the queer elements and undertones laid throughout this novella, and would recomend it to anyone who is looking for a quick and entertaining read.
4.5/5 Stars
The Summer War is a classic fairytale story (with a few twists) of how people act on their values of love, honor, and revenge. I loved the queer elements and undertones laid throughout this novella, and would recomend it to anyone who is looking for a quick and entertaining read.
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Summer War almost feels like a pitch for a longer novel, but still holds up incredibly well as a short novella. We get a slightly spoiled daughter of a duke who is used as a pawn in the ongoing attempts at peace bewteen fae-esque creatures (the Summerlings) and who accidentally curses her brother to never find love. The climax is a genuinely great blend of knightly battle and bardic showing off and rules lawyering in the best kind of way, and the end is genuinely sweet. Fantastic quick read over the space of a weekend, and a highly recommended read this fall.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
absolutely no notes
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Young Celia, reeling from the revelation that she cares about her eldest brother far more than he cares for her, uncovers her magic by cursing him to become an incredible knight but never find a man who will love him. Working to fix this accident, Celia builds relationships with her other brother and works to deal with the political implications of her newly revealed power in a nation still recovering from annual battles with the summerlings.
A short but well-formed story of a teenager working with her resources to better the circumstances of her family and country, aware that her magic is finite, and that family is frail. Celia balances honour, responsibility, and devotion as she navigates unsettling situations in a high-stakes bildungsroman.
Enjoyable to read a very self-aware character who recognises and respects soft/social power and works to wield her own without it feeling forced. The descriptions really set the scene, and the characters' emotions were clear and respected even when not necessarily rational. This novella leans towards Novik's fairytale-esque stories, continuing the idea of a tradition as a starting point while developing beyond a simple retelling. Brief but memorable.
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for an eARC of this to review.
A short but well-formed story of a teenager working with her resources to better the circumstances of her family and country, aware that her magic is finite, and that family is frail. Celia balances honour, responsibility, and devotion as she navigates unsettling situations in a high-stakes bildungsroman.
Enjoyable to read a very self-aware character who recognises and respects soft/social power and works to wield her own without it feeling forced. The descriptions really set the scene, and the characters' emotions were clear and respected even when not necessarily rational. This novella leans towards Novik's fairytale-esque stories, continuing the idea of a tradition as a starting point while developing beyond a simple retelling. Brief but memorable.
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for an eARC of this to review.
I'll be posting my full review on the publication date, but I can already say this: Short in length, epic in stakes — a fierce story of loyalty, legacy, and defiance.
This was such a great novella! The only bad thing I can say about it is that it was short. I wish the story were longer!
Even though it's short, it made me feel so many things - hearbreak, joy, anger. The pacing was inmaculate, and it was beautifully written. I 100% recommend this book.
A little note: his was my first Naomi Novik book but it won't be the last!
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Even though it's short, it made me feel so many things - hearbreak, joy, anger. The pacing was inmaculate, and it was beautifully written. I 100% recommend this book.
A little note: his was my first Naomi Novik book but it won't be the last!
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to Netgalley for an e-advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
This is a wonderful and heartfelt novella by Naomi Novik about an endless war and the political machinations that keep the war machine going. Even though it’s set in medieval times, it’s very relevant to our current moment. The writing style is lovely and very fairytale-esque, and the ending wrapped up everything in a really satisfying way.
This is a wonderful and heartfelt novella by Naomi Novik about an endless war and the political machinations that keep the war machine going. Even though it’s set in medieval times, it’s very relevant to our current moment. The writing style is lovely and very fairytale-esque, and the ending wrapped up everything in a really satisfying way.