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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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
emotional
mysterious
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
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
This definitely starts off slow but by 40%, it gets pretty interesting. Loved the variety of POVs and how we see the developments of past-present. The magic in this world was unique and I couldn’t predict it all which was really fun. The ending though, had me shook!!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
God where to start?! Firstly, it was absolutely BEAUTIFULLY written. Lyrical, deeply evocative, richly described but not in a way that impedes the narrative. Really enjoyed it. I think it could have been shorter - here and there throughout I think it would have benefited from a little trim down and for that reason I did struggle with the mid-latter half of the book and got into a bit of a reading slump, which was unfortunate! I also think, weirdly, it suffered from having SUCH a FANTASTIC opening few chapters (including one of the most attention grabbing prologues I’ve ever read). I think after those, I expected it to be something which it didn’t quite manage to deliver (and that could well be on me!). Amidst a beautiful fantasy story, Taylor weaves in some really superb and nuanced reflections upon/representations of generational prejudices borne of, and fuelling, war and cultural conflict, which resonated hugely given current political landscapes and ongoing warfare. Thoroughly enjoyable overall: a really unique and intriguing read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I found myself completely absorbed from the first chapter. Sarai and Lazlo are phenomenally written protagonists, and I loved the richness of the world Taylor built around them. The secondary characters were also fairly dynamic, and I think adding a touch more to their stories (just a chapter or two more of space!) would have bumped this from 4.5 to 5 stars for me. I kept putting off reading this because SO MANY people had it on their list of favorites that I wasn’t sure it could live up to the hype, but I’m glad to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Will be grabbing the sequel soon!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun, whimsical, and at times surprisingly heartfelt, this YA novel exceeded my expectations. I wasn’t anticipating anything groundbreaking, but I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the world—rich with magic, gods, and alchemy. The cast of characters was delightful and easy to love, with the exception of one. While there were brief flashes of complexity in this less likable character, the story never fully dug into their depth fa missed opportunity that I hope might be explored more in the sequel). Though I wouldn’t place this in the five-star category (it lacked that extra spark that pushes a book into unforgettable territory), it was still an engaging and enjoyable read. A charming start to a series with plenty of promise.