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jjjasper12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
daisey's review against another edition
3.0
I found the Grimoire Saga absolutely fascinating, and as soon as I heard about this prequel story I was interested in reading it as well. I enjoyed it, but it just didn't draw me in the same way that the rest of the books about the world of Ourea have. Stone is an interesting character, but I didn't feel the same connection to him or the compulsion to know how he would succeed in his fight to be free from Niccoli. I also missed some of the detail of the magical world of Ourea because Stone doesn't get to travel or explore it much. It is still an interesting piece of the story of Ourea and I'm glad I got the chance to read it and learn more about this character.
*I received an electronic copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
*I received an electronic copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
miztrebor's review
5.0
S.M. Boyce has done it yet again. The Grimoire Saga may have ended with the release of Illusion last year, but my adventures through the world of Ourea are far from over. The Misanthrope is a welcomed return to the magical, dangerous world that Boyce created, and I couldn't have asked for a better story to read.
Like the read of the books I've read from Boyce, there is no lack of genius writing. Each setting is written beautifully. Whether it's on Earth or in Ourea, I felt like I was there standing beside the characters, taking in the scenery, sounds, and scents. That's one of the things that drew me in early on.
Strong, well fleshed out characters are also offered up in this book. Stone, the main character, was able to develop more in this book compared to when readers first read him in the later Grimorie Saga books. I felt like I was able to understand and sympathize with him even more having read his story, now. The side characters, while not the main focus of this story, were also brought to life to the point that I would enjoy reading books focused on their lives, as well. Each character has something to hook me in and make me curious about what makes them tick.
Another thing that I thought made me enjoy The Misanthrope just a little bit more was that, while being part of a spin-off series to the Grimoire books, it felt like a book all its own. The was much shorter in length, yet packed just as much of a punch. it was a bit faster paced, and I think the story benefited its brevity in certain sections. For a book that covers many decades of Stone's life, it didn't feel like it was jumping forward too fast, nor did it feel like it was bogged down on any one time period.
As with my reading of Boyce's previous books, I'm already getting impatient about her next release. Credric's story will be the next in The Ourean Chronicles and I have no doubts as to whether or not it'll end up at the top of my tbr pile once it's released.
Like the read of the books I've read from Boyce, there is no lack of genius writing. Each setting is written beautifully. Whether it's on Earth or in Ourea, I felt like I was there standing beside the characters, taking in the scenery, sounds, and scents. That's one of the things that drew me in early on.
Strong, well fleshed out characters are also offered up in this book. Stone, the main character, was able to develop more in this book compared to when readers first read him in the later Grimorie Saga books. I felt like I was able to understand and sympathize with him even more having read his story, now. The side characters, while not the main focus of this story, were also brought to life to the point that I would enjoy reading books focused on their lives, as well. Each character has something to hook me in and make me curious about what makes them tick.
Another thing that I thought made me enjoy The Misanthrope just a little bit more was that, while being part of a spin-off series to the Grimoire books, it felt like a book all its own. The was much shorter in length, yet packed just as much of a punch. it was a bit faster paced, and I think the story benefited its brevity in certain sections. For a book that covers many decades of Stone's life, it didn't feel like it was jumping forward too fast, nor did it feel like it was bogged down on any one time period.
As with my reading of Boyce's previous books, I'm already getting impatient about her next release. Credric's story will be the next in The Ourean Chronicles and I have no doubts as to whether or not it'll end up at the top of my tbr pile once it's released.
laffingkat's review
4.0
This was an intriguing story about a not very likable character. I wasn't all that fond of the main character, Stone, because he was too much of a loner, too morose and single-minded. However, I certainly didn't hate him, and it was easy to understand his motivation and why he did what he did. Some of the supporting characters were much more appealing, and I wish we could have gotten to know them a bit better, but this was very much Stone's story, as the title indicates.
Both the story and the world it was set in were interesting and kept me wanting to find out what would happen next. I particularly liked how the author incorporated all of the different senses in her descriptions to help draw the reader in.
I haven't read The Grimoire Saga yet, so I can confirm that this book is easy to enjoy as a stand-alone. However, there may be context I missed by not reading the previous series first. I do intend to read or listen to the other books now, since I'm curious to learn more about Ourea.
Tim Campbell did a great job with the audiobook narration. I could easily distinguish between the different characters, and I enjoyed listening to his narration.
Both the story and the world it was set in were interesting and kept me wanting to find out what would happen next. I particularly liked how the author incorporated all of the different senses in her descriptions to help draw the reader in.
I haven't read The Grimoire Saga yet, so I can confirm that this book is easy to enjoy as a stand-alone. However, there may be context I missed by not reading the previous series first. I do intend to read or listen to the other books now, since I'm curious to learn more about Ourea.
Tim Campbell did a great job with the audiobook narration. I could easily distinguish between the different characters, and I enjoyed listening to his narration.
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