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4.53 AVERAGE
4.53 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
Will hold review and rating until SMP boycott demands are met
adventurous
dark
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Wow, what a ride. Truly enjoyed the first book, and this brings even more depth to the characters. We get more world building and more history (or hints of it). The tale w/ the unreliable narrator Gabriel recounting to the Historian. We still don't know how he ended up in this situation, but we get more details into what happened with the Grail. More heartbreak (of course). I can't wait to see how this all wraps up.
Violence very well described in the battles is gory to the max, but it paints the picture. If you don't like that type of thing, then you won't like the splatter-fest.
Violence very well described in the battles is gory to the max, but it paints the picture. If you don't like that type of thing, then you won't like the splatter-fest.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I gave Empire of the Vampire 4 stars when I first read it, and I have no idea why, because I remember loving it and feeling that it was a well-crafted world. Regardless, I feel like this book almost wants to be a 5 star book, but isn't quite there, so I gave it 4.75.
Warning: I'm discussing book #2 without spoilers but assuming you've read book #1. So, maybe a few spoilers from the first book ahead.
Jay Kristoff knows how to write epic stuff, and how to scare you one thousand times per book. I'm not even sure what to say. The last maybe 150 pages were messy in the best way.
By far one of my favourite things is the unknown of how Gabriel ends up where he is, locked in that tower with Jean-François. Because he's telling you his whole life story, pretty much, and you instinctively hope for a happy ending, but... you know he ends up in that tower. So, really, no happy ending in sight. I cannot wait for book #3 to see how this all develops! I didn't even know there'd be another book so I was fully thinking this one would wrap the story up LOL
Call me basic, but I like Jay Kristoff's sense of humor and the way he is not afraid of cursing. I liked it in the Nevernight series, and I like it here too. I curse a lot in real life, and it somehow just made it feel relatable *shrug*. And if I like cringy humor, sue me, I guess I like it, idk. I mean, some stupid sexual jokes were, in fact, just stupid, and not funny, but I even Jean-François giving Gabriel a side eye every time he kept making those. Because it was more intended to be silly than funny, in my view. That and the way Jean-François just slowly grows to enjoy being with Gabriel and how their banter develops. Sue me!!!! I don't care :)
I understand the complaints that some people have about the series. I see Gabriel as a very flawed person, a morally grey character, even if he did want to do some good. But he's not a hero. He says so himself, repeatedly, and he means it. I recognize how a hard upbringing and later on dealing with a lot of grief does not always make someone be a better person. I don't need my MC to be fully likeable and a saint. And I also recognize that the misoginy is... part of the story. Part of the world. Part of the greyness. Call me naive if you want, but I don't think it says anything about the author's morals. I could be wrong, obviously, but I have my memories of Nevernight and its FMC to solidify my opinion.
This book is not flawless, just like any book. You can definitely disect it and argue against certain constant themes and potentially problematic aspects. Other people have done that extensively. And it's a good thing, to engage critically with what we read. I just feel that, sometimes, we judge some books unfairly or too harshly. We do it with women all the time, so I'm not talking about male authors at all right now.
Warning: I'm discussing book #2 without spoilers but assuming you've read book #1. So, maybe a few spoilers from the first book ahead.
Jay Kristoff knows how to write epic stuff, and how to scare you one thousand times per book. I'm not even sure what to say. The last maybe 150 pages were messy in the best way.
By far one of my favourite things is the unknown of how Gabriel ends up where he is, locked in that tower with Jean-François. Because he's telling you his whole life story, pretty much, and you instinctively hope for a happy ending, but... you know he ends up in that tower. So, really, no happy ending in sight. I cannot wait for book #3 to see how this all develops! I didn't even know there'd be another book so I was fully thinking this one would wrap the story up LOL
Call me basic, but I like Jay Kristoff's sense of humor and the way he is not afraid of cursing. I liked it in the Nevernight series, and I like it here too. I curse a lot in real life, and it somehow just made it feel relatable *shrug*. And if I like cringy humor, sue me, I guess I like it, idk. I mean, some stupid sexual jokes were, in fact, just stupid, and not funny, but I even Jean-François giving Gabriel a side eye every time he kept making those. Because it was more intended to be silly than funny, in my view. That and the way Jean-François just slowly grows to enjoy being with Gabriel and how their banter develops. Sue me!!!! I don't care :)
I understand the complaints that some people have about the series. I see Gabriel as a very flawed person, a morally grey character, even if he did want to do some good. But he's not a hero. He says so himself, repeatedly, and he means it. I recognize how a hard upbringing and later on dealing with a lot of grief does not always make someone be a better person. I don't need my MC to be fully likeable and a saint. And I also recognize that the misoginy is... part of the story. Part of the world. Part of the greyness. Call me naive if you want, but I don't think it says anything about the author's morals. I could be wrong, obviously, but I have my memories of Nevernight and its FMC to solidify my opinion.
This book is not flawless, just like any book. You can definitely disect it and argue against certain constant themes and potentially problematic aspects. Other people have done that extensively. And it's a good thing, to engage critically with what we read. I just feel that, sometimes, we judge some books unfairly or too harshly. We do it with women all the time, so I'm not talking about male authors at all right now.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes