Scan barcode
thanaetos's review against another edition
4.0
ngl the writing at the beginning was hella confusing but overall I just love the concept and the main characters
also: im just a sucker for that whole light and dark shit ya kno that's my jam
also: im just a sucker for that whole light and dark shit ya kno that's my jam
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, before other Michelle West lovers burn me in effigy, let me explain why I'm giving this two stars, and let me also say I love West's writing. The Sun Sword series is one of the best series ever. Go read it now!
This, you will notice, is not the Sun Sword series. It is West's first book, a fact that West tells you and will be obivous to any experienced reader. At times it is unclear who is thinking what and even what is happening. Some of the scenes feel like gothic gone bad, if you know what I mean. To be honest, I've read better first novels.
That said, there are some very wonderful bits to this novel. Anyone who is familiar with West's work will see beginnings here of themes and plot ideas. Like some of her other work, West examines what extactly good and evil are, when do darkness and light reverse. It isn't as in depth as some of her other work, but it is still there. The story is also interesting in two of its influences. It obivously is a battle between the forces of heaven and the forces of hell (it does make on think of Milton's war of heaven, with far less poetry). It also is a "Beauty and the Beast" story. It is so close to the French salon versions, it is stunning. West even copies the use of food and dining that one sees in these versions.
This, you will notice, is not the Sun Sword series. It is West's first book, a fact that West tells you and will be obivous to any experienced reader. At times it is unclear who is thinking what and even what is happening. Some of the scenes feel like gothic gone bad, if you know what I mean. To be honest, I've read better first novels.
That said, there are some very wonderful bits to this novel. Anyone who is familiar with West's work will see beginnings here of themes and plot ideas. Like some of her other work, West examines what extactly good and evil are, when do darkness and light reverse. It isn't as in depth as some of her other work, but it is still there. The story is also interesting in two of its influences. It obivously is a battle between the forces of heaven and the forces of hell (it does make on think of Milton's war of heaven, with far less poetry). It also is a "Beauty and the Beast" story. It is so close to the French salon versions, it is stunning. West even copies the use of food and dining that one sees in these versions.
lizshayne's review
3.0
I have complicated feelings about this book, both because it took a while for me to get into AND because the narrative arc is one I both love and hate. The Beauty and the Beast story is one of the narratives that turns the keys to my heart and yet it is so easy to slip into making the Beast a monster (yes, yes, I know).
The story really revolves around the idea of woman/lover as sacrifice, which is super icky...but also very Jesus-y and I don't know if the vision of Erin as Jesus makes it better (as a feminist) or worse (as a Jewish woman). But the story, especially once she meets Stephanos and becomes Sara, is gripping and my favorite part. The tragedy mamba of the first part was a bit of a slog to read...and that in and of itself says something about me.
I feel like there's more to say about this trope of love as redemption intertwined with the trope of good (or god) entering the dark world to redeem it through sacrifice.
Obviously I'm going to read the next. I'm just going to keep feeling weird about it.
The story really revolves around the idea of woman/lover as sacrifice, which is super icky...but also very Jesus-y and I don't know if the vision of Erin as Jesus makes it better (as a feminist) or worse (as a Jewish woman). But the story, especially once she meets Stephanos and becomes Sara, is gripping and my favorite part. The tragedy mamba of the first part was a bit of a slog to read...and that in and of itself says something about me.
I feel like there's more to say about this trope of love as redemption intertwined with the trope of good (or god) entering the dark world to redeem it through sacrifice.
Obviously I'm going to read the next. I'm just going to keep feeling weird about it.
elusivity's review
3.0
A straightforward story of the fight between light and dark, exemplified by the long and fraught relationship between a woman of the Light and the First of the Dark.
This series was a childhood favorite. I like it despite all the flaws. So many flaws.
This series was a childhood favorite. I like it despite all the flaws. So many flaws.
manxomemia's review
3.0
I read this book on a recommendation and I have mixed feelings about it. Pacing was very hard to follow and the author tends to swap POV constantly, which is quite disconcerting to read. There were parts that were just so confusing I kind of skimmed over them which mean I lost important details that were hidden in there.
The intro added a few years ago by the author makes sense after reading the book. She says that the start of the book was originally told through flashbacks later, but she revised it at the recommendation of her editor (I think). It reads that way. The first third of the book feels completely different to the rest, and while both styles are good, I felt they didn't quite match up right. The ending also seemed kind of rushed and a little forced, plus quite confusing. I had to look it up online to make sure I understood what happened correctly (and I read the whole book over a few days so it shouldn't have been too difficult to keep up).
All that being said, I still enjoyed it. The relationship between the two main characters is really great and the story world would be perfect to play it out in. It was very much beauty and the beast, which is my favourite fairy tale.
The author mentions in her intro that she can now see all the faults in the book and she had wished she could revise it, but didn't because it is the book most of her fans fell in love with. I understand that and I agree with her logic, but part of me would love to read what she could have made it into so many years later. The story itself is intriguing and enjoyable, it's just that the execution left a little to be desired.
The intro added a few years ago by the author makes sense after reading the book. She says that the start of the book was originally told through flashbacks later, but she revised it at the recommendation of her editor (I think). It reads that way. The first third of the book feels completely different to the rest, and while both styles are good, I felt they didn't quite match up right. The ending also seemed kind of rushed and a little forced, plus quite confusing. I had to look it up online to make sure I understood what happened correctly (and I read the whole book over a few days so it shouldn't have been too difficult to keep up).
All that being said, I still enjoyed it. The relationship between the two main characters is really great and the story world would be perfect to play it out in. It was very much beauty and the beast, which is my favourite fairy tale.
The author mentions in her intro that she can now see all the faults in the book and she had wished she could revise it, but didn't because it is the book most of her fans fell in love with. I understand that and I agree with her logic, but part of me would love to read what she could have made it into so many years later. The story itself is intriguing and enjoyable, it's just that the execution left a little to be desired.
therewithal's review
1.0
so this book spent its first half setting up a heroic and powerful main character I liked, and then spent the second half describing her being helpless and abused and inexplicably falling in love with the evil dude responsible for it all, which was in no way romantic, and I gave up when I couldn't deal with that anymore.
More...