Scan barcode
beautifulpaxielreads's review
Just not feeling it right now, plus I have other books I need to get to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Torture, and Violence
koistyfishy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a stunningly beautiful and enchanting fantasy book and I absolutely adored it!!! This was a buddy read with my Darling Richard and was meant to be an experience to draw me into Audiobooks. All I can say is I might not be fully converted but if this is what I have been missing out on in Audio - I need to rectify that as soon as possible!!!!
What really drew me into this was how strong the atmospheric ambience of the story was. The overall feeling of fairytale-esque magic and charm weaved into the mood, characters, tone and plot! It was just utterly delightful and whimsical at times (especially in the scenes with Trefor - the little corgi "spy"), that I found myself at times just mesmerised as I sat back and just enjoyed it.
This story is loosely based on the myth of cantre'r gwaelod - which is like a Welsh "Atlantis" and follows a girl called Mer, who happens to be one of the last Water Diviners (this means she has the ability to magically control water). For years she was a tool, used by the Prince, and exploited for her power... until she escaped. Now her past has caught up to her. The old spymaster who originally stole her from her home, all those years ago, has come to find her again. Only this time he has a proposal for her... one that includes a plan to get back at the evil prince.
I am quite glad that I experienced this story as an Audiobook, because Emily Lloyd-Jones does not go easy on the reader with all the Welsh names of people and places. I actually had to look up the spelling of half the things, cause my mind alone would not be able to piece them together without help!!! I mean there were the normal ones - Mer, Fane, Ifanna but then there were also Renfrew, Garanhir, Caer Wyddno, Gwaelod and then castell which in WELSH "ll" has a [ɬ] sound it so sounds like "Castethhh"....
The characters in this were lovely; however, we are still meeting most of them after halfway in the book, so it can feel a little slow in terms of plot progression and can make the characterisation feel weak because we don't actually spend too long with the characters before the main plot starts progressing really quickly in the second half. As such this does not give enough time to fully develop all the characters!
I really enjoyed Mer though. She was caring, determined, and just utterly amazing. She carries a lot of guilt based on the atrocities she had a hand in when being used by the Prince, and so has a strong moral desire to do good and right. Fane was also spectacular and his arc was heartbreaking and still sweet to see unfold. The romance between the two of them is cute, adorable and very understated - this is almost the perfect type of romance for anyone. It's a great experience for readers who don't like romance in their books, as it's not the main plot or subplot. BUT it also gives us romance lovers at heart our little squeals of delight!
The best character in this book however is TREFOR....yes the Corgi! He is basically adorable and funny. The scenes when he was described added youthful humour and comedic relief to the dark seriousness of the main tale. He reminded me of every Disney princess having a silly sidekick and all I want right now is my own little "other-folk" spy!
One of the reasons why this wasn't a five-star for me...BUT might actually be something that could be a 5 Star for some people is to do with the plot... Firstly the main plot centres around a "heist". I am not typically into these types of books as I don't particularly enjoy this type of story - HOWEVER, I know people are dying to find this "trope" in books.
This was one of the books that I did not see the twist coming and when it happened I was stunned into shock and questioning my reality! The last 30% of this book is amazing, fast-action-paced and really does shoot up this story to new heights!
Overall I would strongly recommend this read if you are looking for a cosy, magical fantasy that interweaves lore, myth and legend into an atmospheric and delightful comfort that is perfect to cosy up to on a rainy day!
What really drew me into this was how strong the atmospheric ambience of the story was. The overall feeling of fairytale-esque magic and charm weaved into the mood, characters, tone and plot! It was just utterly delightful and whimsical at times (especially in the scenes with Trefor - the little corgi "spy"), that I found myself at times just mesmerised as I sat back and just enjoyed it.
This story is loosely based on the myth of cantre'r gwaelod - which is like a Welsh "Atlantis" and follows a girl called Mer, who happens to be one of the last Water Diviners (this means she has the ability to magically control water). For years she was a tool, used by the Prince, and exploited for her power... until she escaped. Now her past has caught up to her. The old spymaster who originally stole her from her home, all those years ago, has come to find her again. Only this time he has a proposal for her... one that includes a plan to get back at the evil prince.
I am quite glad that I experienced this story as an Audiobook, because Emily Lloyd-Jones does not go easy on the reader with all the Welsh names of people and places. I actually had to look up the spelling of half the things, cause my mind alone would not be able to piece them together without help!!! I mean there were the normal ones - Mer, Fane, Ifanna but then there were also Renfrew, Garanhir, Caer Wyddno, Gwaelod and then castell which in WELSH "ll" has a [ɬ] sound it so sounds like "Castethhh"....
The characters in this were lovely; however, we are still meeting most of them after halfway in the book, so it can feel a little slow in terms of plot progression and can make the characterisation feel weak because we don't actually spend too long with the characters before the main plot starts progressing really quickly in the second half. As such this does not give enough time to fully develop all the characters!
I really enjoyed Mer though. She was caring, determined, and just utterly amazing. She carries a lot of guilt based on the atrocities she had a hand in when being used by the Prince, and so has a strong moral desire to do good and right. Fane was also spectacular and his arc was heartbreaking and still sweet to see unfold. The romance between the two of them is cute, adorable and very understated - this is almost the perfect type of romance for anyone. It's a great experience for readers who don't like romance in their books, as it's not the main plot or subplot. BUT it also gives us romance lovers at heart our little squeals of delight!
The best character in this book however is TREFOR....yes the Corgi! He is basically adorable and funny. The scenes when he was described added youthful humour and comedic relief to the dark seriousness of the main tale. He reminded me of every Disney princess having a silly sidekick and all I want right now is my own little "other-folk" spy!
One of the reasons why this wasn't a five-star for me...BUT might actually be something that could be a 5 Star for some people is to do with the plot... Firstly the main plot centres around a "heist". I am not typically into these types of books as I don't particularly enjoy this type of story - HOWEVER, I know people are dying to find this "trope" in books.
This was one of the books that I did not see the twist coming and when it happened I was stunned into shock and questioning my reality! The last 30% of this book is amazing, fast-action-paced and really does shoot up this story to new heights!
Overall I would strongly recommend this read if you are looking for a cosy, magical fantasy that interweaves lore, myth and legend into an atmospheric and delightful comfort that is perfect to cosy up to on a rainy day!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Torture
Minor: Child death and Blood
abbyschalupa's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Enjoyable, but fell flat. Simplistic writing, flat characters, had little invested in the story. Ended up skimming and skipping entire areas due to boredom. The end was good, but the pace until then was slow. The characters were under developed and bland. Felt more juvenile with its writing
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Blood, Confinement, Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Torture
waffulmunkie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Torture, and Murder
booksthatburn's review against another edition
This feels similar to THE BONE HOUSES in many of the ways that made it just okay for me. In particular I find myself disliking the animal companion, this time it’s a Corgi. I want the guy to be broody instead of just quiet, I have very little sense of what anyone thinks, and I’m just not having a good time, so I’m stopping.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Torture
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, and Animal cruelty
cateemma's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Child death
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well, the casual inclusion of queer characters was a delight for me that I wasn't expecting! Overall, I enjoyed this; it was atmospheric, the magic system was fascinating, and the heist parts of the plot were engaging. The stakes were high, there's a great little group going after the treasure, and the mythology aspects were just really well done.
I do think occasionally, some of the characters fall flat at the expense of the plot, but it wasn't too terrible. Doesn't turn me off of Emily Lloyd-Jones in the future.
I do think occasionally, some of the characters fall flat at the expense of the plot, but it wasn't too terrible. Doesn't turn me off of Emily Lloyd-Jones in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Torture
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and War
Minor: Child death, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
onthesamepage's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
While this is not a sequel to The Bone Houses, I would recommend reading that first before picking this up. This book includes a few references/Easter eggs that will make more of an impact if you're already familiar with the world these books are set in, and with the story of The Bone Houses.
Emily Lloyd-Jones's writing always works for me, and this was no exception, but I think I was less charmed in general by the characters and the story. I never felt very attached to any of them or invested in their relationships, and I think that's because they felt like typical characters in a YA fantasy novel, and nothing really set them apart for me. I had a good time with them, I enjoyed the story overall, but I don't think it's one that will stick with me for very long.
The one shining exception was Trefor, the shoe-gnawing, possibly fae spy, protective, adorable corgi. He stole every scene he was in, and I would read an entire book about his adventures as he roams the world, stealing one shoe at a time.
I had some mixed feelings about the ending, and the choice the author made when it came to Mer. I think it would've made for a stronger book if she hadn't miraculously survived, and I'm honestly not used to Lloyd-Jones pulling her punches this way. It's one of the reasons I'm always excited for her books. On the other hand, the very end of the story, and the implications if you've read The Bone Houses, was my favourite part of the book; I definitely flailed a little.
While this is not a sequel to The Bone Houses, I would recommend reading that first before picking this up. This book includes a few references/Easter eggs that will make more of an impact if you're already familiar with the world these books are set in, and with the story of The Bone Houses.
Emily Lloyd-Jones's writing always works for me, and this was no exception, but I think I was less charmed in general by the characters and the story. I never felt very attached to any of them or invested in their relationships, and I think that's because they felt like typical characters in a YA fantasy novel, and nothing really set them apart for me. I had a good time with them, I enjoyed the story overall, but I don't think it's one that will stick with me for very long.
The one shining exception was Trefor, the shoe-gnawing, possibly fae spy, protective, adorable corgi. He stole every scene he was in, and I would read an entire book about his adventures as he roams the world, stealing one shoe at a time.
I had some mixed feelings about the ending, and the choice the author made when it came to Mer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Torture
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.75
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for an ALC of this book.
Mer is the last living water diviner, and she is on the run from the prince that wants to control her. But when she runs into an opportunity to bring down the prince who hurt her--and runs into a fae-cursed boy she feels a connection with--Mer does everything she can to be free.
This book was so good! Mer is a FANTASTIC main character. I love her. I love her relationships with the people around her and her struggles and her magic and everything about her. I also love Fane. He is mysterious and soft and bad-ass. And there is a CORGI. A MAGICAL CORGI. So like...obviously I loved this.
ELJ's writing is fantastic as always and the world-building is lush and magical and subtle and wonderful. I want more from this world and I want more stories about Mer and Fane and MAGICAL CORGI!!!!
Did I mention there is a magical corgi?
Mer is the last living water diviner, and she is on the run from the prince that wants to control her. But when she runs into an opportunity to bring down the prince who hurt her--and runs into a fae-cursed boy she feels a connection with--Mer does everything she can to be free.
This book was so good! Mer is a FANTASTIC main character. I love her. I love her relationships with the people around her and her struggles and her magic and everything about her. I also love Fane. He is mysterious and soft and bad-ass. And there is a CORGI. A MAGICAL CORGI. So like...obviously I loved this.
ELJ's writing is fantastic as always and the world-building is lush and magical and subtle and wonderful. I want more from this world and I want more stories about Mer and Fane and MAGICAL CORGI!!!!
Did I mention there is a magical corgi?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Death, and Violence
Moderate: War, Murder, Blood, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Child death, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
quietlyfierce's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Violence, Death, Kidnapping, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Torture, War, Genocide, and Grief
Minor: Vomit and Child death