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mariebrunelm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.25
I wouldn't say that Ship of Destiny let me down. It made me feel a lot, and that in itself is a victory. The characters are so real and flawed that I wish I could bang them on the head with a frying pan, yes, but if Robin Hobb's character writing wasn't stellar, that wouldn't happen.
However, I do find that the first half of this chunky volume drags. I just can't pretend I'm interested in what happens, because I'm not as invested in the characters as I am in the Farseer, Tawny Man and Fitz & Fool trilogies. However, my heart soars when we find passing mentions of these series & characters in Ship of Destiny, and one scene in particular is one of my favourites all books considered.
Do tread with caution, this book in particular deals with rape in an uncomfortably raw way, as much the act as its consequences.
However, I do find that the first half of this chunky volume drags. I just can't pretend I'm interested in what happens, because I'm not as invested in the characters as I am in the Farseer, Tawny Man and Fitz & Fool trilogies. However, my heart soars when we find passing mentions of these series & characters in Ship of Destiny, and one scene in particular is one of my favourites all books considered.
Do tread with caution, this book in particular deals with rape in an uncomfortably raw way, as much the act as its consequences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Slavery
genny's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book wrenched my heart out! One thing I can say is that the characters went through a huge transformation throughout the series, and Hobb manages to make their development believable. Malta, who I used to hate, became my favorite character by the end. Wintrow, who I used to root for and cherished like a baby, angered me so much that I wished for his death. An emotional excerpt from my reading journal: "Fuck Vivacia. Fuck Wintrow, especially. Cowardly piece of shit. The only reason he believes Althea is because Etta does. He believes his own aunt not out of his own volition, but because the woman he has a stupid crush on told him to. And still he prances around like Kennit's lapdog." Yeah, I was going through it. 😆 The priest is gone, and in his place is a man who has bent his morals so much that he can even excuse rape. I'm disturbed by Hobb's repeated use of sexual assault as a plot device. I appreciate that characters can develop negatively instead of all of them becoming better people. But it still hurt.
Plenty of readers feel conflicted about Kennit. I do not. The twist in his story was expertly done (honestly, I can't believe I didn't guess it sooner!), but as for Kennit himself...he deserved far worse than what he got. I didn't want him to die a martyr or a legend. I wanted his allies to turn on him, all of his deceit unveiled, his reputaton ruined. I wanted him annihilated. Instead, we got the complete opposite. I understand what Hobb was trying to do here, because it mirrors what happens all the time in real life. But man...I have never felt more betrayed.
I loved most of the other characters. Special shoutout to Ophelia and the Teniras, the most optimistic, unproblematic residents of Bingtown! 😅 I thoroughly enjoyed the chapters focusing on rebuilding the city with the Tattooed and Three Ships immigrants. Overall: incredible attention to detail, and solid groundwork for all of the later reveals to make sense. I'm bitter about some characters' fates in the end, but it's still an incredible trilogy. I won't be reading the rest of Realm of the Elderlings yet because I'm emotionally exhausted, but maybe when I've recovered...
Plenty of readers feel conflicted about Kennit. I do not. The twist in his story was expertly done (honestly, I can't believe I didn't guess it sooner!), but as for Kennit himself...
I loved most of the other characters. Special shoutout to Ophelia and the Teniras, the most optimistic, unproblematic residents of Bingtown! 😅 I thoroughly enjoyed the chapters focusing on rebuilding the city with the Tattooed and Three Ships immigrants. Overall: incredible attention to detail, and solid groundwork for all of the later reveals to make sense. I'm bitter about some characters' fates in the end, but it's still an incredible trilogy. I won't be reading the rest of Realm of the Elderlings yet because I'm emotionally exhausted, but maybe when I've recovered...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Slavery
Minor: Pregnancy
meaganita's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Slavery, Murder, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Death of parent
emmasweenz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Slavery
szuum's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Death
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Slavery and Pedophilia
delilahreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Slavery
woolly_moonmoth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Slavery
noaregine's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The last time a book gripped my like this might have been The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber, and that is two or three years ago now. I'm overjoyed I read this series and I'm genuinely heartbroken I never get to read it for the first time again. I'm also definitely going to reread them, which is not something I've ever done before with a series in which each entry is 900 pages. Can't wait for the little details I missed. ALSO can we talk about women in fantasy? Realistic, well-rounded, neither manic nor pixie women? And women's issues in a patriarchal society? MORE LIKE THIS PLEASE.
Now, if you've clicked to open this and you ever intend to read these books, here's your second spoiler warning. I'm not going to spoil heavily, but still. You won't want to know this.
No, really. Turn back now.
Don't do it, my friend. I know who you are. You know who you are. I'm talking to you. Stop it
Stop.
Ok so. This isn't a review, it's just nonsense written down.
I've never read a villain story this carefully woven. Because I do think he's a villain, and I do think it's his story, mostly. He's just such a good villain that you as the reader – and he himself as well – doubt that throughout. But, oh boy, did I hate his guts by the end. It will make a reread... Interesting, knowing how nauseating he becomes just a couple chapters before the end, and realising that might have been there all along. They Hobb unravels all of her mysteries, including his, is also unlike anything I've ever read. Almost never at the end of a chapter, in a cliff hanger. Almost always you begin to understand, she gives you enough to allow you to guess at is, and guess correctly, and then, almost nonchalantly, she drops the last bit of information mid-sentence and it hits in full force anyway.
I'm at a loss at what to read next. I don't wanna barge straight into her next books yet, because Althea and Brashen and Malta and Paragon won't be there. But Paragon told mottled, tawny Amber to go north. So.
No, really. Turn back now.
Don't do it, my friend. I know who you are. You know who you are. I'm talking to you. Stop it
Stop.
Ok so. This isn't a review, it's just nonsense written down.
I've never read a villain story this carefully woven. Because I do think he's a villain, and I do think it's his story, mostly. He's just such a good villain that you as the reader – and he himself as well – doubt that throughout. But, oh boy, did I hate his guts by the end. It will make a reread... Interesting, knowing how nauseating he becomes just a couple chapters before the end, and realising that might have been there all along. They Hobb unravels all of her mysteries, including his, is also unlike anything I've ever read. Almost never at the end of a chapter, in a cliff hanger. Almost always you begin to understand, she gives you enough to allow you to guess at is, and guess correctly, and then, almost nonchalantly, she drops the last bit of information mid-sentence and it hits in full force anyway.
I'm at a loss at what to read next. I don't wanna barge straight into her next books yet, because Althea and Brashen and Malta and Paragon won't be there. But Paragon told mottled, tawny Amber to go north. So.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery
achingallover's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism
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