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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Spoiler free mini review
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Overall I liked this book and even though I had some issues with it, it was rather enjoyable to read.
My main issue was that this book was very ya. In the writing style, the plot, the language/ interaction between characters, the romance, the characters personality trait, the world building, almost everything. It made it predictable, boring and unoriginal. It was like every other ya book I have ever read.
The characters were also very stereotypical. You have the plain jane girl; very naïve and very beautiful but doesn’t know it. The brute warrior guy; with secretly a small heart, trying to stay good. And the funny guy who was meant to be there to make you laugh (which he actually succeeded in several times). I wasn’t per se annoyed by them, but I also didn’t care about them or was involved in their story. I couldn’t care less if one of them died. I would even had preferred it since that would be something I wouldn’t expect and bring some life to the story.
I really enjoyed how the new parts always started with the ghost of the maid from the first pages. I was really invested in that story line and was almost sad that there wasn’t more about that. I do think that there could have been added more.. like in the end a twist or something, because now it was there just to be there…
I overall had a fun time with this book and enjoyed the plot quite a lot. It reminded me in several occasions very much of anime (e.g. avatar), in that there is this common goal, in this book: bring the scroll to the temple, the characters go on this journey and more and more people get involved and travel with them. And then on this journey they come across all these side plots that have nothing to do with the main plot. In this book for example; the fight with the bear, that scene with the village hunted by creatures and this death monk, the wind witch with her weasels. I really liked to read about them, but they distracted from the main plot which is something I found particularly annoying plus if they were left out I think a trilogy was not necessary since everything could have been resolved in one book. Another thing is that when these scenes took place the book was full of action and excitement and I couldn’t stop reading. But then when the scene was over the world and characters needed to take over but that wasn’t the case for me and the whole book fall flat and made me not want to continue reading.
The ending was soooo confusing! I had no clue who was who, everything was happening way too fast without being explained well. I also felt a few things where left open even though I would have preferred them closed after a first book e.g. who are the fox girl her parents?
I am certainly not going to read the next book. Certainly not after I heard the main plot.
Book read with the lovely “YA Bookgroup of Groningen”!!
January book.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Overall I liked this book and even though I had some issues with it, it was rather enjoyable to read.
My main issue was that this book was very ya. In the writing style, the plot, the language/ interaction between characters, the romance, the characters personality trait, the world building, almost everything. It made it predictable, boring and unoriginal. It was like every other ya book I have ever read.
The characters were also very stereotypical. You have the plain jane girl; very naïve and very beautiful but doesn’t know it. The brute warrior guy; with secretly a small heart, trying to stay good. And the funny guy who was meant to be there to make you laugh (which he actually succeeded in several times). I wasn’t per se annoyed by them, but I also didn’t care about them or was involved in their story. I couldn’t care less if one of them died. I would even had preferred it since that would be something I wouldn’t expect and bring some life to the story.
I really enjoyed how the new parts always started with the ghost of the maid from the first pages. I was really invested in that story line and was almost sad that there wasn’t more about that. I do think that there could have been added more.. like in the end a twist or something, because now it was there just to be there…
I overall had a fun time with this book and enjoyed the plot quite a lot. It reminded me in several occasions very much of anime (e.g. avatar), in that there is this common goal, in this book: bring the scroll to the temple, the characters go on this journey and more and more people get involved and travel with them. And then on this journey they come across all these side plots that have nothing to do with the main plot. In this book for example; the fight with the bear, that scene with the village hunted by creatures and this death monk, the wind witch with her weasels. I really liked to read about them, but they distracted from the main plot which is something I found particularly annoying plus if they were left out I think a trilogy was not necessary since everything could have been resolved in one book. Another thing is that when these scenes took place the book was full of action and excitement and I couldn’t stop reading. But then when the scene was over the world and characters needed to take over but that wasn’t the case for me and the whole book fall flat and made me not want to continue reading.
The ending was soooo confusing! I had no clue who was who, everything was happening way too fast without being explained well. I also felt a few things where left open even though I would have preferred them closed after a first book e.g. who are the fox girl her parents?
I am certainly not going to read the next book. Certainly not after I heard the main plot.
Book read with the lovely “YA Bookgroup of Groningen”!!
January book.
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
slow-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
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
This was fantastic!!! :D I loved every second of this book and I CANNOT WAIT until Soul of the Sword comes out :D :
I wish I could give a more detailed review of this, but it was amazing, well-written, and amazing! Also this needs to be an anime STAT! lol
This was fantastic!!! :D I loved every second of this book and I CANNOT WAIT until Soul of the Sword comes out :D :
I wish I could give a more detailed review of this, but it was amazing, well-written, and amazing! Also this needs to be an anime STAT! lol
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture
Normally I would markt his DNF, but I wanted to give a rating and warning.
I know the author is of Japanese descent, I looked it up. And this is very heavily inspired by anime, which, awesome!
But the writing, characters, and world building come off as charicatures boardering on offensive. I really wanted to like this. It was giving Inuyasha, DBZ, Naruto and more. But...
The book reads less as a story set in Japan with mythical elements and more like bad fanfic. From 2003.
I know the author is of Japanese descent, I looked it up. And this is very heavily inspired by anime, which, awesome!
But the writing, characters, and world building come off as charicatures boardering on offensive. I really wanted to like this. It was giving Inuyasha, DBZ, Naruto and more. But...
The book reads less as a story set in Japan with mythical elements and more like bad fanfic. From 2003.
3.25 stars! I honestly did enjoy this I just could quite love it for some reason. I liked the world and it’s magic system I just couldn’t completely buy some of the characterization. I’m on the fence about the sequel but maybe one day I’ll pick it up