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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Reveals were underwhelming, main character repeatedly acknowledged they couldn't figure things out or didn't want to think critically about what they knew
Finding out I adore family dynamics where they clearly love each other they just don't know how to show it or process it and constantly do the wrong things
Hate the romance love Saint love Fable love Koy
Hate the romance love Saint love Fable love Koy
This was great, and a really good continuation of Fable. Fun and exciting storyline that really did this story and characters justice.
Character (2/5)
Plot & Pacing (2/5)
Setting & Surroundings (3/5)
Dialogue & Diction (3/5)
Craft & Voice (3/5)
Reading Experience (2/5)
Final Rating:
2.5/5
Comments:
Sometimes I wonder if I’ve outgrown everything YA has to offer. There are various reasons why adults read YA books, and sometimes I think it’s to fulfill something from those years that just was never fulfilled. And a lot of the queer YA books I’ve read especially have fulfilled those needs and ways of working out unresolved issues.
Maybe I’m just struggling to get into most of the YA fantasy that’s out there. But even at a craft level, I just really struggled to get into this, or like it much, or care about any of these characters. After two books, I still can’t differentiate between Paj and Auster, the most interesting character from Book 1 is absent for most of this one, there are so many plot issues and forced stakes, and the fact that this is the fourth consecutive YA book by Adrienne where the heroine is literally just dragged through the plot with little to no agency at all. There comes a point in the story where the character has to be influencing the plot, not the other way around. And we just don’t get it here.
I feel like I’m being told there are high stakes in this story, but where? Every single problem that comes up in this book is A) easily avoidable in an adult world where communication is a thing (we have teenage pirates outsmarting savvy adult leaders in ways that defy belief); and B) waaaaay too easily resolved. There’s no tension, no building up to an answer to all the questions we have.
I dunno, I didn’t completely hate it. But it has a lot of the same sequel issues as Girl the Sea Gave Back. I do love Adrienne’s writing, but that’s two sequels in a row that just did not deliver on the potential set up in their predecessors.
I will still read Last Legacy, even though the establishing crux for that in Namesake was a convoluted mess that didn’t make much sense. And I definitely will read the Saint prequel, because in my opinion, he’s who should have been the focus of this story all along, and was one of the only characters to really get some on-page development and hold my interest.
Plot & Pacing (2/5)
Setting & Surroundings (3/5)
Dialogue & Diction (3/5)
Craft & Voice (3/5)
Reading Experience (2/5)
Final Rating:
2.5/5
Comments:
Sometimes I wonder if I’ve outgrown everything YA has to offer. There are various reasons why adults read YA books, and sometimes I think it’s to fulfill something from those years that just was never fulfilled. And a lot of the queer YA books I’ve read especially have fulfilled those needs and ways of working out unresolved issues.
Maybe I’m just struggling to get into most of the YA fantasy that’s out there. But even at a craft level, I just really struggled to get into this, or like it much, or care about any of these characters. After two books, I still can’t differentiate between Paj and Auster, the most interesting character from Book 1 is absent for most of this one, there are so many plot issues and forced stakes, and the fact that this is the fourth consecutive YA book by Adrienne where the heroine is literally just dragged through the plot with little to no agency at all. There comes a point in the story where the character has to be influencing the plot, not the other way around. And we just don’t get it here.
I feel like I’m being told there are high stakes in this story, but where? Every single problem that comes up in this book is A) easily avoidable in an adult world where communication is a thing (we have teenage pirates outsmarting savvy adult leaders in ways that defy belief); and B) waaaaay too easily resolved. There’s no tension, no building up to an answer to all the questions we have.
I dunno, I didn’t completely hate it. But it has a lot of the same sequel issues as Girl the Sea Gave Back. I do love Adrienne’s writing, but that’s two sequels in a row that just did not deliver on the potential set up in their predecessors.
I will still read Last Legacy, even though the establishing crux for that in Namesake was a convoluted mess that didn’t make much sense. And I definitely will read the Saint prequel, because in my opinion, he’s who should have been the focus of this story all along, and was one of the only characters to really get some on-page development and hold my interest.
Man oh man! I dig me some Fable! This is a world in which I think I could happily live for at least 7 or 8 more installments. Having said that, I think it was perfect just as written. But I'm the confusing one, not Adrienne Young. She wrote a charming, exciting, beautiful, lush, oh-so-interesting tale. The father-daughter story, the love story, the friendships, the setting...it was all just so so good. So good. Can't wait to get this sequel so I can continue to recommend it in my library. ♥♥♥
4.5⭐️ J’ai vrm aimé le dénouement et la fin. Je les avais pas vu venir :))
Reserving that fourth star due to annoying love interests.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense