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a_islandcriptid's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Medical trauma, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Gaslighting, Deportation, and Forced institutionalization
jstilts's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A satisfying conclusion to the series, but it's not just a wrapping-up of plots: The Storm of Echoes puts Ophelia through more hardships as she explores and suffers through yet another institution in this strange world. As much as Books 1 and 2 felt like a pair, Book 3 and 4 do much the same, elevating the third book somewhat.
There are interesting and sometimes distressing themes introduced, including the deportation of refugees and minorities, forced institutionalisation and medical experimentation - all new to this book, which for a final is very welcome.
As for the ending, it kept me on my toes right to the very finish - I've not read much fantasy for a very long time, and while I think this pretty much played to it's own rules there was a lot introduced in the final half of this book, so I can't honestly say I feel completely happy there was a through-line from the first to the last book... and looking back there are perhaps a few rather convenient coincidences along the way. Still, I highly recommend the series as a whole!
There are interesting and sometimes distressing themes introduced, including the deportation of refugees and minorities, forced institutionalisation and medical experimentation - all new to this book, which for a final is very welcome.
As for the ending, it kept me on my toes right to the very finish - I've not read much fantasy for a very long time, and while I think this pretty much played to it's own rules there was a lot introduced in the final half of this book, so I can't honestly say I feel completely happy there was a through-line from the first to the last book... and looking back there are perhaps a few rather convenient coincidences along the way. Still, I highly recommend the series as a whole!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Deportation, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body horror, Dysphoria, Infertility, Ableism, Murder, and Death
Minor: Terminal illness
whooliio's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Body horror
hopelessroma_inlettucce's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
anarchist_al's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
I really liked this series. A little more than that, even. Dabos created such a wonderfully unique and rich world, and crafted an earth-shattering origin for it all. I love Ophelia and Thorn more than life itself, and the agonizingly slow enemies to lovers evolution they underwent over the course of TWO (2) ENTIRE BOOKS was gorgeous and heartrending and took too long but also took just long enough. Ophelia is such a strong character, and seeing her self confidence and self understanding grow over the quartet was beautiful. Thorn’s self actualization was lovely as well. The supporting cast was full of beautiful and diverse characters, each and every one perfectly lovable or detestable. My only complaints are that the unraveling of the gorgeous mystery of the world’s origins itself sometimes felt too complex. At other times, I felt that we didn’t see enough of the world and the discoveries “on screen.” I also missed the setting and characters of the Pole once the story moved to Babel, and found it a bit hard to get interested in the new setting at first. This quartet was a wonderful way to spend a few work weeks, and I will gladly revisit this world should Dabos ever write more Mirror Visitor books. I’m obsessed with the world building and would read an entire book about each and every ark.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Infertility, Alcohol, and Classism
malenaa14's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I just finished reading this book and i have a lot to say about it and the series in general so i’m using this platform for it.
The first two books were amazing. Fantastic and made me fall in love with the characters and the page-turning plot. The writing is outstanding considering I read the translation and they were so good i think they should be completely separated from the last two books.
But why?
The third book of the quartet delved into a whole other storyline, it didn’t bother me that much since it still contained the magical feeling of the former and it still retained the lovable main cast.
The last book was a train-wreck. (I might just have the comprehension skills of a 2nd grader, but i didnt know what was happening 70% of the time. It just turned into a whole ‘nother fantasy series with dozens of plotlines that are too abstract to follow and dreadful plot twists that don’t make sense.
I started off loving this series but it just gradually started going downhill until it hit rock bottom.
P.S: The motherhood plotline was also very out of place???? like, where did that come from???
The first two books were amazing. Fantastic and made me fall in love with the characters and the page-turning plot. The writing is outstanding considering I read the translation and they were so good i think they should be completely separated from the last two books.
But why?
The third book of the quartet delved into a whole other storyline, it didn’t bother me that much since it still contained the magical feeling of the former and it still retained the lovable main cast.
The last book was a train-wreck. (I might just have the comprehension skills of a 2nd grader, but i didnt know what was happening 70% of the time. It just turned into a whole ‘nother fantasy series with dozens of plotlines that are too abstract to follow and dreadful plot twists that don’t make sense.
I started off loving this series but it just gradually started going downhill until it hit rock bottom.
P.S: The motherhood plotline was also very out of place???? like, where did that come from???
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Infertility, and Violence
grimmdark's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? No
3.75
MY PHONE GLITCHED AND ERASED THE ENTIRE REVIEW FOR THIS I JUST WROTE. i guess i'll have to come back in the morning because i'm not typing all of that again at 3 am. really satisfied to have finally finished this series tho.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Torture, Body horror, Death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Classism, Confinement, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Xenophobia
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Stalking, and War
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
Ophelia has finally reunited with Thorn, but to find the answers they are looking for regarding God and the Other, she must submit herself to the Deviations observatory, a place everyone has warned her against.
I love Ophelia and Thorn, as well as many other side characters, so I enjoyed reading this book in order to spend more time with them. Unfortunately, the explanations and resolutions were far too complicated and not particularly fun to read. By the end, I was still confused but had no desire to read any more backstory. I usually love worldbuilding details, but in this case it was too dense.
Unlike many other readers, I didn’t mind the ending between Ophelia and Thorn. Of course I wanted them to end up together and have their own “happily ever after,” but this more open-ended finale fit with the tone of this series. I am also a sucker for one person being willing to risk danger for their partner, so Ophelia diving through the mirror to go after Thorn was perfect for me. The determination of both Thorn and Ophelia as well as their devotion to each other give me complete confidence that they will find each other and make their way home.
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe of the ending):
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Xenophobia
Minor: Chronic illness, Cancer, Abandonment, and Blood
cynicalraven's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
2.75
This book... was a mess. And it is not a worthy conclusion to the series. At all. It feels like the story has been cut in half halfway though. There are so many things left there without an explanation. The author could have easily wrote other 2 o 3 books: there are 21 major archs with 20 family spirits and we only saw 3 of them. What about all the others??
And most importantly, what about Ophelia and Thorn? The book ends with a cliffhanger that will never get resolved. It drives me mad. What about Berenilde, Victoire, and everybody else?
If I read the word echo one more time I'm gonna k1ll someone, I swear. </spoiler> Give me back the court intrigues, the scheming, Ophelia and Thorn learning more and more about each other. This last book feels like it does not belong to the series at all, it feels like some weird science fiction novel instead...
And most importantly, what about Ophelia and Thorn? The book ends with a cliffhanger that will never get resolved. It drives me mad. What about Berenilde, Victoire, and everybody else?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Body horror
duxfemina22's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Body horror
Moderate: Infertility
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