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bookswithlauren's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
3.75
I am wavering between 3.5* and 4* for the last instalment of the Simon Snow universe.
Initially, I adored this world. Carry On was an incredible book with well thought out characters and plot. I was left on my seat, constantly want to read more. So much so, that I read the book in one sitting. Wayward Son was a completely different ball game and I felt it was quite a step down from Carry On. At times there was a plot and at times there was not, the characters behaviours and personalities were completely different from those built up and introduced to us in the first book. The 'main' plot was hyped up to then all come to an end within a few pages and the relationship between characters was just not good.
Because of this, I thought all of this would be resolved in Any Way the Wind Blows. For the most part, everything I disliked about Wayward Son was fixed in Any Way the Wind Blows and I really did enjoy reading the book. I found it easy to read and the characters were more themselves again. One of my favourite things about this series is the multiple character perspectives but in this book, it felt as if I we had three completely different main plot lines going on and I was reading three separate prequels instead of one book. I didn't hate this aspect but with the main characters being such a strong team, it was a bit strange. I absolutely adored each pairing of Baz and Simon, Penelope and Shephard (what a guy, I love him) and surprisingly, Niamh and Agatha. Agatha didn't make me eyeroll in this book! I do wish her friendship with Niamh was not rushed as much because it made her small plot line seem so out of the blue.
Another thing I just don't understand with the last two books in this series is the main plot being built up so much to then end over a few pages and never to be addressed again. If I have read over 400 pages building up this main plot line, I want more than 20 pages of it all unravelling and when we are given a prologue set 1 year later, I want more than just one paragraph that completely opens the world for more stories.
Overall, I really did enjoy Any Way the Wind Blows and it was incredibly easy to read, I just wish some things were thatched out a bit more and other things not so much.
Initially, I adored this world. Carry On was an incredible book with well thought out characters and plot. I was left on my seat, constantly want to read more. So much so, that I read the book in one sitting. Wayward Son was a completely different ball game and I felt it was quite a step down from Carry On. At times there was a plot and at times there was not, the characters behaviours and personalities were completely different from those built up and introduced to us in the first book. The 'main' plot was hyped up to then all come to an end within a few pages and the relationship between characters was just not good.
Because of this, I thought all of this would be resolved in Any Way the Wind Blows. For the most part, everything I disliked about Wayward Son was fixed in Any Way the Wind Blows and I really did enjoy reading the book. I found it easy to read and the characters were more themselves again. One of my favourite things about this series is the multiple character perspectives but in this book, it felt as if I we had three completely different main plot lines going on and I was reading three separate prequels instead of one book. I didn't hate this aspect but with the main characters being such a strong team, it was a bit strange. I absolutely adored each pairing of Baz and Simon, Penelope and Shephard (what a guy, I love him) and surprisingly, Niamh and Agatha. Agatha didn't make me eyeroll in this book! I do wish her friendship with Niamh was not rushed as much because it made her small plot line seem so out of the blue.
Another thing I just don't understand with the last two books in this series is the main plot being built up so much to then end over a few pages and never to be addressed again. If I have read over 400 pages building up this main plot line, I want more than 20 pages of it all unravelling and when we are given a prologue set 1 year later, I want more than just one paragraph that completely opens the world for more stories.
Overall, I really did enjoy Any Way the Wind Blows and it was incredibly easy to read, I just wish some things were thatched out a bit more and other things not so much.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
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