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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-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 was an incredible debut and I can't wait to see where Andrea Stewart takes the series from here.
I'll start with what I really enjoyed about this series: first of all, the writing style is fun and fast-paced, with really strong prose and great world-building. The characters were interesting and believable, though the voices of different POV characters could be more varied to further distinguish them. A noble and a smuggler would likely have different speech patterns, and those patterns would also extend to inner monologues, but in this case, their voices were nearly identical. The plot moved quickly and kept the reader invested, and I audibly gasped at a couple of the plot twists. The magic system was also cool and unique, and well-set up and executed.
The biggest weak spot in this book for me was probably the lack of variation in POV characters, but there were also a couple of narrative choices that struck me as odd on behalf of the author. For example, the choice to make some of the POVs first person and some third. I would guess this was meant to differentiate main characters from secondary characters, but the third plot line, which was told from a third person POV, was also essential to the story and would have benefitted from being told in the same structure as the first two. For reasons I can't elaborate on without spoiling anything, there was only one perspective that it would have made sense to be to tell as a third person if the main storylines were first person.
Overall, this was a super fun way to start a series and I need to get into the next book ASAP.
I'll start with what I really enjoyed about this series: first of all, the writing style is fun and fast-paced, with really strong prose and great world-building. The characters were interesting and believable, though the voices of different POV characters could be more varied to further distinguish them. A noble and a smuggler would likely have different speech patterns, and those patterns would also extend to inner monologues, but in this case, their voices were nearly identical. The plot moved quickly and kept the reader invested, and I audibly gasped at a couple of the plot twists. The magic system was also cool and unique, and well-set up and executed.
The biggest weak spot in this book for me was probably the lack of variation in POV characters, but there were also a couple of narrative choices that struck me as odd on behalf of the author. For example, the choice to make some of the POVs first person and some third. I would guess this was meant to differentiate main characters from secondary characters, but the third plot line, which was told from a third person POV, was also essential to the story and would have benefitted from being told in the same structure as the first two. For reasons I can't elaborate on without spoiling anything, there was only one perspective that it would have made sense to be to tell as a third person if the main storylines were first person.
Overall, this was a super fun way to start a series and I need to get into the next book ASAP.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
That was absolutely nuts. One of the most unusual books I’ve read and I loved it. 4.5 stars
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wasn't expecting so many POVs walking into this book. I feel the author created a great cadence with each one. Small cliff hangers between character chapters. Toggling between each one. Giving more room for some characters and less for others, but not too much time between that I forgot the smaller characters. I haven't read many books like this and enjoyed it quite a lot.
There was lots of mystery and many twists and turns. It'll be interesting to see how the next books go. I'm sure there are many more mysteries to unravel, but I can't imagine anything like this first one. We shall see!
There was lots of mystery and many twists and turns. It'll be interesting to see how the next books go. I'm sure there are many more mysteries to unravel, but I can't imagine anything like this first one. We shall see!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
That was interesting. Good world building. Want more of the magic system but I'm guessing it's coming. Idk, I've been in a not great mood when it comes to reading so far this year. I'll finish the series eventually, but I wasn't sucked in like I want to be.