Scan barcode
brickwall27's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Murder, Blood, Abandonment, and Torture
ednapellen's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Oh. My. Goodness. I absolutely devoured this lovely little book. I literally just finished it and so my brain is busy screaming and unable to write a decent review. I intend to update this with a more proper one at a later time.
But for now, partly because I fear I may fail to update this with a proper review and partly because I know no one else who has read this series and will care but I must gush right now, I will say this:
This book is not perfect, but I'll be stale piece of bread if it isn't wonderful. I had some minor issues with it but it was full of things that I love to the point that I couldn't pay much attention to the things I didn't love. This series is starting to feel like it was designed to have all my favorite things in it.
As with the first book, I adore the magic systems - all of them, but especially Folding (the paper magic system). In all honesty, I think may be my all-time favorite magic system. I absolutely adored the time we spent learning about it at the cottage's kitchen table, or sitting on the floor of Ceony's room as she practiced a new fold, or kneeling in the garden of paper flowers- I really truly would gladly have read this book if it was about nothing but Ceony's apprenticeship.
And the characters... oh dear how I very much so liked them. Both side characters and main characters were a joy to be with for the duration of this story. Ceony has proven to be a delightful protagonist, and Thane is as wonderful as ever.
I do still find aspects of their romance odd. The modern world has made it hard for me to be comfortable with a romance between a mentor and mentee, especially when the mentee is still fairly young (though she is an adult). Still, this book handled it in a tasteful way, bringing up different things that presented the romance in a better way than the first book did.
That being said, the romance was good overall. I raised an eyebrow here and there, but generally it was well done and I am not opposed to it.
The plot was thrilling, with genuine stakes that pulled me into the book almost (almost) as thoroughly as the magic system.
I also greatly liked how well contained this book - as well as the first book in the series - is. I wouldn't say you could read this without reading the first, but with either books you could definitely choose to not continue on with the series (but then, why in tarnation would you?) while still having a satisfying ending.
The true thing I love about this book, though, is the character of it. From the prose to the world to the magic systems to the pacing to the characters to everything else, this book knows exactly what it is, and it's wonderful. Even the aspects I wasn't as big a fan of I could accept because it was so true to the character of the book. I aspire to be able to represent my own stories as accurately and as thoroughly as Charlie N. Holmberg has.
My last thought: I'm hesitant to say that I love this book. As I said, this book is so full of things that I already love that I'm not sure if its the book itself I love, or everything it has incorporated.
But if I do not love the book, then I really, really like it.
As I write this, I have the third book in the series right next to me on the arm of my couch, and as soon as I hit "post" you can bet your buttons I'm going to start reading it. And I hope that you will soon begin reading this series, as well, if only to give it a try.
But for now, partly because I fear I may fail to update this with a proper review and partly because I know no one else who has read this series and will care but I must gush right now, I will say this:
This book is not perfect, but I'll be stale piece of bread if it isn't wonderful. I had some minor issues with it but it was full of things that I love to the point that I couldn't pay much attention to the things I didn't love. This series is starting to feel like it was designed to have all my favorite things in it.
As with the first book, I adore the magic systems - all of them, but especially Folding (the paper magic system). In all honesty, I think may be my all-time favorite magic system. I absolutely adored the time we spent learning about it at the cottage's kitchen table, or sitting on the floor of Ceony's room as she practiced a new fold, or kneeling in the garden of paper flowers- I really truly would gladly have read this book if it was about nothing but Ceony's apprenticeship.
And the characters... oh dear how I very much so liked them. Both side characters and main characters were a joy to be with for the duration of this story. Ceony has proven to be a delightful protagonist, and Thane is as wonderful as ever.
I do still find aspects of their romance odd. The modern world has made it hard for me to be comfortable with a romance between a mentor and mentee, especially when the mentee is still fairly young (though she is an adult). Still, this book handled it in a tasteful way, bringing up different things that presented the romance in a better way than the first book did.
That being said, the romance was good overall. I raised an eyebrow here and there, but generally it was well done and I am not opposed to it.
The plot was thrilling, with genuine stakes that pulled me into the book almost (almost) as thoroughly as the magic system.
I also greatly liked how well contained this book - as well as the first book in the series - is. I wouldn't say you could read this without reading the first, but with either books you could definitely choose to not continue on with the series (but then, why in tarnation would you?) while still having a satisfying ending.
The true thing I love about this book, though, is the character of it. From the prose to the world to the magic systems to the pacing to the characters to everything else, this book knows exactly what it is, and it's wonderful. Even the aspects I wasn't as big a fan of I could accept because it was so true to the character of the book. I aspire to be able to represent my own stories as accurately and as thoroughly as Charlie N. Holmberg has.
My last thought: I'm hesitant to say that I love this book. As I said, this book is so full of things that I already love that I'm not sure if its the book itself I love, or everything it has incorporated.
But if I do not love the book, then I really, really like it.
As I write this, I have the third book in the series right next to me on the arm of my couch, and as soon as I hit "post" you can bet your buttons I'm going to start reading it. And I hope that you will soon begin reading this series, as well, if only to give it a try.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing
Antagonists are involved in a dark magic which makes violent use of human materials, such as teeth, blood, and hearts. These things occur fairly frequently. At times they are more mild or only mentioned, at times they are quite gruesome and described in more detail as they are happening.
More...