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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
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:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
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:
Yes
This third novel in Tamora Pierce's Immortals quartet is the first one that I've felt approached the quality of the other books I've read in her wider Tortall series. The main character is still absurdly overpowered -- she's already able to magically communicate with, befriend, and transform herself into any animal she meets, and now she's able to reanimate and command their skeletons as well -- but the court intrigue plot gives her less of an outlet to use these abilities. She's forced instead to think her way past the diplomatic obstacles of a peace summit, and the story is stronger for this restriction. I'm still not all that invested in her overall arc or her weird sexual tension with her much older tutor, but this is a very promising step.
15 years later and this is still my favorite in the Immortals Quartet. Young girl travels to distant land to help birds, gets swept up in political unrest, what's not to love?!
Jonathan: *sends Daine on a diplomatic trip*
Daine: *raises an entire museum of dinosaurs from the dead and destroys the imperial palace*
Daine: *overthrows the emperor and installs his nephew as the new ruler*
Daine: Nailed it.
Jonathan: *sends Daine on a diplomatic trip*
Daine: *raises an entire museum of dinosaurs from the dead and destroys the imperial palace*
Daine: *overthrows the emperor and installs his nephew as the new ruler*
Daine: Nailed it.
Again, I'm just having so much fun with these series. I wish it didn't have to end but at least I have one more book to cherish with these characters. What can I say? I love the concept of a girl who can speak with animals and become one herself.
Numair. Love him! And is that jealous I spy?
Numair. Love him! And is that jealous I spy?
adventurous
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5
--
I wasn't as fond of this installment as the last two, though - as always - there were many things that pleasantly surprised me.
The biggest strength of the novel was undoubtedly Ozorne. The character Pierce constructed was so entirely believable - as a villain, and as the product of the environment Pierce created. Diplomatic yet dictatorial, kindhearted towards animals yet ruthless towards enemies and subordinates. The contradictions in his personality really resulted in a well-rounded adversary for Daine. I'm very pleased with that, though apprehensive of his characterization now that he's become a Stormwing.
Likewise, I enjoyed Kaddar quite a bit. His gentler nature paired with the stubborn inability to recognize that his empire's practice of keeping slaves is reprehensible gave him the depth needed to offset the very predtictable role he filled in the story as usurping prince.
I didn't find the writing as tight as in prior installments, and the dialogue became pretty cheesy at times. The entire situation with Numair's death was a bit exasperating because it was so obvious to the reader what was coming - if Daine's dreams hadn't spelled things out so clearly, this miscommunication could have possessed way more tension and grief.
There were heavier Daine/Numair themes in this one, too, as expected. It was a little skeevy at times, though things did TECHNICALLY remain entirely platonic. Daine still hasn't so much as thought about Numair as a romantic possibility, but the implication was clearly there that some non-platonic love exists on Numair's part, which is...eh. Not great. But I knew it was coming, and I'm bracing myself against it for the next volume.
--
I wasn't as fond of this installment as the last two, though - as always - there were many things that pleasantly surprised me.
The biggest strength of the novel was undoubtedly Ozorne. The character Pierce constructed was so entirely believable - as a villain, and as the product of the environment Pierce created. Diplomatic yet dictatorial, kindhearted towards animals yet ruthless towards enemies and subordinates. The contradictions in his personality really resulted in a well-rounded adversary for Daine. I'm very pleased with that, though apprehensive of his characterization now that he's become a Stormwing.
Likewise, I enjoyed Kaddar quite a bit. His gentler nature paired with the stubborn inability to recognize that his empire's practice of keeping slaves is reprehensible gave him the depth needed to offset the very predtictable role he filled in the story as usurping prince.
I didn't find the writing as tight as in prior installments, and the dialogue became pretty cheesy at times. The entire situation with Numair's death was a bit exasperating because it was so obvious to the reader what was coming - if Daine's dreams hadn't spelled things out so clearly, this miscommunication could have possessed way more tension and grief.
There were heavier Daine/Numair themes in this one, too, as expected. It was a little skeevy at times, though things did TECHNICALLY remain entirely platonic. Daine still hasn't so much as thought about Numair as a romantic possibility, but the implication was clearly there that some non-platonic love exists on Numair's part, which is...eh. Not great. But I knew it was coming, and I'm bracing myself against it for the next volume.
adventurous
inspiring
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced