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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
At times the story was confusing with all the names you're supposed to remember-- and all of a sudden, the names switch!-- however, I really loved the book and it was a good fantasy fix! Of course, there was a happy ending and there was romance.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting, if a bit predictable sometimes, and the story was well written. It had a dark fantasy feel to it, and the spiritual side of the story was fascinating. Highly recommended.
I was impatient with this book. It took a long time for the author to get to the point. I finished it 'cause I wanted to know how it ended, but I was frustrated with the pace. It felt too dragged out to me.
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.I had higher hopes for it.
The story is quite ordinary and predictable. The heroine is a common girl who lived her entire life being abused and unloved. After something happens, she must run away the hero to help and protect her. In their journey, she fins out she's not an ordinary girl but a special snowflake. It's been done a zillion times before. I saw every twist from miles away.
Though this is a very used plot, it can be done well. The trick is in the details that give it depth. And depth is something that comes and goes in this book.
The characters and boring and one dimensional. Shadow is low-rank servent girl who was mistreated her whole life; I should be sorry for her, but I can't because she keeps thing she's better than everyone else. Her love interest is a jerk who judges people by their position in society (though that would be how he was raised, given the setting) and lives for his to duty to his family and the queen. Said queen, who treats Shadow like crap for no reason, is actually a stupid and shallow girl that exists to make Shadow look good in comparison. Everyone else is so forgettable that I can't think of anything to say. Except Ingen, she's a little mysterious and way more interesting than everyone else put together.
The world is a pretty normal fantasy setting with kings and queens and magic and swords. There's a goddess of nature who is the earth and the air and the rivers and everything, and she plays an important part. However, there's mention of a sea god, but he never truly appears. The way the magic works is actually interesting, but not explored.
There are a few bits of good and interesting worldbuilding, but they are never developed. It made me think there would be a sequel because there are mentions of other kingdoms and the relationships between them, but it never gets to be more than that. Exploring this could make a really cool story and it seem a waste that it doesn't happen.
The writing is also boring. I don't like flourishes nor purple prose, but this is going to far. It feels like a story for a five-year-old with simple words and simple sentences. It also has no tone nor writing style. It's just plain.
To be honest, the entire book is plain. It's not good, but it's not terrible.
The story is quite ordinary and predictable. The heroine is a common girl who lived her entire life being abused and unloved. After something happens, she must run away the hero to help and protect her. In their journey, she fins out she's not an ordinary girl but a special snowflake. It's been done a zillion times before. I saw every twist from miles away.
Though this is a very used plot, it can be done well. The trick is in the details that give it depth. And depth is something that comes and goes in this book.
The characters and boring and one dimensional. Shadow is low-rank servent girl who was mistreated her whole life; I should be sorry for her, but I can't because she keeps thing she's better than everyone else. Her love interest is a jerk who judges people by their position in society (though that would be how he was raised, given the setting) and lives for his to duty to his family and the queen. Said queen, who treats Shadow like crap for no reason, is actually a stupid and shallow girl that exists to make Shadow look good in comparison. Everyone else is so forgettable that I can't think of anything to say. Except Ingen, she's a little mysterious and way more interesting than everyone else put together.
The world is a pretty normal fantasy setting with kings and queens and magic and swords. There's a goddess of nature who is the earth and the air and the rivers and everything, and she plays an important part. However, there's mention of a sea god, but he never truly appears. The way the magic works is actually interesting, but not explored.
There are a few bits of good and interesting worldbuilding, but they are never developed. It made me think there would be a sequel because there are mentions of other kingdoms and the relationships between them, but it never gets to be more than that. Exploring this could make a really cool story and it seem a waste that it doesn't happen.
The writing is also boring. I don't like flourishes nor purple prose, but this is going to far. It feels like a story for a five-year-old with simple words and simple sentences. It also has no tone nor writing style. It's just plain.
To be honest, the entire book is plain. It's not good, but it's not terrible.
I was expecting a lot more from this book, based on the synopsis. More adventure and even more intrigue. But I was sadly disappointed, the book was confusing and I really did not understand what was going on until like 40 pages into the book.
Ok, so it was not all bad, once I got into it, it was pretty good, but a little boring. I felt like the plot kept jumping around, and that the characters were disconnected. And while the ending was complete I wish it had been more spontaneous. I have to say the ending of the book was my favorite part of the book.
Shadow was an interesting character who was just trying to find herself. I wish the rest of the book could have been as interesting as her. I do have to say that, it was an interesting premise, I just wish it had been executed in a different way.
Ok, so it was not all bad, once I got into it, it was pretty good, but a little boring. I felt like the plot kept jumping around, and that the characters were disconnected. And while the ending was complete I wish it had been more spontaneous. I have to say the ending of the book was my favorite part of the book.
Shadow was an interesting character who was just trying to find herself. I wish the rest of the book could have been as interesting as her. I do have to say that, it was an interesting premise, I just wish it had been executed in a different way.