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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Has a nice strong female character and I like how she comes to her own understanding, working to break out of expectations, but some of the fantasy contexts is confusing and the multiple voices get a little overwhelming and when they all come together there is really no resolution. Note some content (medium language, mild sexuality, and extreme violence) may not be suitable for all readers.
Interesting premise and world-building. You can see a lot of thought and planning went into the politics, countries and characters. However, half-way through the myriad of characters aka skipping between P.O.Vs became a bit tedious and I found myself skimming the point-of-views of certain characters with whom I connected less. That doesn't mean the characters and their story-lines, quirks, backstories etc. aren't well developed and won't be extremely interesting to other people. I would suggest giving this book a shot, maybe it's the perfect read for you - especially if you enjoy semi-intricate plots, diverse characters and Green's writing style.
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Torture, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Physical abuse
I listened to the audiobook of this version, which may be why I loved it so much. The narrators were excellent, and carried the storyline fluidly. With the different voices narrating, it wasn't difficult to keep the 5 POV separate and clear. Story itself doesn't warrant the GoT comparison, but it was a fun, easy listen, and I looked forward to resuming it whenever I got in my car. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment.
I was Incredibly Intrigued picking up this title. Fantasy, demons, political intrigue? What else could I want from a 500+ page novel? A lot more, apparently. It was hard to tell if Green was trying too hard or not trying enough. It's marketed as a Game of Thrones-esque political fantasy, and the vibe was certainly there, but it just didn't work for me. I felt like there were too many characters with independent stories. In Game of Thrones, Martin starts with all of the characters in the same setting, advancing a singular story through different perspectives. Later, when the characters scatter, there is still only a singular story -- the war for the throne, and the different settings and perspectives serve to advance a singular plot. Green, on the other hand, attempted something trickier -- using five (FIVE!! no mean feat) different perspectives to tell five different stories that all lead them to the same place. However, because there is no singular plot and all the characters only meet at the novel's (much too late and wildly predictable) climax, the story feels distracted and scattered, and I almost gave up on this book several times. However, I was so intrigued by the concept of Demons and Demon Smoke that I pushed myself to keep reading -- a difficult task for my ADHD brain. But alas, the thrilling demon chase that begins the story is the most action we get with one throughout the whole book, excepting one shorter scene towards the end.
Also, the novel sets up to center Tash, the scrappy young bait-runner with an attitude and simple desires, as the main character, and then spends most of its time on Catherine instead, a sheltered princess finding her voice for the first time. While her story is interesting and certainly not to be discounted as a powerful narrative, I much prefer the mouthy, sarcastic Tash. I was looking forward to watching her grow from a one-track-mind demon hunter/general ragamuffin into a hero invested in the greater good, and instead her arc fell flat, the story centering Catherine instead. It's easy to use royal characters to further a plot, as they have a much more convenient motivation for caring about the fate of a kingdom, but I would have preferred the more difficult journey of turning Tash into a hero. Although I could have done without her appropriative hairstyle. When I read that she had dreadlocks, I was excited -- representation is often so lacking in fantasy. But then she is described as blond and blue-eyed, and her hair as twisted and matted. Green could have given the same image of a dirty child demon-hunter with a long, ratty braid or tangled locks chopped at the chin rather than giving Tash dreadlocks.
Another source of wasted potential was disgruntled servant March, a child of a ruined nation and survivor of genocide out for revenge. Again, an excellent chance for a dynamic, flawed character, but the story he was involved in centered Edyon, a spoiled prince's bastard introduced so late in the novel I was surprised to see a new perspective crop up a third of the way into the book. Green sets Edyon up as a coward, thief, and otherwise sniveling pissant, but his shift into a caring if foolish young man feels unwarranted, sudden, and unexplained. Green sets up strong characters and then has nowhere to go with them, eventually having them all act in a similar manner.
Honestly, I feel the book might be much better told from Catherine's perspective only, as it felt like Green was most invested in her story, with the rest of the characters coming in as needed.
All that said, will this book keep you entertained during quarantine? Yes. Although the plot is lacking and page time is spent on characters I personally didnt enjoy, Green's world is colorful, intriguing, and her prose paints a beautiful picture of the settings her characters travel through. (Her idea of having parties of men identify their allegiance through hair color rather than house sigil was new and pretty neat, but it left me wondering where they find bleach and potent hair dye in a feudalistic society. ) I'm always a sucker for clothing descriptions, and Catherine's dresses didn't disappoint. I found pleasure in the details in this story, but overall I felt it could have used a lot more development before hitting the shelves. Perhaps it's because it is only the first in a trilogy that it felt underbaked and disappointing, but I don't feel the need to rush out and buy the other two books. I feel the first book in a series should be able to stand on its own, and instead The Smoke Thieves feels like 532 pages of brainstorm and setup.
Also, the novel sets up to center Tash, the scrappy young bait-runner with an attitude and simple desires, as the main character, and then spends most of its time on Catherine instead, a sheltered princess finding her voice for the first time. While her story is interesting and certainly not to be discounted as a powerful narrative, I much prefer the mouthy, sarcastic Tash. I was looking forward to watching her grow from a one-track-mind demon hunter/general ragamuffin into a hero invested in the greater good, and instead her arc fell flat, the story centering Catherine instead. It's easy to use royal characters to further a plot, as they have a much more convenient motivation for caring about the fate of a kingdom, but I would have preferred the more difficult journey of turning Tash into a hero. Although I could have done without her appropriative hairstyle. When I read that she had dreadlocks, I was excited -- representation is often so lacking in fantasy. But then she is described as blond and blue-eyed, and her hair as twisted and matted. Green could have given the same image of a dirty child demon-hunter with a long, ratty braid or tangled locks chopped at the chin rather than giving Tash dreadlocks.
Another source of wasted potential was disgruntled servant March, a child of a ruined nation and survivor of genocide out for revenge. Again, an excellent chance for a dynamic, flawed character, but the story he was involved in centered Edyon, a spoiled prince's bastard introduced so late in the novel I was surprised to see a new perspective crop up a third of the way into the book. Green sets Edyon up as a coward, thief, and otherwise sniveling pissant, but his shift into a caring if foolish young man feels unwarranted, sudden, and unexplained. Green sets up strong characters and then has nowhere to go with them, eventually having them all act in a similar manner.
Honestly, I feel the book might be much better told from Catherine's perspective only, as it felt like Green was most invested in her story, with the rest of the characters coming in as needed.
All that said, will this book keep you entertained during quarantine? Yes. Although the plot is lacking and page time is spent on characters I personally didnt enjoy, Green's world is colorful, intriguing, and her prose paints a beautiful picture of the settings her characters travel through. (Her idea of having parties of men identify their allegiance through hair color rather than house sigil was new and pretty neat, but it left me wondering where they find bleach and potent hair dye in a feudalistic society. ) I'm always a sucker for clothing descriptions, and Catherine's dresses didn't disappoint. I found pleasure in the details in this story, but overall I felt it could have used a lot more development before hitting the shelves. Perhaps it's because it is only the first in a trilogy that it felt underbaked and disappointing, but I don't feel the need to rush out and buy the other two books. I feel the first book in a series should be able to stand on its own, and instead The Smoke Thieves feels like 532 pages of brainstorm and setup.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Tash is 13, running from her life from the demons that she is used as bait to hunt. Edyon is spoiled, steals things for kicks, but may have a very different fate in store. Catherine is a princess, betrothed to the Prince of a foreign kingdom and about to watch her first public execution, but cannot keep her eyes off her bodyguard. March is the servant to a Prince, a Prince who was responsible for the destruction of March's homeland.
Great structure and story - I love a fantasy novel with key characters that are split geographically, hold knowledge about different parts of the plot and slowly and steadily interact with each other until everything reaches its conclusion.
Definitely my kind of YA Fantasy - good range of characters, doesn't try to shield the reader from danger and a good quality tyrant/villain.
Loved the ending too - lots more to find out about demon smoke (and demons), questions about the safety of some characters and the perfect set up for engaging future books.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. This has not influenced my opinions.*
Great structure and story - I love a fantasy novel with key characters that are split geographically, hold knowledge about different parts of the plot and slowly and steadily interact with each other until everything reaches its conclusion.
Definitely my kind of YA Fantasy - good range of characters, doesn't try to shield the reader from danger and a good quality tyrant/villain.
Loved the ending too - lots more to find out about demon smoke (and demons), questions about the safety of some characters and the perfect set up for engaging future books.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. This has not influenced my opinions.*
DNF (Stopped around page 300): I had high hopes for this book, the description sounded like Six of Crows but with a more high fantasy element. I was so disappointed, NOTHING HAPPENED IN 300 PAGES! I was hoping for some sort of action but nope. The characters were bland and I didn’t form any real attachment to them or the plot.