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rubytrev's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book, but during the last quarter I felt a little less excited. Ironic since that is when everything is being revealed. It might have been the switch to the past?... Either way I enjoyed it and will be continuing with the trilogy.
eesh25's review against another edition
2.0
Someone once said that this was the kind of series that you either loved or hated. Usually, there was no in-between. And despite that fact that I was intrigued by the synopsis and very excited for the book, I come in the latter category (except less hate, more dislike).
I just didn't like this book. One of the main reason for it was the fact that I absolutely hated Karou. She got on my last nerve. Here's an explanation of why.
Me: Hey, Karou? What are you doing?
Karou: I'm using my powers that I just discovered.
Me: What do they do?
Karou: Oh, uh... I'm not exactly sure.
Me: Then why are you using them?
Karou: Because I can?
Me: Wha- That's not right. Stop!
Karou: No! I like being powerful. Besides, just because I don't know what I'm doing, how or why I'm doing it or who I'm doing to, doesn't mean I should stop.
Me: *strangles Karou to death with my bare hands*
The End
Okay so that last part wasn't for explaining, but it made me feel better so I don't care.
Now, moving on from her (I could rant all day). The book was well written and I'm not going to deny that, but the writing style wasn't really for me.
You could say that it was like a party at the Capitol (yes, I'm taking about The Hunger Games). It was colourful, pretty and glittery, but at its core, superficial. Some people might like it. It wasn't my type.
The romance wasn't good either. It was all about the beautifulness of how beautiful Karou and Akiva's beauty was, with the whole "the world shifts when we touch" vibe going on. It wasn't really about who they both were as people at all. Which is understandable because Karou's not very likable, but still. Not good.
Honestly, the only part that worked for me was when we read about Madrigal. We finally got to know something about the war and the worlds. But then it just kept going on and on... I wanted basic info about Madrigal, not the details of her dress!
Overall, this book simply wasn't fo me. I spend most of it wondering when it would end. Talking about end, there was a reveal just before the epilogue that was cool. But I doubt it was enough to make me pick up the next book, much less commit to the series. Maybe a google search?
Anyway, I'm not going to say whether you should read it or not, it really depends on the person. If you're into stuff that focuses on flights of fancy, you could try. It's up to you.
nora_meeker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
genuinely my favorite book series i’ve ever read!
i love the pacing, the world building, the characters, the writing style, the plot, and just everything really
(i also love the romance minus how unrealistic it is and how quickly it developed. but i can let it slide in the name of soulmates)
anyway please please please read this book sjfkskakjwf it’s my favorite thing ever
i love the pacing, the world building, the characters, the writing style, the plot, and just everything really
(i also love the romance minus how unrealistic it is and how quickly it developed. but i can let it slide in the name of soulmates)
anyway please please please read this book sjfkskakjwf it’s my favorite thing ever
sarah_mitra's review against another edition
5.0
17 year-old me would have loved this. Now I'm double that age and have some issues with it (the whole claiming not to care about "purity culture" with a twist that 'hey, turns out she was pure all along!") but I still loved it. Fantastic world building, mythology, dialogue. I'll definitely be reading the next in the series!
pissylizzard's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kellygorman's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
this was really slow for a while and then picked up super hard at the end, the reveal about 300 pgs in changed the whole book for me. also the writing was great
ingo_lembcke's review
5.0
Great beginning, and one of my favourite cities: Prague.
When I was there, my last real vacation, 1984 or 1985, it was still a communist country, Tschecheslowakia (since then parted in Tschechei and Slovenia).
Given the old roads and cobblestone it was an adventure, although I managed some parts alone, and most with a group of people who I had "Advenced Philosophical Study" with (a rare Leistungskurs in German school, for some a glimpse of what to study): I am sitting in a wheelchair and Prague is just about one of the un-accessiblesed (sp?) cities I visited. Cameras and Military Personell about, even way before 9/11 (yeah people, there was a time with surveillance before that - in non-democratic countries ... and elsewhere). But I will not rant more.
So I was thrilled to read a book playing there, as I knew that Prague has not changed too much since then.
I am currently two minds about this book, one part does not want to finish it, and that my main computer broke down helped some, I had to save data and try to repair it or write a detailed report for sending the Mac mini to Apple. And I read a different book (a novella) in between, as I was constantly distracted.
The other mind is, I am not sure, after skimming some reviews of the second book, wether I will enjoy that.
And then, at 75% now, it kind of drags along (ok, that makes three minds, not two).
My favourite character are Karou and Zuzana, I do not like Akiva.
Threw caution to the wind, at 98%, a few minutes left reading, I bought the second book in the series.
A review can only be practical after the trilogy has ended (if I do not DNF the second or third book, ah the joy of the double negative ...).
The circle this book goes, I am sorry to say, I did not guess that, not having thought much about the book during the breaks I took.
Maybe if I had forced myself to read it faster, more than a month is entirely too long even with reading and finishing several other books in between.
So I will not spoil it, but I still think, it dragged around the 70%-mark, when the action left Prague.
When I was there, my last real vacation, 1984 or 1985, it was still a communist country, Tschecheslowakia (since then parted in Tschechei and Slovenia).
Given the old roads and cobblestone it was an adventure, although I managed some parts alone, and most with a group of people who I had "Advenced Philosophical Study" with (a rare Leistungskurs in German school, for some a glimpse of what to study): I am sitting in a wheelchair and Prague is just about one of the un-accessiblesed (sp?) cities I visited. Cameras and Military Personell about, even way before 9/11 (yeah people, there was a time with surveillance before that - in non-democratic countries ... and elsewhere). But I will not rant more.
So I was thrilled to read a book playing there, as I knew that Prague has not changed too much since then.
I am currently two minds about this book, one part does not want to finish it, and that my main computer broke down helped some, I had to save data and try to repair it or write a detailed report for sending the Mac mini to Apple. And I read a different book (a novella) in between, as I was constantly distracted.
The other mind is, I am not sure, after skimming some reviews of the second book, wether I will enjoy that.
And then, at 75% now, it kind of drags along (ok, that makes three minds, not two).
My favourite character are Karou and Zuzana, I do not like Akiva.
Threw caution to the wind, at 98%, a few minutes left reading, I bought the second book in the series.
A review can only be practical after the trilogy has ended (if I do not DNF the second or third book, ah the joy of the double negative ...).
The circle this book goes, I am sorry to say, I did not guess that, not having thought much about the book during the breaks I took.
Maybe if I had forced myself to read it faster, more than a month is entirely too long even with reading and finishing several other books in between.
So I will not spoil it, but I still think, it dragged around the 70%-mark, when the action left Prague.
emselilly's review against another edition
3.0
I've been in a YA rut recently, and this is the first book in a while where I really actually want to read the sequel!! The story is interesting and fast moving and it's only a little too cheesy for me :)
allivenger's review against another edition
4.0
Karou is just like any other girl her age: she goes to art school, avoids her ex boyfriend who is still somehow hung up on her, and collects teeth for a demon in her spare time. Ok, so Karou is not like the other girls at all. She is actually quite beautifully written and unique and the world itself is beautifully written and vibrant.
Karou was adopted by a young age by a random cast of characters straight out of nightmares. But she is kept apart from the inner workings of the world around her, only given access to certain things her whole life. But when she follow's her father figure through a door she shouldn't she is cast out and unable to return to those she loves. Thus starts her quest to get them back by tracking down "wishes" in order to open the gates that are now closed.
But nothing is as it seems. Right in the middle of this is the angel Akiva, one of the beings responsible for the gates being closed. Karou is now in the middle of a millennia old battle between good and evil and the lines between the two are so skewed it makes your wonder who the real villain here is.
The second half of the book giving us answers to questions Karou has been asking since her birth was lovely as well. You got a bigger dive into the world itself and the past atrocities both sides have committed in the name of winning the war. I can't wait to read the second book and see what it has in store for Karou and Akiva.
Karou was adopted by a young age by a random cast of characters straight out of nightmares. But she is kept apart from the inner workings of the world around her, only given access to certain things her whole life. But when she follow's her father figure through a door she shouldn't she is cast out and unable to return to those she loves. Thus starts her quest to get them back by tracking down "wishes" in order to open the gates that are now closed.
But nothing is as it seems. Right in the middle of this is the angel Akiva, one of the beings responsible for the gates being closed. Karou is now in the middle of a millennia old battle between good and evil and the lines between the two are so skewed it makes your wonder who the real villain here is.
The second half of the book giving us answers to questions Karou has been asking since her birth was lovely as well. You got a bigger dive into the world itself and the past atrocities both sides have committed in the name of winning the war. I can't wait to read the second book and see what it has in store for Karou and Akiva.