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camibookish's review against another edition
3.0
I've seen better from Richelle Mead, still the series was good enough for me to finish them and enjoy, I didn't like the romance, the guys didn't charmed me at all, but the storyline was somewhat intriguing enough for me to like the books a bit.
bewitched_bibliophile's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jessicaalexander95's review against another edition
2.0
This series was atmoshepric and dark. Loved it and hated it with a passion. Especially the ending which was equal parts frustrating and perfect it gave me the crazy reading itch. The characters are horrible and I love it. It broke my heart that she didn’t tell Dorian who would have been a great dad
SCREAAAAMMSSS
SCREAAAAMMSSS
jesslynh's review against another edition
1.0
Ugh, ugh and triple ugh. Eugenie has to be the most selfish, self-centered protagonist that I've ever come across. The book was rolling along at a decent 2.5 stars until the end with the choices that were made.
For elaboration on all comments, see my review of the previous book in the series. I will NOT be moving on if this series continues.
For elaboration on all comments, see my review of the previous book in the series. I will NOT be moving on if this series continues.
witchylevy's review against another edition
4.0
Not one of favorite series surprisingly. The series ended okay but I'm disappointed about the ending. At least there is a some what happy ending.
nightwolfnym's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm. I liked it overall, but the ending leaves me feeling ...disappointed. Due to Shadow Heir being the final book in the series, the decision Eugenie made is aggravating to say the least. Even though I can understand the reasoning behind her decision, I'm just not willing to accept it. The other person involved deserves so much better than being kept in the dark! The entire thing just leaves me hoping that she will write a spin-off book that deals with the consequences of the choice she has made, especially since her decision involves several other people's lives, not just hers. Ugh. & as for those other two people that deserved to finally get their due... Really, Mead? That's it? After all the the turmoil they put Eugenie through, they just get to walk away essentially unscathed? Where is the resolution in that? :(
Aside from the last two chapters, I did like the rest of the book. Volusion was awesome as always & Mead once again created wonderful new characters and kingdoms for the readers to discover during Eugenie's journey through the Underworld. While the ending deserves 1 star the overall story gets a three from me.
Aside from the last two chapters, I did like the rest of the book. Volusion was awesome as always & Mead once again created wonderful new characters and kingdoms for the readers to discover during Eugenie's journey through the Underworld. While the ending deserves 1 star the overall story gets a three from me.
moon_reader's review against another edition
2.0
1.5. The climax is what saved the book for me. Everybody deserved a better ending then the easy way out the author wrote about. Will not be rereading this series. Totally regretting reading this book.
bikes_books_yarn's review against another edition
2.0
I liked it but it kind of annoyed me. I don't really like the main character and that makes it hard for me to want to follow her through her stories and to be empathetic towards her situations. I also feel like the book stopped rather than ended. Maybe there will be another in the series to pick up where this stopped? Not sure if I would read it or not. Really just finished this book feeling disgruntled and kind of irritated.
ameretet's review against another edition
2.0
I've been reading Richelle Mead's books for a while now and usually leave with the desire to read the next one as soon as possible. In this installment there is something about the decisions Eugenie makes that leaves the reader unhappy. There is also something about Eugenie that is bothersome. I suppose this started in the third book, in fact I knew Eugenie would be highly irritating in this one I just didn't think I'd leave feeling such an extreme dislike for her. I understand the need to have a flawed main character, but Eugenie's flaws not only push away the other characters in the book but, frankly, they are pushing me away as a reader.
I don't think I'd even say she is the typical flawed female protagonist in an urban fantasy novel. Typically the female protagonist is either someone the reader can relate to or someone the reader wants to be. We might not think this on a conscious level but it is still there. Why would we read books if we cannot relate to the characters at some level.
Why, indeed? This installment proved that Eugenie is becoming harder for the reader to relate to. She is becoming unlikable. In this book, Eugenie is pregnant with twins and is being hunted by the baby's father Kiyo. He and his liege lord want to kill the unborn children to prevent a prophecy from coming true. Eugenie hides in the southern United States until her kids are born. After playing at motherhood for about a month, Eugenie is informed that her other sham job, that of Queen of Rowan and Thorn Lands is under threat because of a winter blight. Eugenie goes to the Otherworld, adventures with Dorian and company, and saves her land. At the end of the book, we discover that Eugenie's friend Pagiel is actually her nephew and grandson of her father. That makes him the evil that Kiyo's prophecy speaks about. In a hamhanded attempt to save Pagiel from himself Eugenie inadvertantly leads the boy to his death at the hands of Kiyo. Directly after we discover that Kiyo is NOT the father of Eugenie's children. THe father is actually Dorian. The man who sheltered and cared for Eugenie throughout the entire book series.
What does Eugenie do with this information, which by the way should have been introduced way earlier? Nothing. Eugenie makes another terrible decision and chooses to keep the true parentage of her children to herself. She says that Dorian can see the kids when they are teenagers.
For all that Mead tries to make us think Eugenie cares about Gentry, Humans and her children, the truth is that Eugenie only cares about herself. Eugenie's selfishness seems to be boundless. She attempts to be a queen to her people only when it satisfies her. Eugenie leaves her land for long periods of time thus weakening the magical and necessary connection between the land and the sovereign. Why not just give up the land to her sister Jasmine, a girl most willing to be queen. She left Dorian in the third book, runs off with Kiyo who betrays her. In this books Eugenie begins to trust Dorian for herself. Through her actions she constantly demands that Dorian prove himself worthy of Eugenie. The problem is that it is clear to the reader that Eugenie doesn't deserve Dorian. She doesn't seem to realize that Dorian might actually have feelings. Dorian protected her throughout her pregnancy, both at a personal level and at a political level. Dorian wanted to adopt the children to give them a father since obviously Kiyo would not be a good father at all. Dorian's greatest desire is to have children. Nonetheless, we spend an entire book reading Eugenie's justification for mistrust then ultimate betrayal of Dorian. Eugenie maintains the mistrust of Dorian and never really reconciles her feelings for him other than the "great sex". She is, of course, happy that Dorian chooses to love her. She is more concerned with protecting her own self. This is Eugenie's pattern and why she isn't close to anyone, Gentry or Human. Perhaps one could argue that Eugenie is too scared to fully love anyone so she keeps everyone, including those she professes to love, at a distance. Therefore she comes across as selfish. This rampant selfishness is unappealing. Eventually she is going to lose everyone and everything that matters to her, particularly in light of this Not Going To Tell Dorian About the Babies decision. I'm not sure I want to stick around and watch. I'm uninterested in Eugenie and her feelings (she can DIAF) but I don't really want to watch Dorian suffer.
All in all, I gave this book three stars because it is a C+/B- book. It isn't good and it isn't bad.
Edit: I had to decrease down to two stars. Upon reflection I feel the book is actually a C-/D grade.
I don't think I'd even say she is the typical flawed female protagonist in an urban fantasy novel. Typically the female protagonist is either someone the reader can relate to or someone the reader wants to be. We might not think this on a conscious level but it is still there. Why would we read books if we cannot relate to the characters at some level.
Why, indeed? This installment proved that Eugenie is becoming harder for the reader to relate to. She is becoming unlikable. In this book, Eugenie is pregnant with twins and is being hunted by the baby's father Kiyo. He and his liege lord want to kill the unborn children to prevent a prophecy from coming true. Eugenie hides in the southern United States until her kids are born. After playing at motherhood for about a month, Eugenie is informed that her other sham job, that of Queen of Rowan and Thorn Lands is under threat because of a winter blight. Eugenie goes to the Otherworld, adventures with Dorian and company, and saves her land. At the end of the book, we discover that Eugenie's friend Pagiel is actually her nephew and grandson of her father. That makes him the evil that Kiyo's prophecy speaks about. In a hamhanded attempt to save Pagiel from himself Eugenie inadvertantly leads the boy to his death at the hands of Kiyo. Directly after we discover that Kiyo is NOT the father of Eugenie's children. THe father is actually Dorian. The man who sheltered and cared for Eugenie throughout the entire book series.
What does Eugenie do with this information, which by the way should have been introduced way earlier? Nothing. Eugenie makes another terrible decision and chooses to keep the true parentage of her children to herself. She says that Dorian can see the kids when they are teenagers.
For all that Mead tries to make us think Eugenie cares about Gentry, Humans and her children, the truth is that Eugenie only cares about herself. Eugenie's selfishness seems to be boundless. She attempts to be a queen to her people only when it satisfies her. Eugenie leaves her land for long periods of time thus weakening the magical and necessary connection between the land and the sovereign. Why not just give up the land to her sister Jasmine, a girl most willing to be queen. She left Dorian in the third book, runs off with Kiyo who betrays her. In this books Eugenie begins to trust Dorian for herself. Through her actions she constantly demands that Dorian prove himself worthy of Eugenie. The problem is that it is clear to the reader that Eugenie doesn't deserve Dorian. She doesn't seem to realize that Dorian might actually have feelings. Dorian protected her throughout her pregnancy, both at a personal level and at a political level. Dorian wanted to adopt the children to give them a father since obviously Kiyo would not be a good father at all. Dorian's greatest desire is to have children. Nonetheless, we spend an entire book reading Eugenie's justification for mistrust then ultimate betrayal of Dorian. Eugenie maintains the mistrust of Dorian and never really reconciles her feelings for him other than the "great sex". She is, of course, happy that Dorian chooses to love her. She is more concerned with protecting her own self. This is Eugenie's pattern and why she isn't close to anyone, Gentry or Human. Perhaps one could argue that Eugenie is too scared to fully love anyone so she keeps everyone, including those she professes to love, at a distance. Therefore she comes across as selfish. This rampant selfishness is unappealing. Eventually she is going to lose everyone and everything that matters to her, particularly in light of this Not Going To Tell Dorian About the Babies decision. I'm not sure I want to stick around and watch. I'm uninterested in Eugenie and her feelings (she can DIAF) but I don't really want to watch Dorian suffer.
All in all, I gave this book three stars because it is a C+/B- book. It isn't good and it isn't bad.
Edit: I had to decrease down to two stars. Upon reflection I feel the book is actually a C-/D grade.