Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Stormsong by C.L. Polk

2 reviews

novella42's review

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book was way more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and did a good job of convincing me to care about a rich girl developing her ethics and sense of justice. Especially considering all that Grace had to answer for in the first book, I thought it was ambitious of Polk to tackle her as a protagonist. And it was ambitious, but for all the right reasons, and written with the same poise and determination that Grace shows through the whole story. I was a little stunned by just how many threads came together by the end, and how hard Polk worked to earn the changes in these characters. Some things weren't quite earned, but at the scale of this book I can forgive that, especially since I enjoyed it so much.

I enjoyed the queer romance and could've used more of it and less political intrigue, but what's on the page is still fun. Grace and Ava have good chemistry together, and it was fun to imagine them together.

Huge props for the graceful and respectful depiction of disability, specifically an ambulatory wheelchair user. In most cases the tension around the disability came from the inaccessible environment and the worry of caretakers. The character in question still had agency, motives, skills, and a role to play in the story that wasn't really focused on the disability. As a lifelong ambulatory wheelchair user myself, this was very refreshing! 

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ehmannky's review

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emotional mysterious reflective 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

I think I liked Stormsong more than I liked Witchmark, which is saying quite a bit since I loved the first book in this installment quite a lot. I liked the departure from Miles to Grace, as I felt that it's a great way to acknowledge that Miles' emotional arc and growth is for the most part at an end in terms of the story and Grace needed the space to grow. It was super fun to see him and Tristan still there, being cute and still being active in the story (also, yay! Grace and Tristan are friends now). I liked Grace a lot. I liked how she reckoned with her privilege, and her growing awareness that while she did not cause the sins of her fathers, she is responsible for rectifying the ongoing wrong. And this is explicitly said in the text to Grace's face and she accepts it. It's wonderful to see. 

Also, Grace and Avia's relationship is so beautiful. I love that Grace wants her for the same reason she wants to build a better family with Tristan and Miles--because she loves them and they make her a better person. It's just an all around gorgeous read. 
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