You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

30 reviews

tythebooknerd's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

gladiolus17's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I listened to this on audiobook so sorry for any misspellings!

Writing style
I could’ve done without the overt dialog tags, but other than that, no problems here.

Plot 
Plot feels almost like a drama, each with their own character arc. I think the book blurb did the book a disservice, because the only arc that was completed was Kennet’s and Wintrow’s, which makes me feel like they are the main characters. The other characters’ arcs ended with a section foreshadowing the future with them. Because of this, I felt like Althea was overshadowed by Kennet and Wintrow.

Kyle was such an asshole and a believable villain. They say everyone is the hero of their own story, and I Kyle believed he was doing the right thing.

As well, I wasn’t sure why Althea and Brashen started having sex, maybe it was just animalistic passion? I didn’t feel any love or chemistry between them, so I felt this was a weak part of the story.

Characters
Captain Kennet. 
My first impression was that he’s very toxically masculine, and has an interesting way of handling his crew by showing no weakness. I like his wrist charm, especially since he doesn’t ward magic, but just alerts Kennet to any danger. It’s also quite entertaining the way it makes jabs at Kennet.

After I read the scene with Etta and the sex workers, I thought he is such an asshole! And it’s because he’s depressed and needs to fill the void with his ambition! 

Deep inside I feel like there’s a chance for him to be good, but it’s overshadowed by his depression and assholery.

Wintrow 
My first impression was that he is a kinda passive character, but compelling in a quiet way. He does stand up for himself, which I like.

In the end he stole my heart. He finally became a man and figured out who he was.

Althea
I admire her ambition for becoming a sailor and was gripped by the way she stood up to Kyle. I was rooting for her to get back the Vivacia the whole time. I did feel like her arc paled against Wintrow’s, but I was happy to see her turn into the sailor she’s always dreamed of.

Molta 
Although I understand her reasoning, I hate this little girl with a passion. Rotten to the core. I hoped she’d get better. 

Liveships
I love each and every liveship, and, just like the other characters, was fascinated and fearful of them. I felt so sorry for the horrible things done to Vivacia and Paragon, and I was tickled with Ophelia and her personality.

Not sure if we needed the sea serpents’ POV, I would’ve rather it been explored in a successive novel.

Setting
I liked how the mention of the slave trade affected the locals with morals. They just can’t compete with free labor, and that’s why they’re having financial troubles. I never considered how hard it would be to be morally good in a capitalistic society when if you don’t accept slavery, your family will die.

Bingtown itself was such a mysterious place, along with their neighbors the Rainwilds.

Dialog

Wintrow’s dialog seems too old for him, but maybe that’s on purpose.

I adored all the liveships’ dialog. They’re all a little off-kilter and mysterious.

Intellectual value

I never read a book that explored slavery and the effects it had on people in this way, so my mind felt broadened and I enjoyed the ride this story gave me.

Personal enjoyment

I personally enjoy more compact books and I needed a little more tie up in the end to feel satisfied. I’d be okay with a few loose threads, but I feel there were too many with Amber, Paragon, Althea’s egg necklace, the sea serpents, and Brashen’s arc.

Overall, I was entertained because each character had a goal and reasoning behind what they wanted and were ambitious to get it.  As well, the world in the story nearly never gave them what they wanted. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

wolfthorn's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

It's taken me 19 days, but I've finally finished this book. All 897 pages of it. It wouldn't have taken me so long if I'd not switched to reading something else part-way through! I am rather glad to be done with it, it is so incredibly grim. The entire book is full of misfortune and there's only one truly happy moment that I can think of. There are so many irritating characters, even the main two - Althea and Wintrop - are annoying. I think possibly the Vivacia is about the best character in the whole book. But the most infuriating bit was the fact that the book just stopped. It didn't finish with some parts of the storyline resolved, no, it just ended. Grrr. I don't know if I will read the second book. Part of me wants to see Althea get her ship and Kyle get the comeuppance he truly deserves, but I don't know if I can deal with any more misery. Especially not another 850 pages of it.  
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

genny's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was so good. I knew going in that the Liveship Traders trilogy is very well-loved, so I had high expectations. Hobb did not disappoint (this was my first book by her!). The worldbuilding is there and you can see the overarching plot forming nicely, but the character work is where this book really shines. Every conversation is gripping and there wasn't a POV that I didn't enjoy (except maybe for the serpents, but those chapters were short and I'm sure they're important, haha). Yes, some of the characters were incredibly frustrating (Malta!! Kyle, the bane of my existence!) but I was still invested in where the story would take them. All I want is to protect Wintrow! 😩

It was daunting to pick up an 800+ page book but the length truly is justified. I'm eager to continue with the next book as there was no resolution at all here - the threads of the protagonists' fates just begin to connect towards the end. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

toniibelle's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bookfrenzy's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

szuum's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

binca's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

thebookfinch's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lynnoleum's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I would give this book a six out of five if I could. Absolutely smashing and riveting. Characters who you can absolutely relate to, love and hate. Hobb has a real gift in immersing the reader so deeply in the character's perspective that gets you empathizing even with the most annoying and terrible characters. It was extremely plotty, with many threads left to pull on to sustain a second or third book and which I shall start on soon. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings