Scan barcode
neni's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.25
I loved Trouble the hound, especially because my own dear dog is of the same breed so I kept picturing her in the book :)
The pacing was a bit all over the place. The first third of the book felt slow and like nothing was happening, the middle was satisfying in that we finally had some progress in both the plot and the relationship between the main character's, but then the ending, while entertaining, was a bit rushed and left quite a few issues that had been brought up either unresolved or fixed so quickly it didn't feel believable.
I must say as well: the fact that the whole character's main thing was being a huntress and loving it, didn't sit quite well with me as I don't agree with hunting for sport. The descriptions of fox killing as a sport (both the magical/mythical type and the plain normal animal) bothered me.
Overall, this was an okay read, especially vibesy for autumn and with some good romance and pining in the middle but not particularly strong either in plot or character complexity.
Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Racism, Death, Abandonment, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Body horror, Child abuse, and Violence
bananja's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
campisforever's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Classism, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Racism, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
celestialpursuits's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Religious bigotry, and Animal cruelty
maliap's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Animal death, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Abandonment, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and Child death
Minor: War
Anti-Irish sentiments expressed.alite428's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Racism, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Maggie wants nothing more than to live a safe and simple life with her alchemist mother--who is never home. Wes dreams of becoming an alchemist politician to make the world a better place, and to do that, he needs to become Maggie's mother's apprentice. But since her mother isn't home, Maggie and Wes concoct a plan to catch a magical creature during the Halfmoon Hunt to impress Evelyn.
This book is a little bit The Scorpio Races, a little bit Shadow & Bone. I really liked the plot and found the world building and magic systems very interesting. I was not a big fan of the characters or relationship. I had issues with some of the things that happened in the romance between Maggie and Wes. Nothing so bad it would ruin the book but definitely knocked it down a peg in my mind. Characters are really important to me in a story, so even though I loved this plot, the lack-luster character building hurt this for my rating.
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual content
tales_of_1001_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This beautifully written new YA title is everything I'd want in a book. At times adventure-packed, with references to history and myths that are at once brand-new and yet familiar, a slow-burning romance between two people trying to find their way in a difficult world, and I was hooked from the beginning. Saft skillfully blends a world filled with alchemical magic with the struggles that anyone in today's world can relate to, and immediately immerses the reader in a world filled with both beauty and sorrow.
The two main characters, Margaret (Maggie) and Weston (Wes), are seemingly polar opposites. She is tight-laced, controlled and physically in command of herself (she's an expert shot), while internally, she mourns the loss of her family and in particular, her mother, whose approval she desperately wants but never seems to get. He is an aspiring alchemist, who spends time pouring over ancient books and texts, although he just cannot seem to get ahead or succeed in his chosen profession. His charming looks and cavalier attitude conceal someone who is filled with self-doubts about his skills and worries constantly about his family, who are depending on him to succeed. The Halfmoon Hunt, which brings the two of them together, is the perfect catalyst for this pairing of two unlikely heros.
Saft's writing vividly brings the landscape and the creepy old house where Maggie waits for her mother to return into life. I really liked how so many things about the town and the time period and the culture seemed very similar to things we know in real life so as to be relatable, but at the same time embued with just enough detail about their "otherworldliness" to bring the fantasy and magic aspects to life. I really appreciated that she brought out Wes's struggles with reading and attention difficulties. Without calling them out as specifically as ADHD and/or dyslexia, I certainly know people who will strongly relate to these descriptions. It made him even more human, despite being the "magical" one of the pair with his alchemical skills.
A note that there is some violence in the book, particularly in regards to animals. (The plot revolves around a hunt for a fox, and there is another animal death, as well as some minor violence between humans in the plot.) There are also some child neglect triggers, so be aware before you start to read if these are issues for you at all.
Overall, I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book, rating it 4-1/4 out of 5 stars for plot, character development, world-building and a creative magical system.
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Classism, and Religious bigotry
nemorensis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Religious bigotry