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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
As I turned the pages of this follow-up novel, my intense excitement was replaced with dull disappointment. This holds little of the mystery and suspense of the first book, and the focus seems to have shifted in a way that doesn't follow the original premise. I had to force myself to finish it, just to see if it did end up being interesting. The characters seemed to have lost their pizzazz and the central conflict seemed tired. Despite the plot trying to convey urgency and suspense, I felt little of it.
Oof. If we could have avoided all of the weird teenage sexual drama, this would have been a lot more interesting. Took around 100 pages to really get back into the actual story and get interesting. I would have given it 1 star, but it did get more interesting towards the end.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
ngl, this book was pretty unnecessary. card definitely could have fit everything we needed to know from this book into either the first or last and saved us a lot of time :/
Each consecutive book just gets better. Danny North is such an interesting character, and the action just gets better and better. Will happily recommend.
0/10 - I would not recommend this book to anyone. Book 1? Maybe. Book 2? No way.
So- The Gate Thief (Book 1) was decent enough that I decided to delve into The Gate Thief ( Book 2), but not so much that I wanted to go out and purchase the series. I got the audio book from the library for both books. Where the first book gets into the various hurdles of high school, much like other books on magical teens wanting to be normal, the second book takes it to a whole new level of extreme. As a woman who was in high school in the 2010s- I can tell you that the *last* thing teenage girls want is to "have a baby in them". Sex is one thing- teenage pregnancy is another. There was NO NEED TO KEEP ADDING IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND RAPEY VIBES INTO THIS PLOT 0/10 WOULD RECOMMEND. What Danny's female friends are doing to him is SEXUAL HARRASSMENT! Despite saying NO to them on multiple occasions on anything from making out to having babies, they constantly barrade him with physical sexual advances! Like what the fuck! And when he says- "no means no", she brushes him off saying that can only be applied to girls telling guys not to touch them! Again- WHAT THE FUCK! And the end, when Danny arguably is RAPED! NOT NEEDED AT ALL! This is not okay.
None of it was needed for the plot. Danny verbally consented which was enough to let "the devil" enter into his body. There was no need to make that scene go beyond a kiss- it would have worked just fine with the plot to leave it at that. And there was 0 need to ADD RAPE INTO THE STORY! Like they make a joke of it! WTF! To back track- all of his friends want to have babies with him. That is literally what they say! Remember, these KIDS are in HIGHSCHOOL! And they ALL keep touching him and verbally and physically harassing him about sleeping with them and having kids even after he says no multiple times! This is NOT OKAY! And the
Sex is one thing- pregnancy is another. I don't know of anyone in high school who would worry about a guy so much that she would "instinctively touch her empty womb" or whatever that line was. It made the story so far fetched that it took me out of the plot. It infuriated me! It was so unnecessary and forced and disgusting. And the only mention of boundaries is when they basically say that sexual harassment and assault can't happen to men which is SO incorrect and ignorant! Like if you're going to add in all of this and make it a big deal when it isn't needed for the plot, and your audience is young adults, then you have some responsibility as an author to address wrong and right in this situation!
Outside of all of this... the plot was okay. If all of the above was taken out of the book and I was just left with the ACTUAL plot- I'd probably give it 2.5-3 stars. But as seeing all of the having babies and stuff took up 75% of the book, it cannot be overlooked. I feel like this book should come with a little hand out informing children that sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape are not okay, and that it can happen to men too. There was a really good opportunity to open up that conversation on the stigma that men cannot experience these things, and instead it was brushed off as not a big deal.
***Spoiler - but not really important for book 3****
It does not get any better. Now we actually have teen pregnancy within the fist chapter, rape accusations, etc. This series went from could be decent to disgraceful so quick.... I'm not past the 1st chapter and probably won't ready any father.
So- The Gate Thief (Book 1) was decent enough that I decided to delve into The Gate Thief ( Book 2), but not so much that I wanted to go out and purchase the series. I got the audio book from the library for both books. Where the first book gets into the various hurdles of high school, much like other books on magical teens wanting to be normal, the second book takes it to a whole new level of extreme. As a woman who was in high school in the 2010s- I can tell you that the *last* thing teenage girls want is to "have a baby in them". Sex is one thing- teenage pregnancy is another. There was NO NEED TO KEEP ADDING IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND RAPEY VIBES INTO THIS PLOT 0/10 WOULD RECOMMEND. What Danny's female friends are doing to him is SEXUAL HARRASSMENT! Despite saying NO to them on multiple occasions on anything from making out to having babies, they constantly barrade him with physical sexual advances! Like what the fuck! And when he says- "no means no", she brushes him off saying that can only be applied to girls telling guys not to touch them! Again- WHAT THE FUCK! And the end, when Danny arguably is RAPED! NOT NEEDED AT ALL! This is not okay.
None of it was needed for the plot. Danny verbally consented which was enough to let "the devil" enter into his body. There was no need to make that scene go beyond a kiss- it would have worked just fine with the plot to leave it at that. And there was 0 need to ADD RAPE INTO THE STORY! Like they make a joke of it! WTF! To back track- all of his friends want to have babies with him. That is literally what they say! Remember, these KIDS are in HIGHSCHOOL! And they ALL keep touching him and verbally and physically harassing him about sleeping with them and having kids even after he says no multiple times! This is NOT OKAY! And the
Sex is one thing- pregnancy is another. I don't know of anyone in high school who would worry about a guy so much that she would "instinctively touch her empty womb" or whatever that line was. It made the story so far fetched that it took me out of the plot. It infuriated me! It was so unnecessary and forced and disgusting. And the only mention of boundaries is when they basically say that sexual harassment and assault can't happen to men which is SO incorrect and ignorant! Like if you're going to add in all of this and make it a big deal when it isn't needed for the plot, and your audience is young adults, then you have some responsibility as an author to address wrong and right in this situation!
Outside of all of this... the plot was okay. If all of the above was taken out of the book and I was just left with the ACTUAL plot- I'd probably give it 2.5-3 stars. But as seeing all of the having babies and stuff took up 75% of the book, it cannot be overlooked. I feel like this book should come with a little hand out informing children that sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape are not okay, and that it can happen to men too. There was a really good opportunity to open up that conversation on the stigma that men cannot experience these things, and instead it was brushed off as not a big deal.
***Spoiler - but not really important for book 3****
It does not get any better. Now we actually have teen pregnancy within the fist chapter, rape accusations, etc. This series went from could be decent to disgraceful so quick.... I'm not past the 1st chapter and probably won't ready any father.
adventurous
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
Second in the Mithermages urban fantasy for Young Adults and revolving around Danny North in Buena Vista, Virginia.
My Take
I wish I had re-read The Lost Gate, 1, because I spent most of this story confused as it refers back to events in this first book so often. Part of the confusion arises from Card creating two separate worlds with their own unique histories that intertwine. Westil has its particular dramas and the mage we saw as evil while Earth has their feuding families, eager for any advantage.
It truly is complex and convoluted while oversetting everything we thought we knew about the Norse gods. Heck, about any gods. It's a fairy tale and a dark fantasy with everyone plotting against everyone else. And at least half of the plotters have a sort of goodwill to them. We might not see it...but it's there.
Most of The Gate Thief is backstory with a touch of betrayal---Danny's parents knew he had the potential; Thor knew for certain---and I suspect most of the story is simply setting us up for number three, although there are some tremendous events in this.
It doesn't make sense that the North Family should depose Alf as the Odin. At least not for the reasons given. After all, they're not the people who loved Danny as he was growing up.
Cedric has his own epiphany, only it comes at great cost.
Hmmm, what friends ought not to do…
Whoa, Card threw me for a loop when he revealed Wad's true reasons for stealing other gatemages' gates.
Oh, man, Hermia is driving me nuts in that after-desert scene! Can she not just SHUT. UP.
Then there's Xena and Laurette trying to get into Danny's pants. What's with that?
The Story
It's an act of compassion that brings it all out into the open. YouTube uploads depict the start of a Great Gate and, ooh boy, a major catastrophe just waiting to happen.
Even worse, Danny has no family loyalty---well, I certainly can't blame him!---and he intends to allow access to every Family.
The Characters
Mittelgard, a.k.a., Middle Earth
Danny North is a magic-less boy who ran away from the North Family compound and attends Parry McCluer High School. Turns out he's a gatemage, well, actually, a Gatefather, and suddenly valuable.
His parents are Odin (he was Alf, a stonemage, before he became head of the family and took Odin's name) and Gerd who is a lightmage. (Baba is what Danny calls his dad) Uncle Zog and Grandpa Gyish want to kill Danny while the rest are fantasizing about the potential increase in their own power levels. Schmucks! There's also Aunt Lummy and Uncle Mook---them Danny trusts. Aunties Uck and Tweng and Uncles Poot and Thor. Pipo is Danny's half-brother through his dad while Leonora is his half-sister through his mother.
Victoria "Veevee" Von Roth is a Keyfriend who lives in Florida and is Danny's legal guardian. She's married to Stone, a Meadowfriend, who lives in Washington, D.C. Hermia is a gatefinder and a Lockfriend in the Argyros/Illyrian Family (I can't figure out which is their last name) who took off. Her mother is a mean, manipulative sandmage and father is a watermage. Marion Silverman is a Cobblefriend and a stonemage while his wife Leslie is a Cowsister. Together they run a dairy farm and are Danny's friends.
Cedric Bird turns out to be a windmage and chooses to stay on Westil. Lana is the wife who left. The Hittites are another Family who sends assassins.
Danny's friends at school include:
Hal is the friend Danny had been trying to help. Laurette relies upon her cleavage, Sin appreciates her uninfected piercings, Pat is loving her clear complexion, the overweight Xena, and the untrustworthy Wheeler are all his drowther friends.
The bullying Coach Lieder reluctantly takes Danny on to the track team. Nicki is his dying daughter. Principal Massey.
Westil, a.k.a., Mitherholm
Wad is the Gate Thief and was Loki, desperate to protect, and living in this tree for it. Losing his gates causes him to understand too much.
Iceway
Queen Bexoi is a princess of the Gray who became Prayard's wife as part of the treaty to end the war. She has been Wad's lover and bore his son---she called him Oath, Wad called him Trick. Then she murdered Oath because she finally got pregnant by King Prayard, a seamage.
Anonoei had been King Prayard's concubine and bore his two sons: Eluik and Enopp. Wad rescued them from the Queen's assassins, kept them prisoner, and then plumped them down on a farm with Roop and Levet and their eldest daughter, Eko. Keel, formerly known as Plank, is a loyal servant and master of the shipyards for his wondrous invention.
Gray
The Jarl of Gray is Bexoi's brother, and the beautiful, conniving Frostinch is his heir who claims to be a Hawkbrother.
Set is Bel, the Dragon from the world of soulstealers. He jumps into people's bodies and takes them over. And there will be no one he wants more than Danny North.
A clant is the most minor ability of magic. Mittlegard is Earth. Westil, a.k.a., Mitherholme, is the world from which the mages came. Mitherkame is another world. Ka and ba is in everyone; the body has an interface with the two, giving them shape. Orphans are mages without a Family. Drowthers are regular humans with no power.
The Cover
The cover is a subdued metallic red with a wrought iron gate rising up from the bottom.
The title provides us insight into The Gate Thief, why he's been stealing those gates.
My Take
I wish I had re-read The Lost Gate, 1, because I spent most of this story confused as it refers back to events in this first book so often. Part of the confusion arises from Card creating two separate worlds with their own unique histories that intertwine. Westil has its particular dramas and the mage we saw as evil while Earth has their feuding families, eager for any advantage.
It truly is complex and convoluted while oversetting everything we thought we knew about the Norse gods. Heck, about any gods. It's a fairy tale and a dark fantasy with everyone plotting against everyone else. And at least half of the plotters have a sort of goodwill to them. We might not see it...but it's there.
Most of The Gate Thief is backstory with a touch of betrayal---Danny's parents knew he had the potential; Thor knew for certain---and I suspect most of the story is simply setting us up for number three, although there are some tremendous events in this.
It doesn't make sense that the North Family should depose Alf as the Odin. At least not for the reasons given. After all, they're not the people who loved Danny as he was growing up.
Cedric has his own epiphany, only it comes at great cost.
Hmmm, what friends ought not to do…
"What can I do to hurt you, if your break your oath?" asked Danny quietly. "Why anything I want."
Whoa, Card threw me for a loop when he revealed Wad's true reasons for stealing other gatemages' gates.
Oh, man, Hermia is driving me nuts in that after-desert scene! Can she not just SHUT. UP.
Then there's Xena and Laurette trying to get into Danny's pants. What's with that?
The Story
It's an act of compassion that brings it all out into the open. YouTube uploads depict the start of a Great Gate and, ooh boy, a major catastrophe just waiting to happen.
Even worse, Danny has no family loyalty---well, I certainly can't blame him!---and he intends to allow access to every Family.
The Characters
Mittelgard, a.k.a., Middle Earth
Danny North is a magic-less boy who ran away from the North Family compound and attends Parry McCluer High School. Turns out he's a gatemage, well, actually, a Gatefather, and suddenly valuable.
His parents are Odin (he was Alf, a stonemage, before he became head of the family and took Odin's name) and Gerd who is a lightmage. (Baba is what Danny calls his dad) Uncle Zog and Grandpa Gyish want to kill Danny while the rest are fantasizing about the potential increase in their own power levels. Schmucks! There's also Aunt Lummy and Uncle Mook---them Danny trusts. Aunties Uck and Tweng and Uncles Poot and Thor. Pipo is Danny's half-brother through his dad while Leonora is his half-sister through his mother.
Victoria "Veevee" Von Roth is a Keyfriend who lives in Florida and is Danny's legal guardian. She's married to Stone, a Meadowfriend, who lives in Washington, D.C. Hermia is a gatefinder and a Lockfriend in the Argyros/Illyrian Family (I can't figure out which is their last name) who took off. Her mother is a mean, manipulative sandmage and father is a watermage. Marion Silverman is a Cobblefriend and a stonemage while his wife Leslie is a Cowsister. Together they run a dairy farm and are Danny's friends.
Cedric Bird turns out to be a windmage and chooses to stay on Westil. Lana is the wife who left. The Hittites are another Family who sends assassins.
Danny's friends at school include:
Hal is the friend Danny had been trying to help. Laurette relies upon her cleavage, Sin appreciates her uninfected piercings, Pat is loving her clear complexion, the overweight Xena, and the untrustworthy Wheeler are all his drowther friends.
The bullying Coach Lieder reluctantly takes Danny on to the track team. Nicki is his dying daughter. Principal Massey.
Westil, a.k.a., Mitherholm
Wad is the Gate Thief and was Loki, desperate to protect, and living in this tree for it. Losing his gates causes him to understand too much.
Iceway
Queen Bexoi is a princess of the Gray who became Prayard's wife as part of the treaty to end the war. She has been Wad's lover and bore his son---she called him Oath, Wad called him Trick. Then she murdered Oath because she finally got pregnant by King Prayard, a seamage.
Anonoei had been King Prayard's concubine and bore his two sons: Eluik and Enopp. Wad rescued them from the Queen's assassins, kept them prisoner, and then plumped them down on a farm with Roop and Levet and their eldest daughter, Eko. Keel, formerly known as Plank, is a loyal servant and master of the shipyards for his wondrous invention.
Gray
The Jarl of Gray is Bexoi's brother, and the beautiful, conniving Frostinch is his heir who claims to be a Hawkbrother.
Set is Bel, the Dragon from the world of soulstealers. He jumps into people's bodies and takes them over. And there will be no one he wants more than Danny North.
A clant is the most minor ability of magic. Mittlegard is Earth. Westil, a.k.a., Mitherholme, is the world from which the mages came. Mitherkame is another world. Ka and ba is in everyone; the body has an interface with the two, giving them shape. Orphans are mages without a Family. Drowthers are regular humans with no power.
The Cover
The cover is a subdued metallic red with a wrought iron gate rising up from the bottom.
The title provides us insight into The Gate Thief, why he's been stealing those gates.
While I enjoyed the short story, "Stonefather," in "Wizards" that started this all, and the first entry in this series, this book tanked the series. I have not read "Gatefather" and probably will not. So many interesting concepts that suffer from overcomplication, teenage angst, and lazy writing.