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kry_yang's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
As an avid Sanderson reader, I was so excited to pick up this book. I pleasantly enjoyed this one! Sanderson does a fantastic job of introducing a fascinating magic system, and as always, his action scenes are super engaging. I felt like I was standing with the characters, watching everything unfold alongside them. I barreled through this book, starting and finishing it within 24 hours, which is evidence enough of how much I enjoyed it.
There were definitely some aspects of the story I think could have been improved. For example, I think the book could have leaned into the "steampunk" aesthetic a bit more. I was looking for full-out retrofuturistic flying machines and metalworking. While the novel does feature some elements of steampunk, I honestly wouldn't classify it as "steampunk" or "gearpunk." I also didn't find any of the main characters particularly interesting. Again, I realize that this is a YA story, and a pretty short novel--there's only so much character develop you can do within the scope of a book like this. I hope to learn more about the characters' personalities and their backstories in the upcoming books.
Overall, this was a fun, lighthearted YA read with a solid magic system and intriguing storyline. I'm excited to read the second book, whenever that drops (hopefully soon, but I know Sanderson is working on a gajillion other books right now, which I guess is a good problem to have). I would recommend this book to anyone looking to immerse themselves in an adventurous YA story. 4 stars out of 5!
There were definitely some aspects of the story I think could have been improved. For example, I think the book could have leaned into the "steampunk" aesthetic a bit more. I was looking for full-out retrofuturistic flying machines and metalworking. While the novel does feature some elements of steampunk, I honestly wouldn't classify it as "steampunk" or "gearpunk." I also didn't find any of the main characters particularly interesting. Again, I realize that this is a YA story, and a pretty short novel--there's only so much character develop you can do within the scope of a book like this. I hope to learn more about the characters' personalities and their backstories in the upcoming books.
Overall, this was a fun, lighthearted YA read with a solid magic system and intriguing storyline. I'm excited to read the second book, whenever that drops (hopefully soon, but I know Sanderson is working on a gajillion other books right now, which I guess is a good problem to have). I would recommend this book to anyone looking to immerse themselves in an adventurous YA story. 4 stars out of 5!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Death, and Death of parent
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