Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
that was so good. wow. 🥲🥲🥲🥲
im so nervous for the next book WHATS NEXT KAYA
im so nervous for the next book WHATS NEXT KAYA
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
the truth is… i always have been and always will be a whore for a bit of world-building in fantasy. this had me in a trance
This story left me feeling empty. Do not get me wrong, it was a good story but (much like all other Cashore books) it kind of just ends. There's no true end - it's all left open and it makes me upset as there is no book four at present.
The story was slow moving and at times a bit confusing, but the ending ties all 3 books nicely together.
I kinda feel Katsa as a character was a little degraded in this book. She was strong and sure in Graceling and I feel like she came across as petty in this book. Bitterblue is also fairly grating but that I put down to her being young and being lied to constantly - I'd be mad and whiny too.
Overall I give it a 4.5/5. It was good but not great.
The story was slow moving and at times a bit confusing, but the ending ties all 3 books nicely together.
I kinda feel Katsa as a character was a little degraded in this book. She was strong and sure in Graceling and I feel like she came across as petty in this book. Bitterblue is also fairly grating but that I put down to her being young and being lied to constantly - I'd be mad and whiny too.
Overall I give it a 4.5/5. It was good but not great.
Bitterblue suffers from several flaws. First, the protagonist is too young. She comes across as whiny and childish and doesn't fit easy into a fantasy action adventure book. Second, the big reveal at the end is too graphic and realistic for a fantasy novel. The tone is all wrong and the book takes previously lovable characters and relegates them to the background. All in all, a very disappointing conclusion to the series.
This book took such a departure from the first two in the series in terms of pacing and plot, but I still enjoyed it! I agree with a lot of the reviews that said the first quarter of the book was very slow, but I didn't find myself losing interest at all. It was so interesting to see Bitterblue unlock various pieces of the puzzle of her kingdom (although the discoveries could have been made more consistently throughout the book rather than all at the end). Overall, I once again was touched by this author's ability to warm my heart with how well she portrays strong relationships/friendship and support between characters
***Spoilies ahead***
I think my only major complaints are in terms of Saf and Giddon. I kind of wanted Saf to betray Bitterblue and for them to never get together because he acted so stupidly, selfishly and childishly towards Bitterblue. I don't think I ever forgave him even if the protagonist did. And I felt like the author was hinting towards a budding romance with Giddon and then nothing came of it (maybe a hint towards the far future?) I can't decide if a romance between Giddon and Bitterblue would be a nice full-circle ending or super weird after his involvement with Katsa in Graceling. Also, he seemed like a completely different person in Bitterblue than he did when we first met him, but maybe that's just 10 years' worth of emotional growth that we didn't see.
***Spoilies ahead***
I think my only major complaints are in terms of Saf and Giddon. I kind of wanted Saf to betray Bitterblue and for them to never get together because he acted so stupidly, selfishly and childishly towards Bitterblue. I don't think I ever forgave him even if the protagonist did. And I felt like the author was hinting towards a budding romance with Giddon and then nothing came of it (maybe a hint towards the far future?) I can't decide if a romance between Giddon and Bitterblue would be a nice full-circle ending or super weird after his involvement with Katsa in Graceling. Also, he seemed like a completely different person in Bitterblue than he did when we first met him, but maybe that's just 10 years' worth of emotional growth that we didn't see.
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
I loved this book! It’s on my “to-buy” shelf for sure. Cashore took her world deeper, and did all te things I wanted. She took time developing characters, she didn’t skim over the hard stuff and didn’t sugar coat. She created a complex world with real problems and relatable characters.
I have to confess that I didn’t read Fire and I’m not sure I want to. But I loved this book.
And unlike others I don’t think Cashore is a man and, marriage hating author. I think she created real relationships, as they are today. It’s interesting to me that women love to talk air feminism but in books we somehow hold women to old fashioned standards. We want them to have old fashioned love stories with heroes and perfect happy endings. I loved jays she didn’t shy away from reality, and also liked that she portrayed healthy marriages and relationships. I could feel bitterblues confusion as she muddled through her responsibility and feelings.
I definitely recommend.
I have to confess that I didn’t read Fire and I’m not sure I want to. But I loved this book.
And unlike others I don’t think Cashore is a man and, marriage hating author. I think she created real relationships, as they are today. It’s interesting to me that women love to talk air feminism but in books we somehow hold women to old fashioned standards. We want them to have old fashioned love stories with heroes and perfect happy endings. I loved jays she didn’t shy away from reality, and also liked that she portrayed healthy marriages and relationships. I could feel bitterblues confusion as she muddled through her responsibility and feelings.
I definitely recommend.
somehow with each book this series gets better and better
i adore saf and bitterblue especially, but also just. all of these characters rule honestly LMAO. this universe is so enjoyable to me
this is my last reread for the series n the next 2 books r uncharted ground for me but i am looking forward to them. im glad i finally read fire before this one cause i dont think it rly dawned on me what exactly was happening at the end of Bitterblue the first time i read it; i honestly didnt even rememever that it had happened.
i really dont even know what else to say lol. i think i can say i enjoyed this book WAY more a 2nd time through for some reason even tho i definitely liked it the first time. huge W series. MAN theres literally no words to express how much i enjoyed this
i adore saf and bitterblue especially, but also just. all of these characters rule honestly LMAO. this universe is so enjoyable to me
this is my last reread for the series n the next 2 books r uncharted ground for me but i am looking forward to them. im glad i finally read fire before this one cause i dont think it rly dawned on me what exactly was happening at the end of Bitterblue the first time i read it; i honestly didnt even rememever that it had happened.
i really dont even know what else to say lol. i think i can say i enjoyed this book WAY more a 2nd time through for some reason even tho i definitely liked it the first time. huge W series. MAN theres literally no words to express how much i enjoyed this
The best in the series, for me anyway.
It is slower more character driven rather than plot and the romance isn't even the 3rd most important thing in the book.
it was nice to see previous characters and have the 2 previous stories connected. The characters have aged and grown and some get better development, one in particular I didn't like in Graceling but is now one of my favourite characters.
the story is more of a political fantasy, not to the standards of Game of Thrones, but in its own YA way.
The book has it's issues, I think the conclusions to every answer came very quickly in the last 150 pages, everything got answered and I wish it had slowly unravelled. The writing is still imperfect at times, having to reread the same sentence and add in punctuation just to make it make sense. And sometimes the vocabulary just feels unnecessary. Like a young person who has just discovered a new word and has to use it somewhere. But it is the best written and best paced in the series so far.
I no longer feel that continuing is going to be a chore and enjoy continuing Bitterblue's story in the next.
It is slower more character driven rather than plot and the romance isn't even the 3rd most important thing in the book.
it was nice to see previous characters and have the 2 previous stories connected. The characters have aged and grown and some get better development, one in particular I didn't like in Graceling but is now one of my favourite characters.
the story is more of a political fantasy, not to the standards of Game of Thrones, but in its own YA way.
The book has it's issues, I think the conclusions to every answer came very quickly in the last 150 pages, everything got answered and I wish it had slowly unravelled. The writing is still imperfect at times, having to reread the same sentence and add in punctuation just to make it make sense. And sometimes the vocabulary just feels unnecessary. Like a young person who has just discovered a new word and has to use it somewhere. But it is the best written and best paced in the series so far.
I no longer feel that continuing is going to be a chore and enjoy continuing Bitterblue's story in the next.