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lunarchfey's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 stars
This was my favourite series as a young teen, so I was super delighted when I picked it up for a re-read 15-20 years later and found that it was still as charming as I'd hoped. I've carried my copies for that many years, and let me tell you, they are pretty well-worn and loved. I'm also pretty sure that Numair kicked off a decades-long fondness for his very specific character type, so... good job to this series, I guess. I have to credit you that, Tamora Pierce!
This was my favourite series as a young teen, so I was super delighted when I picked it up for a re-read 15-20 years later and found that it was still as charming as I'd hoped. I've carried my copies for that many years, and let me tell you, they are pretty well-worn and loved. I'm also pretty sure that Numair kicked off a decades-long fondness for his very specific character type, so... good job to this series, I guess. I have to credit you that, Tamora Pierce!
posies23's review against another edition
4.0
It took me way too long to read this book, but it's not really the book's fault -- I kept getting waylaid by book club books, 20-year-old comics, and books for school.
With that said, this is a nice continuation of the SONG OF THE LIONESS series. It opens up the magical elements, adds several new characters, and catches us up with several of the key players from the first series. (I'm 99% sure you could enjoy it without reading the earlier books, but that's hard for me to say since, y'know, I've already read them.)
The book follows the adventures of a young orphan girl who has the magical ability to communicate with animals, and her gradual introduction into a group of people fighting to keep their kingdom safe from encroaching bad guys. To make matters worse, magical creatures are starting to reappear and are causing all sorts of trouble and conflict.
Pierce's writing remains sharp, and the narrative is interesting. She does a good job with characterization and introducing interesting twists on typical fantasy tropes. There's several more books in the series, and I look forward to reading them!
With that said, this is a nice continuation of the SONG OF THE LIONESS series. It opens up the magical elements, adds several new characters, and catches us up with several of the key players from the first series. (I'm 99% sure you could enjoy it without reading the earlier books, but that's hard for me to say since, y'know, I've already read them.)
The book follows the adventures of a young orphan girl who has the magical ability to communicate with animals, and her gradual introduction into a group of people fighting to keep their kingdom safe from encroaching bad guys. To make matters worse, magical creatures are starting to reappear and are causing all sorts of trouble and conflict.
Pierce's writing remains sharp, and the narrative is interesting. She does a good job with characterization and introducing interesting twists on typical fantasy tropes. There's several more books in the series, and I look forward to reading them!
petrifiedsap's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
thehandthatreadsyou's review against another edition
5.0
I adore this series, and read this (and the Lioness Quartet) every year or so. Can't recommend highly enough, I love these books just as much now as I did 20+ years ago!
arwombat's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
sarai_te's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
madgec's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
3.75
It had a really good back half but it took me a while to get on board with Daine as a character. Once I did it was really engaging. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
steph01924's review against another edition
5.0
Still great on a millionth re-read. Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult!
winterscape's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it.
The book itself was fantastic, with an authentic teenage voice as the POV (constantly, I was thinking, yep, I would have thought/felt the same at 13), varied and interesting female characters, and enough focus on animals (especially horses) to make my inner 13-year-old glow. I would have delighted in this as a kid--I'd have called myself horse-hearted for sure and longed for Daine's abilities. What a fun magic system and delightful world.
As an adult, I also appreciated that the adults in the book treated Daine appropriately for her age.
The audio production was flawless, with talented voice cast and musical interludes that brought the story's atmosphere to life in a way that I have never experienced before. At the end, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Bruce Coville--the founder of Full Cast Audio--narrating the credits, as he was one of my favourite authors growing up. It really tied the experience together.
I'm definitely going to check out more Tamora Pierce and Full Cast Audio productions.
The book itself was fantastic, with an authentic teenage voice as the POV (constantly, I was thinking, yep, I would have thought/felt the same at 13), varied and interesting female characters, and enough focus on animals (especially horses) to make my inner 13-year-old glow. I would have delighted in this as a kid--I'd have called myself horse-hearted for sure and longed for Daine's abilities. What a fun magic system and delightful world.
As an adult, I also appreciated that the adults in the book treated Daine appropriately for her age.
The audio production was flawless, with talented voice cast and musical interludes that brought the story's atmosphere to life in a way that I have never experienced before. At the end, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Bruce Coville--the founder of Full Cast Audio--narrating the credits, as he was one of my favourite authors growing up. It really tied the experience together.
I'm definitely going to check out more Tamora Pierce and Full Cast Audio productions.
revonue's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, War, and Violence