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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
I think this is my favorite of the immortals series. I love the change of pace of Carthak.
adventurous
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This installment of the Immortals quartet felt way more engaging than the previous two books. Pierce did a much better job varying up her plot structure and presenting us with complex characters (even the antagonists), and the mystery surrounding Daine’s new powers felt more high-stakes than before. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the presence of slavery in this book - while I do think Pierce brought up interesting problems, like whether or not one should tell another country what to do, I also don’t know if slavery is one of those things that should be a side issue of a novel. Regardless, I enjoyed reading this book, and I’m looking forward to the fourth and final one.
Things I Liked
1. Plot: More so than the previous books, I felt the plot of this novel was more engaging and balanced (at least, according to my tastes). The politics were ever-present, but didn’t quite dominate Daine’s story. Her new powers were startling, and trying to figure out the reason for her having them kept me interested.
2. Character Complexity: Even though in my mind I knew that Ozorne was a bad guy, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued by him. He’s (seemingly?) genuinely gracious to Daine and takes great care of his animals, which produced some cognitive dissonance since he also keeps slaves. The same was true of Ozorne’s heir, Kaddar. I didn’t quite know what to make of him at first, and over time, I liked that he became more receptive to Daine.
3. Zek: Daine makes a new animal friend, a marmoset named Zek. He was incredibly charming.
4. Varice: Varice is Numair’s former lover and has magic which she uses to serve the emperor by making food for feasts. At first, it seems like the book sets up conflict between her and Daine, but as the book goes on, they have a good (though brief) exchange about using magic to make people happy, rather than feeling obligated to use it for more scholarly pursuits. I really liked this exchange, and felt it was a nice commentary on valuing joy and “traditional” women’s work, as long as it was by choice.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Slavery: I’m never sure how to evaluate slavery in fantasy. In this book, it’s obviously condemned, but it’s also not the center of the conflict. While I did like how Pierce challenges readers to think about whether or not it’s right to tell another country what to do or judge their customs, slavery is one of those things that’s tricky to do right. I’m just not sure how I feel about it.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in political dramas, political negotiations, necromancy, dinosaurs, fossils, and mysterious female figures (such as hags).
Things I Liked
1. Plot: More so than the previous books, I felt the plot of this novel was more engaging and balanced (at least, according to my tastes). The politics were ever-present, but didn’t quite dominate Daine’s story. Her new powers were startling, and trying to figure out the reason for her having them kept me interested.
2. Character Complexity: Even though in my mind I knew that Ozorne was a bad guy, I couldn’t help but feel intrigued by him. He’s (seemingly?) genuinely gracious to Daine and takes great care of his animals, which produced some cognitive dissonance since he also keeps slaves. The same was true of Ozorne’s heir, Kaddar. I didn’t quite know what to make of him at first, and over time, I liked that he became more receptive to Daine.
3. Zek: Daine makes a new animal friend, a marmoset named Zek. He was incredibly charming.
4. Varice: Varice is Numair’s former lover and has magic which she uses to serve the emperor by making food for feasts. At first, it seems like the book sets up conflict between her and Daine, but as the book goes on, they have a good (though brief) exchange about using magic to make people happy, rather than feeling obligated to use it for more scholarly pursuits. I really liked this exchange, and felt it was a nice commentary on valuing joy and “traditional” women’s work, as long as it was by choice.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Slavery: I’m never sure how to evaluate slavery in fantasy. In this book, it’s obviously condemned, but it’s also not the center of the conflict. While I did like how Pierce challenges readers to think about whether or not it’s right to tell another country what to do or judge their customs, slavery is one of those things that’s tricky to do right. I’m just not sure how I feel about it.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in political dramas, political negotiations, necromancy, dinosaurs, fossils, and mysterious female figures (such as hags).
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
This book is my favorite in the series. I absolutely love the dinosaurs. And Ozorne, the Emperor Mage, is a fantastic villain.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous