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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I concur with the other reviewers who found the love triangle unnecessary. In thinking about the book, I recall very little of it because I pretty much just mentally zoned out on those sections. There was, however, a great female friendship portrayed. The mythology around the Devourer is interesting, and there is a lot of action packed into Rachelle's desperate hunt to save her world. The fantastical version of France makes for a fun setting too.
I listened to this on audio while cooking for my Vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner so I have to be honest it was a little difficult to get into at first. I needed to pay more attention but I had lots of dishes going at once, so I had to pay attention to that as well, some books you can do that with no problem but [b:Crimson Bound|21570318|Crimson Bound|Rosamund Hodge|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413217438s/21570318.jpg|40902835] required more from me. This is a re-telling of red riding hood, although calling it a re-telling doesn't quite capture it because [a:Rosamund Hodge|6474354|Rosamund Hodge|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1362755691p2/6474354.jpg] reinvents an entire world from the idea of a red hood and the idea of a wolf. The main character reminded me of something [a:Sarah J. Maas|3433047|Sarah J. Maas|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1269281353p2/3433047.jpg] could write as I read [b:Sarah J. Maas Throne Of Glass Series Collection 3 Books Set Pack|26309016|Sarah J. Maas Throne Of Glass Series Collection 3 Books Set Pack|Sarah J. Maas|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1441918254s/26309016.jpg|46308312] before this. I am not by any means saying it is the same or even the similar writing, it just reminding me of [a:Sarah J. Maas|3433047|Sarah J. Maas|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1269281353p2/3433047.jpg] while I was listening to it. If you enjoy more direct re-tellings then perhaps this book is not for you, or you could just read it and drop the thought that it is re-telling. If you enjoy fantasy, dark stories, and strong main female characters definitley check this out.
It took a while to get into it...but it was good. It kept me guessing the whole time.
I think Cruel Beauty was a bit more enjoyable for me than this one. I love most of the characters, though, funnily enough, I find myself not having many feelings about Armand. It felt to me as if his characterization wasn’t very deep. Amelie on the other hand, was one of my very favorite characters. I adored her.
Also, some of the parts of the story were a bit more difficult to understand, and/or more confusing to me, so it was harder to grasp some of the finer details.
Also, some of the parts of the story were a bit more difficult to understand, and/or more confusing to me, so it was harder to grasp some of the finer details.
Con meno romanticismo sarebbe stato meglio e ho svariati dubbi sul senso del personaggio di Erec, però l'intreccio funziona e la storia mi ha catturata abbastanza. Alla fine ogni pezzo si incastra e lo fa senza forzature, direi che sta sulle 3,5 stelle.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this before <i>What Monstrous Gods</i> and the latter is slightly less of a muddled mess than this one, but like. I clearly love all the same things Rosamund Hodge loves, which is why it's so frustrating and jarring to read her stuff. She writes well! She's got some beautiful turns of phrases! Her worldbuilding ideas are exquisite! But she keeps stumbling at the finish line--and in this one, well before it.
The Versailles ripping off was a little too blatant--not adjusted enough to the world she'd created--and like I said in my <i>What Monstrous Gods</i> review, you just CAN'T pull off straight-up putting the Catholic Church into a fantasy novel the way she tries to. It's especially jarring to a Catholic reader who gets all the extra Easter eggs thrown in, because it ultimately--graaaaaaaaaaaaaagh the reason we write fantasy is to translate the ineffable, you can't dump the ineffable into your fantasy novel wholesale without breaking things.
I wanted to love this, and I definitely loved parts of it. But overall it was a really frustrating reading experience (CAN'T. BELIEVE. SHE SLEPT. WITH THE GUY. ). Maybe one day she'll get it right.
The Versailles ripping off was a little too blatant--not adjusted enough to the world she'd created--and like I said in my <i>What Monstrous Gods</i> review, you just CAN'T pull off straight-up putting the Catholic Church into a fantasy novel the way she tries to. It's especially jarring to a Catholic reader who gets all the extra Easter eggs thrown in, because it ultimately--graaaaaaaaaaaaaagh the reason we write fantasy is to translate the ineffable, you can't dump the ineffable into your fantasy novel wholesale without breaking things.
I wanted to love this, and I definitely loved parts of it. But overall it was a really frustrating reading experience (
Horrible--I only finished because I was sitting in a hospital bed with no other choice but bad day-time TV. I did not care at all about any of the characters. Her tortured fate--who cares?? Not me. I love re-tellings, and this was a disappointment. Even the love interests were flat characters.
3.75
I don't really know how I feel about this book. I enjoyed the lore and religion of it and the political side of the plot, but I hated the romance.
I hated both love interests and basically everyone except for Amelie. I enjoyed Rachelle as a main character also.
I also didn't really see this as a Red Riding Hood retelling. I see the bits that were inspired by the fairytale, but it was something entirely different.
I do really like stories were a forest is evil.
I don't really know how I feel about this book. I enjoyed the lore and religion of it and the political side of the plot, but I hated the romance.
I hated both love interests and basically everyone except for Amelie. I enjoyed Rachelle as a main character also.
I also didn't really see this as a Red Riding Hood retelling. I see the bits that were inspired by the fairytale, but it was something entirely different.
I do really like stories were a forest is evil.
Libby/audio
Odd story. From the cover, I expected a red riding hood retelling. It does have one line similar to the big bad wolf. It isn’t though. It’s a perfectly enjoyable story, but not a favorite. I prefer her cruel beauty series.
Odd story. From the cover, I expected a red riding hood retelling. It does have one line similar to the big bad wolf. It isn’t though. It’s a perfectly enjoyable story, but not a favorite. I prefer her cruel beauty series.
3 1/2 stars
I honestly got a little bored with this story. There were a few issues.
1. I never really got into Armand and Rachelle's relationship. It just felt a little forced.
2. The majority of the story was about them looking for a sword. If there was ever an overused plot line...
3. The ending was really well done and concluded well, but all the action was at the end. Which makes this book not the type of novel I would read again because I would be bored most of the time.
However I cannot write a review of one of Rosamund Hodge's books without complementing her on her world building.
I honestly got a little bored with this story. There were a few issues.
1. I never really got into Armand and Rachelle's relationship. It just felt a little forced.
2. The majority of the story was about them looking for a sword. If there was ever an overused plot line...
3. The ending was really well done and concluded well, but all the action was at the end. Which makes this book not the type of novel I would read again because I would be bored most of the time.
However I cannot write a review of one of Rosamund Hodge's books without complementing her on her world building.