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usnebojemesa's review
5.0
O-ooookej
:)
ne znam pisati recenzije, ali pokušat ću. jer ova knjigica stvarno to zaskužuje - ako uzmemo u obzir i činjenicu da je ovo prva knjiga koju sam ikad kupila za kindle ;0
jednostavno sam morala saznati što se dogodi nakon prve knjige i kad izguraš nakon prvog dijela nastavka, stvarno vrijedi.
moram reći da mi se puno više svidjela Gusova putanja u ovom dijelu nego od Domina, dapače, premda sam i čitala malo zašto se sve razvije kako se razvije s Dominom, i dalje mi je na dijelove bilo piss poor character development, ali Gusov to nadoknadi.
kako je bio prikazan u prvom dijelu kao stvarno nemoćan lik sada se izgradi u svim mogućim načinima i stvarno postane kost i koža na najbolji mogući način.
worldbuilding jer također jako jako dobar kao i svi ostali sporedni likovi koji toliko mesa sad daju likovima da je baš užitak čitati.
žao mi je što autorica još nije dovršila treću knjigu, jedino što se može sada je strpljivo čekati.
:)
ne znam pisati recenzije, ali pokušat ću. jer ova knjigica stvarno to zaskužuje - ako uzmemo u obzir i činjenicu da je ovo prva knjiga koju sam ikad kupila za kindle ;0
jednostavno sam morala saznati što se dogodi nakon prve knjige i kad izguraš nakon prvog dijela nastavka, stvarno vrijedi.
moram reći da mi se puno više svidjela Gusova putanja u ovom dijelu nego od Domina, dapače, premda sam i čitala malo zašto se sve razvije kako se razvije s Dominom, i dalje mi je na dijelove bilo piss poor character development, ali Gusov to nadoknadi.
kako je bio prikazan u prvom dijelu kao stvarno nemoćan lik sada se izgradi u svim mogućim načinima i stvarno postane kost i koža na najbolji mogući način.
worldbuilding jer također jako jako dobar kao i svi ostali sporedni likovi koji toliko mesa sad daju likovima da je baš užitak čitati.
žao mi je što autorica još nije dovršila treću knjigu, jedino što se može sada je strpljivo čekati.
cassreads8's review
1.0
Almost DNFed this 100 times.
But I made it to the end. This story dragggged so much! Gus's story was mildly interesting but Domino's wasn't- he was moping for practically the entire book. Most of this book could've been edited out and it would've been better. I was invested in Gus and Domino in the first book but now I don't care anymore. I won't read the next book but I might read the summary to see how it ends. I've dedicated too much time to this to not find out the ending.
The premise was so cool. It's a shame the execution was done poorly.
But I made it to the end. This story dragggged so much! Gus's story was mildly interesting but Domino's wasn't- he was moping for practically the entire book. Most of this book could've been edited out and it would've been better. I was invested in Gus and Domino in the first book but now I don't care anymore. I won't read the next book but I might read the summary to see how it ends. I've dedicated too much time to this to not find out the ending.
The premise was so cool. It's a shame the execution was done poorly.
doraven's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
snowyprince's review
4.25
I really enjoyed this sequel, and I'm super excited about the book 3, I need more. The characters, the old and the new ones didn't disappoint (for the most part), I'm always at awe with the diversity and realism the author manages to include in her books.
That being said, I really think that without Gus the book would be not even close to being as good as book 1. He really carried it, and the parts that made me feel something were those he was in. Domino, IDK. I like him, but he seemed so bland comparing to Gus. In the book 1 he was a child/teen, so his actions were explainable. But in this book he is supposed to be an adult, but he still acts like a kid. I know that part of it is his feeling of not belonging, but c'mon. And on top of that,his whole relationship with Lienn. I really want to be supportive, but the way he just one day decided o chose her and forget about Gus just doesn't sit right with me. You can love two people equally, but homie said nah. I seem to have a bit of a beef with his character.
However, despite all of that, I really enjoyed the book. The plot, the twists, Gus and all the side-characters, they're enough to keep me entertained, that's why the rating is only slightly lower than the book's 1. So I can't wait for the next one, I really want to see how the author manages to resolve all this mess, both regarding the story and the relationships. I sense drama.
That being said, I really think that without Gus the book would be not even close to being as good as book 1. He really carried it, and the parts that made me feel something were those he was in. Domino, IDK. I like him, but he seemed so bland comparing to Gus. In the book 1 he was a child/teen, so his actions were explainable. But in this book he is supposed to be an adult, but he still acts like a kid. I know that part of it is his feeling of not belonging, but c'mon. And on top of that,
However, despite all of that, I really enjoyed the book. The plot, the twists, Gus and all the side-characters, they're enough to keep me entertained, that's why the rating is only slightly lower than the book's 1. So I can't wait for the next one, I really want to see how the author manages to resolve all this mess, both regarding the story and the relationships. I sense drama.
astupidbucket's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
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
5.0
zephyrmarks's review
About my reviews: Because I'm a dark fantasy slow-burn queer love story writer, I stick to my genre in general for reviewing (queer speculative love stories, largely, sometimes romance). I am very aware that there are fantastic, beautifully written books out there that no part of me enjoyed reading and vice versa. I am no authority on a "good book". I just like to prattle on about books in general, and books I enjoy in detail, but I also pull no punches. I expect varying opinions because without them, the world would stop spinning. What's yours is yours, what's mine is mine. This has nothing to do with the following content except to place this review in some sort of context. This is also why I don't use the star system.
*********
This book is a brutal masterpiece. I'm not just throwing that out there lightly, and if you've read the above you'll maybe get that I'm not scoring it with some technical calculations, nor am I looking deeply for all of its flaws. Is it a perfect book? Come on, what even is that? The perfect book would probably put us all to sleep. Perfect for me? Yes, please. It imposes on me exactly the right amount of fuckery that I would want when it comes to a fantasy not romance love story set in a very unforgiving world that is perpetuating fuckery on its citizens at every turn.
So clearly, I'm rating on feelings, on aliveness, on meaning, on character, and on how this story has made me feel so far. The aliveness is notable in all interactions and man alive is it notable in the sex scenes. What a ride. The meaning draws from the most mythic and basic of human circumstances, even if half the characters are not human. Still, they present in that form and there's a delicious perpetual residue of divine hierarchy that places humans at the bottom, and yet still the Nichans imitate them for what are largely survival purposes because everyone has to deal with pandering to the one segment of fearful, crazy humans who are ruining it for everyone else and this feels... poignant, considering actual humanity. The characterization of Gus has given me the most whiplash so far, since he's got one of those truly sweeping arcs. Domino is more steady, digging into more of himself as we go along, but Gus, my goodness, how little we knew you. I will now follow him anywhere. And lastly, my feelings...most books I read, this book I lived. There are actually too many feelings involved and you definitely don't need me to try to articulate.
So, what does masterpiece mean to me? After The Nichan Smile, which I loved, I expected more of the same in Blood of Torbatt. But I didn't get more of the same. I got a mainline deep dive into fantastic worldbuilding, plot devices and twists that are incredibly satisfying, BISEXUAL REPRESENTATION, characterization that delighted me, and a unique and visceral writing style that casts off all of the syntax challenges and possible translation-based editing issues from book one. The culmination of all these things, plus that intangible otherness that takes a story from good to great is present and accounted for here.
I found Gus and Domino through Merwild's art on instagram. For several months I lurked. Then I TBR'd. When Blood of Torbatt was released, I figured I'd start on The Nichan Smile (which I have reviewed if you're interested). It's rare that I don't wait until a series is complete before starting on it, but I'm slowly changing my tune as cliffhangers fall out of favor. The wait can be hard. Clearly, by this glowing review, I regret nothing. I finished both books in two days, then bought the books.
It's maybe my highest compliment as a writer when I go back through and pick apart what worked and didn't until I'm satisfied that I've understood as much of the magic of an author's use of craft elements as possible. I'll be doing this with this series. Blood of Torbatt takes everything from The Nichan Smile and revs it up in a beautiful dance of moving between Gus's and Domino's POV, push-pulling between their inner growth and outer circumstances in wonderfully devastating and heartwarming ways. I love them both and am endlessly delighted with the worldbuilding.
I read no reviews before reading, so I had no sense of the plot of either book, just what I've gleaned over time from instagram. That was a good move on my part. It added an extra delight, which is why I'm trying to put no spoilers in either of my reviews. In this second book, these kids are going to careen headlong into adulthood. As some characters from the first book exit, the ones who enter are captivating. After a boy-heavy first book, well, make way for the women! And for a fantastic representation of 1. bisexuality, 2. the nuances of love and sex, and 3. the heartrending search for one's voice and power through greater and greater levels of self-trust in even the worst of circumstances.
Everything about this story is difficult and marvelous, because the destinies are so big that the vessels have to be broken and remade. As a part two, BoT sweeps the characters toward these destinies with a kind of lush fervor that contains the perfect amount of tension and excellent pacing. It should be noted that I'm the demographic this book was written for. My tastes are exactly this, and I can name very few books/series among so many that I've enjoyed, that I enjoyed this much. The storytelling is compelling and vibrant and plot devices are used wisely.
**********A FEW SPOILERY DETAILS BELOW ***********
*
*
*
*
*
It's rare to have an entire book in a love story series where the endgame characters don't even see each other and this is one of the more delightful things that the author has pulled off. I ached the whole time for them, but loved their trajectories. The major accomplishment of a satisfying slow burn is skirting the line of how slow you can go and still give your reader a good time. This is part of what I mean by masterpiece.
Coco, this book is magical. Your love for your characters comes through on every page and you did them justice.
So now, I wait.
*********
This book is a brutal masterpiece. I'm not just throwing that out there lightly, and if you've read the above you'll maybe get that I'm not scoring it with some technical calculations, nor am I looking deeply for all of its flaws. Is it a perfect book? Come on, what even is that? The perfect book would probably put us all to sleep. Perfect for me? Yes, please. It imposes on me exactly the right amount of fuckery that I would want when it comes to a fantasy not romance love story set in a very unforgiving world that is perpetuating fuckery on its citizens at every turn.
So clearly, I'm rating on feelings, on aliveness, on meaning, on character, and on how this story has made me feel so far. The aliveness is notable in all interactions and man alive is it notable in the sex scenes. What a ride. The meaning draws from the most mythic and basic of human circumstances, even if half the characters are not human. Still, they present in that form and there's a delicious perpetual residue of divine hierarchy that places humans at the bottom, and yet still the Nichans imitate them for what are largely survival purposes because everyone has to deal with pandering to the one segment of fearful, crazy humans who are ruining it for everyone else and this feels... poignant, considering actual humanity. The characterization of Gus has given me the most whiplash so far, since he's got one of those truly sweeping arcs. Domino is more steady, digging into more of himself as we go along, but Gus, my goodness, how little we knew you. I will now follow him anywhere. And lastly, my feelings...most books I read, this book I lived. There are actually too many feelings involved and you definitely don't need me to try to articulate.
So, what does masterpiece mean to me? After The Nichan Smile, which I loved, I expected more of the same in Blood of Torbatt. But I didn't get more of the same. I got a mainline deep dive into fantastic worldbuilding, plot devices and twists that are incredibly satisfying, BISEXUAL REPRESENTATION, characterization that delighted me, and a unique and visceral writing style that casts off all of the syntax challenges and possible translation-based editing issues from book one. The culmination of all these things, plus that intangible otherness that takes a story from good to great is present and accounted for here.
I found Gus and Domino through Merwild's art on instagram. For several months I lurked. Then I TBR'd. When Blood of Torbatt was released, I figured I'd start on The Nichan Smile (which I have reviewed if you're interested). It's rare that I don't wait until a series is complete before starting on it, but I'm slowly changing my tune as cliffhangers fall out of favor. The wait can be hard. Clearly, by this glowing review, I regret nothing. I finished both books in two days, then bought the books.
It's maybe my highest compliment as a writer when I go back through and pick apart what worked and didn't until I'm satisfied that I've understood as much of the magic of an author's use of craft elements as possible. I'll be doing this with this series. Blood of Torbatt takes everything from The Nichan Smile and revs it up in a beautiful dance of moving between Gus's and Domino's POV, push-pulling between their inner growth and outer circumstances in wonderfully devastating and heartwarming ways. I love them both and am endlessly delighted with the worldbuilding.
I read no reviews before reading, so I had no sense of the plot of either book, just what I've gleaned over time from instagram. That was a good move on my part. It added an extra delight, which is why I'm trying to put no spoilers in either of my reviews. In this second book, these kids are going to careen headlong into adulthood. As some characters from the first book exit, the ones who enter are captivating. After a boy-heavy first book, well, make way for the women! And for a fantastic representation of 1. bisexuality, 2. the nuances of love and sex, and 3. the heartrending search for one's voice and power through greater and greater levels of self-trust in even the worst of circumstances.
Everything about this story is difficult and marvelous, because the destinies are so big that the vessels have to be broken and remade. As a part two, BoT sweeps the characters toward these destinies with a kind of lush fervor that contains the perfect amount of tension and excellent pacing. It should be noted that I'm the demographic this book was written for. My tastes are exactly this, and I can name very few books/series among so many that I've enjoyed, that I enjoyed this much. The storytelling is compelling and vibrant and plot devices are used wisely.
**********A FEW SPOILERY DETAILS BELOW ***********
*
*
*
*
*
It's rare to have an entire book in a love story series where the endgame characters don't even see each other and this is one of the more delightful things that the author has pulled off. I ached the whole time for them, but loved their trajectories. The major accomplishment of a satisfying slow burn is skirting the line of how slow you can go and still give your reader a good time. This is part of what I mean by masterpiece.
Coco, this book is magical. Your love for your characters comes through on every page and you did them justice.
So now, I wait.
astravars_thrubooks's review
3.0
Was provided with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
'It was good to prove to them how unwise it was to bet against an angry Vestige.'
damn, those reveals at the end. i'm sorry to everyone in the book, but Gus is the most interesting character (to me obvs) we figure out a lot of new things about him and watching him grow into his own person made the whole book for me.
This sequel explores new places and we start to understand the political dynamics a bit more which in turn establishes what i believe to be the main conflict more solidly. The end also sets up some interesting things i can't wait to see explored in the next book.
The reason why i decked some stars : I understand that this book is character-driven but somehow the pace got even slower, some scenes felt repetitive and i felt myself detaching myself from Domino as his arc dragged on (though it got better towards the end).
'It was good to prove to them how unwise it was to bet against an angry Vestige.'
damn, those reveals at the end. i'm sorry to everyone in the book, but Gus is the most interesting character (to me obvs) we figure out a lot of new things about him and watching him grow into his own person made the whole book for me.
This sequel explores new places and we start to understand the political dynamics a bit more which in turn establishes what i believe to be the main conflict more solidly. The end also sets up some interesting things i can't wait to see explored in the next book.
The reason why i decked some stars : I understand that this book is character-driven but somehow the pace got even slower, some scenes felt repetitive and i felt myself detaching myself from Domino as his arc dragged on (though it got better towards the end).
reqlikv's review against another edition
3.0
If you liked Domino in the first book, then I think this is an enjoyable read. If not, well…
!!!Spoilers below this point!!!
Many of my opinions are the same of Wanderer, so if you’d like something more eloquent, please look at their review!
Okay. What I liked was Gus. His story, his development, his character, it was brilliant. I don’t understand why he had to bang Charr, but tbh, fair enough, and I found the whole thing with Ganlaa very realistic, because fuck, he needed some damn comfort, and Ganlaa was willing to offer. It was also believable that he helped Gus out in the ring.
The world is so, so rich. So intense. So, so much potential. What dragged down was that almost no plot came around until part III. And up until then, I only read on because I was interested in Gus’ story.
Domino’s character for me just isn’t developed. I know a lot of people like him, and that’s totally fair. I found him just as boring and as much of a pushover as in the first book. He mostly moped, and it didn’t really do anything to further the plot. And he didn’t think about Gus, like, at all?????? It just seemed very out of character for him. And you can definitely have characters that are annoying (like I found Domino to be) but still have it work, but Domino’s character was, for me, just weak. I also don’t think it helped to have his main development drive be the fact that he’s now Unaan - it makes the development he does go through feel unearned, and sigh I really do want to like him, but I just cannot see him as a strong and trustworthy leader.
I really liked Lienn - but her romantic and now sexual relationship with Domino felt forced. I think it would have been wonderful, had they kept it platonic, it reminded me of the “seasons” scene from the first book that I hated, that he can’t resist her purely because she’s a pureblood, not because he’s like, actually attracted to her, and it all came way too fast. Now there’s also the fact that I’m fairly certain that Gus and Domino are endgame, and I don’t see how there will be a satisfying conclusion to this throuple situation - either we get poly or Lienn is going to get screwed over worse than the female characters in this series usually are, and she doesn’t deserve that. And like, it wasn’t necessary for the plot - he could have been wanting to get her out of captivity even if she wasn’t his wife or was pregnant with their child. I just found this kind of relation with Lienn misplaced and unnecessary, even though I really like Lienn. Their bond seems way more like one of a mentor or maternal to me, but I’m glad if you enjoy the pairing, honestly.
Overall, the writing and plotting, pacing and characters were much better than the first book - there’s been a real development in Merwild’s writing skill, and it was really enjoyable to see this growth and also watch the world and plot unfurl. I was so caught in the plot and twists in part III that I couldn’t put it down, and it was so intense that I literally was nauseous and had a knot in my stomach as I read, so I really, really appreciate the intensity of the world building, and it was satisfying to finally get some payoff for the setup that has been going on for 1 and 2/3 of a book. I feel like book 1+2 could have been cut to a sharp 600-700 pages.
I usually find the whole main-character-is-revealed-to-be-a-god thing extremely trite, but it worked for me here, maybe because Gus doesn’t seem to be ridiculously overpowered, another great feat of this book. I sincerely hope that Domino isn’t a fallen god, though - but I think that he’s going to be revealed to be that.
All in all, I think I will be picking up A Thread of Life when it’s published, mainly because I find Gus extremely intriguing. I am aware of the fact that there will be a lot of aspects of it that I don’t like. I also know that some of what dragged this down to three stars for me is also personal preference - but I do think that a lot of it is also just things that simply don’t work for the story. I am honestly just very happy for you if you thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and 2 - I will be reading and hopefully enjoying book 3 critically, spurred on by Gus’ character and the worldbuilding. If Merwild improves as much as she has between book 1 and 2, then I think book 3 will be enjoyable - but she does have some obstacles to clear to make this story work, mainly figuring out how Lienn, Domino and Gus’ relations all will work out. I wish all three characters the best.
!!!Spoilers below this point!!!
Many of my opinions are the same of Wanderer, so if you’d like something more eloquent, please look at their review!
Okay. What I liked was Gus. His story, his development, his character, it was brilliant. I don’t understand why he had to bang Charr, but tbh, fair enough, and I found the whole thing with Ganlaa very realistic, because fuck, he needed some damn comfort, and Ganlaa was willing to offer. It was also believable that he helped Gus out in the ring.
The world is so, so rich. So intense. So, so much potential. What dragged down was that almost no plot came around until part III. And up until then, I only read on because I was interested in Gus’ story.
Domino’s character for me just isn’t developed. I know a lot of people like him, and that’s totally fair. I found him just as boring and as much of a pushover as in the first book. He mostly moped, and it didn’t really do anything to further the plot. And he didn’t think about Gus, like, at all?????? It just seemed very out of character for him. And you can definitely have characters that are annoying (like I found Domino to be) but still have it work, but Domino’s character was, for me, just weak. I also don’t think it helped to have his main development drive be the fact that he’s now Unaan - it makes the development he does go through feel unearned, and sigh I really do want to like him, but I just cannot see him as a strong and trustworthy leader.
I really liked Lienn - but her romantic and now sexual relationship with Domino felt forced. I think it would have been wonderful, had they kept it platonic, it reminded me of the “seasons” scene from the first book that I hated, that he can’t resist her purely because she’s a pureblood, not because he’s like, actually attracted to her, and it all came way too fast. Now there’s also the fact that I’m fairly certain that Gus and Domino are endgame, and I don’t see how there will be a satisfying conclusion to this throuple situation - either we get poly or Lienn is going to get screwed over worse than the female characters in this series usually are, and she doesn’t deserve that. And like, it wasn’t necessary for the plot - he could have been wanting to get her out of captivity even if she wasn’t his wife or was pregnant with their child. I just found this kind of relation with Lienn misplaced and unnecessary, even though I really like Lienn. Their bond seems way more like one of a mentor or maternal to me, but I’m glad if you enjoy the pairing, honestly.
Overall, the writing and plotting, pacing and characters were much better than the first book - there’s been a real development in Merwild’s writing skill, and it was really enjoyable to see this growth and also watch the world and plot unfurl. I was so caught in the plot and twists in part III that I couldn’t put it down, and it was so intense that I literally was nauseous and had a knot in my stomach as I read, so I really, really appreciate the intensity of the world building, and it was satisfying to finally get some payoff for the setup that has been going on for 1 and 2/3 of a book. I feel like book 1+2 could have been cut to a sharp 600-700 pages.
I usually find the whole main-character-is-revealed-to-be-a-god thing extremely trite, but it worked for me here, maybe because Gus doesn’t seem to be ridiculously overpowered, another great feat of this book. I sincerely hope that Domino isn’t a fallen god, though - but I think that he’s going to be revealed to be that.
All in all, I think I will be picking up A Thread of Life when it’s published, mainly because I find Gus extremely intriguing. I am aware of the fact that there will be a lot of aspects of it that I don’t like. I also know that some of what dragged this down to three stars for me is also personal preference - but I do think that a lot of it is also just things that simply don’t work for the story. I am honestly just very happy for you if you thoroughly enjoyed book 1 and 2 - I will be reading and hopefully enjoying book 3 critically, spurred on by Gus’ character and the worldbuilding. If Merwild improves as much as she has between book 1 and 2, then I think book 3 will be enjoyable - but she does have some obstacles to clear to make this story work, mainly figuring out how Lienn, Domino and Gus’ relations all will work out. I wish all three characters the best.
echoesofwinter's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The second book is always the hardest.
A lot of questions were answered in this book, at least. And it's interesting where it's heading.
The characters themselves were......... Not my taste much at all in this book. But I don't expect them to always fit to my likes. Vevdel is my favorite, she's so sweet. Then probably Lienn, Domino, and Ganlaa.
I have hopes that the next two(?) will pick up. I know Merwild doesn't really like happy endings, so I'm not getting my hopes up at all for that. But I can't wait for Dominus reunion.
A lot of questions were answered in this book, at least. And it's interesting where it's heading.
The characters themselves were......... Not my taste much at all in this book. But I don't expect them to always fit to my likes. Vevdel is my favorite, she's so sweet. Then probably Lienn, Domino, and Ganlaa.
I have hopes that the next two(?) will pick up. I know Merwild doesn't really like happy endings, so I'm not getting my hopes up at all for that. But I can't wait for Dominus reunion.