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4.41 AVERAGE
4.41 AVERAGE
DNF 70%
Ya'll stop lying, this book is BORING. All they have ever done is look for cards. It's reminiscent of Pokémon GO 2017 era. Elm and Ione who? I was hoping for more Rayvn and Elspeth.
Ya'll stop lying, this book is BORING. All they have ever done is look for cards. It's reminiscent of Pokémon GO 2017 era. Elm and Ione who? I was hoping for more Rayvn and Elspeth.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This is the second in a series. I’m going to postpone reading until I read the first
adventurous
emotional
sad
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Aside from its predecessor, I can't remember the last book that I've devoured so completely. After One Dark Window's cliffhanger, I wasted no time diving headfirst into Two Twisted Crowns and never let up. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about reading. This book lives up to and expands upon the strength of the first, with the biggest departure being the switch from Elspeth's 1st-person POV to the split POVs of Ravyn, Elm, and to a lesser degree, Elspeth. In all honesty, the chapters centering Elm and Ione felt like getting cockblocked from the show I was most tuned in for: monster girls, dangerous quests, yearning sad boy angst, and The Nightmare. And though at some point I'd made my peace with their chapters - and the romance taking center stage while Elspeth was unavailable - it did bother me how their more prominent positions in the story came at the expense of Elspeth. Though the main character of the duology, the one whose eyes first introduced us to Blunder, in this second novel she's lost agency, and is forced to passively observe the events. This makes sense, given the possession of it all, but I wish there was a way for her to have played a more active role. Even the epilogue does not center her.
I will also say, I'm so very grateful to have read the Barnes and Nobles exclusive editions of this series, because the included bonus chapter that comes in this book should never have been cut. The ending would have felt unfulfilling without the emotional payoff of the bonus chapter.
I will also say, I'm so very grateful to have read the Barnes and Nobles exclusive editions of this series, because the included bonus chapter that comes in this book should never have been cut. The ending would have felt unfulfilling without the emotional payoff of the bonus chapter.
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As with the first book, Two Twisted Crowns has a strong premise but didn’t fully deliver for me. The first half was slow and a little dull, though the pacing improves later on. Gillig’s writing is wonderfully atmospheric and visual, but the reliance on plot contrivances to move things along got frustrating. The dynamic between Elspeth and the Nightmare is still the standout—his snarky banter is easily the most entertaining part of the book—while the rest of the cast feels flat and one-dimensional by comparison. Unlike some readers, I didn’t mind the split POV away from Elspeth. Overall, I appreciate the story and what it’s trying to do, but the execution never quite lived up to the potential.
3.3/5.0
3.3/5.0