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heather667's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Sexism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, Racism, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol and Misogyny
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal cruelty, and Sexual assault
fareehareads's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I almost didn't finish this book. I nearly dropped in several times. But something propelled me forward to just blaze through it in one sitting after days of going back and forth with it.
The story itself follows Joan Sands and her brother James, two fae living in the Elizabethan era and working as a part of Shakespeare's acting company. James is an actor and Joan is the swords expert that teaches everyone how to fight. Their family are blessed by the Orisha, meaning all of them have special abilities, for Joan it's the ability to manipulate iron and other metals. There is a political plot in this, a group of actors with wild personalities, a male and female love interest for Joan, and some fae deaths that lead to an investigation and further choas.
All around the premise sounded so promising but where it felt flat for me was the worldbuilding and convoluted plot. It was very clear that the author was setting up this book to have some larger implications that wouldn't be explored till the next book and I wish it was less heavy handed. The focus of the task at hand kept getting lost and while Joan's motivations weren't unclear, her desires felt very strained and pulled in too many directions. She was clearly meant to be an honorable character with a sense of justice and care for her fellow family and friends. Yet she often acted for her own self interests and didn't actually make any real effort to find out why she was the only one from her family other than her uncle with the specific very important ability that could change everything. It came up and was dropped like it meant nothing.
Also her parents didn't make a lot of sense to me, her mother was hell-bent on keeping Joan from knowing things by saying "she's too young" and that didn't feel like the strongest argument considering how she was killing monsters every other day and supporting her brother completely. It felt like Joan was carrying a lot but there was 0 acknowledgment of that from everyone around her. Also Shakespeare himself being an active character was an interesting choice, but I almost wish it didn't happen at all.
I had a lot more complaints about this than I thought. Anyway a lot of this book had potential, but it really didn't stick the landing.
The story itself follows Joan Sands and her brother James, two fae living in the Elizabethan era and working as a part of Shakespeare's acting company. James is an actor and Joan is the swords expert that teaches everyone how to fight. Their family are blessed by the Orisha, meaning all of them have special abilities, for Joan it's the ability to manipulate iron and other metals. There is a political plot in this, a group of actors with wild personalities, a male and female love interest for Joan, and some fae deaths that lead to an investigation and further choas.
All around the premise sounded so promising but where it felt flat for me was the worldbuilding and convoluted plot. It was very clear that the author was setting up this book to have some larger implications that wouldn't be explored till the next book and I wish it was less heavy handed. The focus of the task at hand kept getting lost and while Joan's motivations weren't unclear, her desires felt very strained and pulled in too many directions. She was clearly meant to be an honorable character with a sense of justice and care for her fellow family and friends. Yet she often acted for her own self interests and didn't actually make any real effort to find out why she was the only one from her family other than her uncle with the specific very important ability that could change everything. It came up and was dropped like it meant nothing.
Also her parents didn't make a lot of sense to me, her mother was hell-bent on keeping Joan from knowing things by saying "she's too young" and that didn't feel like the strongest argument considering how she was killing monsters every other day and supporting her brother completely. It felt like Joan was carrying a lot but there was 0 acknowledgment of that from everyone around her. Also Shakespeare himself being an active character was an interesting choice, but I almost wish it didn't happen at all.
I had a lot more complaints about this than I thought. Anyway a lot of this book had potential, but it really didn't stick the landing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Murder, Colonisation, Blood, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Hate crime, Bullying, and Gaslighting
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Classism
jessicaludden's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? No
2.5
I wanted to like this book but it fell kind of flat for me. I love the premise of a religion-based magic system set in Shakespearean London with POC and queer main and side characters. I really liked Joan and her brother’s relationship, but the side characters didn’t do a lot for me. The romance also felt very instant and I couldn’t really see the chemistry with either of her love interests. As far as the plot goes, I feel like things kept happening but nothing connected or flowed well. We never circled back to the overarching theme or goal. Overall, I liked the idea of this but the execution wasn’t what I hoped it would be. I wish we had gotten more world building and explored the magic system more.
Content Warnings
Minor: Gore, Body horror, Death, Racism, Blood, Murder, and Racial slurs
knlipke's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed reading this book so much!! The story is unique, while tying in old tales of fae and the Orisha. I love Joan, James and everyone else! They’re great characters.
The ending was kind of abrupt. I understand there to be more books in the future of this series; however, it was just a little rushed for me. But the twist at the end was great!
Overall can’t wait to read more in the Forge and Fracture Saga
The ending was kind of abrupt. I understand there to be more books in the future of this series; however, it was just a little rushed for me. But the twist at the end was great!
Overall can’t wait to read more in the Forge and Fracture Saga
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Murder, Blood, Racism, and Racial slurs
brontesauruses's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for giving me early access in exchange for an honest review!
How great is that cover?? I was sold pretty much immediately based on that alone, and it mostly lived up to my expectations. The writing can be a bit clunky at times, and I found the romance to be very distracting*, but there's a lot to like: Joan's magic, her relationship with her brother, Faerie Nonsense, Shakespeare, just, like...Joan in general, honestly. Lots of good stuff. Also, it was all very queer and I am always here for that.
I was kind of on the fence about whether or not I'd read the next one, but the ending has made me very curious.
*It wasn't bad?? There was just lots of blushing and stomach butterflies, and maybe I'm just a cranky old lady, but it got old very quickly and felt like it was getting in the way sometimes. I like romance, but...yeah.
How great is that cover?? I was sold pretty much immediately based on that alone, and it mostly lived up to my expectations. The writing can be a bit clunky at times, and I found the romance to be very distracting*, but there's a lot to like: Joan's magic, her relationship with her brother, Faerie Nonsense, Shakespeare, just, like...Joan in general, honestly. Lots of good stuff. Also, it was all very queer and I am always here for that.
I was kind of on the fence about whether or not I'd read the next one, but the ending has made me very curious.
*It wasn't bad?? There was just lots of blushing and stomach butterflies, and maybe I'm just a cranky old lady, but it got old very quickly and felt like it was getting in the way sometimes. I like romance, but...yeah.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Racism
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