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bookshelvesandtealeaves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
3.5
_captainhooks's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, a fun read, but a couple of things bugged me.
First is a certain amount of info-dumping; there’s a good bit of it at the beginning, and while it lets up, it doesn’t entirely stop. I never felt it was bad enough to completely stop the story’s momentum, but it was enough to feel clunky at times.
I also couldn’t help but feel like there was a good deal of cruft in the first half. I expected that the thrilling prison break that the book marketed would be the primary focus, but it isn’t even planned until 70% of the way in, and pretty quickly planned given that no one has ever escaped this legendary prison. Of course the author can’t be blamed for how their book gets advertised, but in this regard, I don’t think making a direct comparison to Six of Crows did it any favors. Most of this book is taken up with Leta’s trial, but the issue is that a lot of narrative time is wasted as well. Some of this information gathering, the back and forth to court, the multiple characters’ flashbacks needed to be streamlined and/or rearranged to allow plausible time to build the climactic escape.
Lastly, I actually don’t think this book benefits from the rotating perspectives. The first 3/4 especially would have been much more effectively suspenseful had it just been Cayder’s POV. All those little vignettes could easily have been information he collected for trials, but it would have felt more like we were having to piece together the story WITH him, sorting out the truth and finding the holes ourselves. Instead, the author’s hand is unignorable. (Being literally told “but she wasn’t telling the whole truth!”/“He couldn’t let anyone find out what REALLY happened!” sucks the fun out of stories that depend upon not knowing who/what to trust for me.) Even the prison break was not so complex as to warrant changing POVs; most of the plan has the group together anyway.
I’m still giving it four stars, however, for pretty good pacing, likable characters, and courtroom drama (regardless of if it was all necessary, I did enjoy it.) The magic system also deserves a shoutout. Magic with a cost is always as it should be, in my opinion. And edem being the manipulation of time was a really interesting and unique concept. I’m just as intrigued by the mysteries of the Veil as Leta. Entertaining enough for me to read the sequel, and what else could I ask for, at the end of the day?
First is a certain amount of info-dumping; there’s a good bit of it at the beginning, and while it lets up, it doesn’t entirely stop. I never felt it was bad enough to completely stop the story’s momentum, but it was enough to feel clunky at times.
I also couldn’t help but feel like there was a good deal of cruft in the first half. I expected that the thrilling prison break that the book marketed would be the primary focus, but it isn’t even planned until 70% of the way in, and pretty quickly planned given that no one has ever escaped this legendary prison. Of course the author can’t be blamed for how their book gets advertised, but in this regard, I don’t think making a direct comparison to Six of Crows did it any favors. Most of this book is taken up with Leta’s trial,
Spoiler
which in any case ends up cancelled along with everyone else’s. Obviously, this happens to demonstrate how much power the Regency had appropriated, that all their work could be made futile,Spoiler
Elenora’s betrayal could have been cut entirely. Any narrative problem it caused was resolved within the next two chapters. The group is reunited and buddy-buddy again almost immediately; There’s no reason her sending the guards after a decoy couldn’t have just been part of their plan, except that this way, Cayder gets hurt. However, their relationship isn’t well developed enough for that betrayal to have any weight. Hearing Cayder’s inner musings about how deep he was cut by this girl he’s known what, two weeks? Three? did not have the intended effect. So if it wasn’t significant to either the plot or the character development, why include it?Lastly, I actually don’t think this book benefits from the rotating perspectives. The first 3/4 especially would have been much more effectively suspenseful had it just been Cayder’s POV. All those little vignettes could easily have been information he collected for trials, but it would have felt more like we were having to piece together the story WITH him, sorting out the truth and finding the holes ourselves. Instead, the author’s hand is unignorable. (Being literally told “but she wasn’t telling the whole truth!”/“He couldn’t let anyone find out what REALLY happened!” sucks the fun out of stories that depend upon not knowing who/what to trust for me.) Even the prison break was not so complex as to warrant changing POVs; most of the plan has the group together anyway.
I’m still giving it four stars, however, for pretty good pacing, likable characters, and courtroom drama (regardless of if it was all necessary, I did enjoy it.) The magic system also deserves a shoutout. Magic with a cost is always as it should be, in my opinion. And edem being the manipulation of time was a really interesting and unique concept. I’m just as intrigued by the mysteries of the Veil as Leta. Entertaining enough for me to read the sequel, and what else could I ask for, at the end of the day?
lawbooks600's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
3.0
Representation: Implied Brown character
Score: Six points out of ten.
One year ago, I read Astrid Scholte's debut, Four Dead Queens--a massive disappointment. One year later, it was time to read her latest book (at the time of writing,) League of Liars. However, it turned out to be equally underwhelming. I thought League of Liars was enjoyable until I picked out the flaws. I'm done with this author.
It starts with the first character I see, Cayder Broduck, studying to be a lawyer after magic, or edem, killed his mother. He seizes an opportunity to be a public defender's apprentice to learn every trick to dismantle arguments, as the blurb said. However, when Cayder meets his clients in the prison, Jay and Leta, they are not what they seem at first glance. League of Liars revolves around a mystery concerning who burnt a town to the ground. If it's not the suspect, then who is it? Unfortunately, nothing happens in League of Liars except the characters living their lives, creating a monotonous reading experience. I couldn't connect or relate to them. The worldbuilding doesn't exist, and the worst part is the magic system. Why is there a veil where all the edem comes from? How did it get here? Why hasn't the country the author set League of Liars set in progressed compared to others? There's no explanation for any of my questions. The conclusion is a cliffhanger and more action-packed than the rest of League of Liars. The sequel, Shadows of Truth, will arrive this year, but I don't want to read any more of the author's fictional compositions for now.
Score: Six points out of ten.
One year ago, I read Astrid Scholte's debut, Four Dead Queens--a massive disappointment. One year later, it was time to read her latest book (at the time of writing,) League of Liars. However, it turned out to be equally underwhelming. I thought League of Liars was enjoyable until I picked out the flaws. I'm done with this author.
It starts with the first character I see, Cayder Broduck, studying to be a lawyer after magic, or edem, killed his mother. He seizes an opportunity to be a public defender's apprentice to learn every trick to dismantle arguments, as the blurb said. However, when Cayder meets his clients in the prison, Jay and Leta, they are not what they seem at first glance. League of Liars revolves around a mystery concerning who burnt a town to the ground. If it's not the suspect, then who is it? Unfortunately, nothing happens in League of Liars except the characters living their lives, creating a monotonous reading experience. I couldn't connect or relate to them. The worldbuilding doesn't exist, and the worst part is the magic system. Why is there a veil where all the edem comes from? How did it get here? Why hasn't the country the author set League of Liars set in progressed compared to others? There's no explanation for any of my questions. The conclusion is a cliffhanger and more action-packed than the rest of League of Liars. The sequel, Shadows of Truth, will arrive this year, but I don't want to read any more of the author's fictional compositions for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement
Full trigger warnings: Fire, death of parents and others in the past, near-death experience, imprisonment, murder, gun violencethelibraryofklee's review against another edition
3.0
"By royal decree, no person shall use or attempt to use extradimensional magic lest they wish to suffer the full consequences of the law.
- Telene Code of Conduct
Chapter 1, Page 1"
What a whirlwind! This book is part fantasy, part court room drama, part mystery thriller, part heist. Our protagonist Cayder, dreams of being a lawyer. Since the death of his mother he wants nothing more than to see those who illegally use edem (magic) to spend their existence in jail. Then he meets three criminals he is asked to help defend, and nothing is black or white anymore.
Fast paced almost feels like an understatement when it comes to the pace of this novel. It is all go from the beginning. It's an extremely clever twisty plot, and as a seasoned reader who thinks they can guess it all, I was definitely caught off guard.
My only problem is I think the fast pace meant some of the world building and character development was a little left behind. I really wanted to get to know the characters more and imagine the world they were in. In saying that, I think the premise is fantastic and I love Scholte's ability to mix genres to make for something really new feeling!
I do think this would be a great addition for a high school library - I think teens will eat this one up. AND be prepared, it appears it will be part of a duology so that cliff hanger is WOW.
“My mother died when I was ten years old. I spent a year in Vardean Reform. My father is never at home. And my only family is at risk of being locked away for good. I know what it feels like to take a punch. Now I need someone to help me fight back.”
- Telene Code of Conduct
Chapter 1, Page 1"
What a whirlwind! This book is part fantasy, part court room drama, part mystery thriller, part heist. Our protagonist Cayder, dreams of being a lawyer. Since the death of his mother he wants nothing more than to see those who illegally use edem (magic) to spend their existence in jail. Then he meets three criminals he is asked to help defend, and nothing is black or white anymore.
Fast paced almost feels like an understatement when it comes to the pace of this novel. It is all go from the beginning. It's an extremely clever twisty plot, and as a seasoned reader who thinks they can guess it all, I was definitely caught off guard.
My only problem is I think the fast pace meant some of the world building and character development was a little left behind. I really wanted to get to know the characters more and imagine the world they were in. In saying that, I think the premise is fantastic and I love Scholte's ability to mix genres to make for something really new feeling!
I do think this would be a great addition for a high school library - I think teens will eat this one up. AND be prepared, it appears it will be part of a duology so that cliff hanger is WOW.
“My mother died when I was ten years old. I spent a year in Vardean Reform. My father is never at home. And my only family is at risk of being locked away for good. I know what it feels like to take a punch. Now I need someone to help me fight back.”
antivancrowe's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Character 3| Setting 5| Plot 3.5| Writing 3| Enjoyability 3.5
Overall Rating: 3.6
I picked this up because I heard it was a heist to break people out of prison. So similar to six of crows kind of. I was excited about that, but the heist isn't really main point of this book. So if that's why you wanna read take a look at some reviews before purchasing.
It is however has amazing world building, and has an interesting tackle at legal system that has to deal with magic. This was the first fantasy book I've really read that has to deal with that. It was very cool. I enjoyed it a lot and I kind of wish the marketing I saw for this highlighted on that.
It felt like Ace Attorney, but competant.
We have a couple of main characters: Cayder, Jey, Leta, and Princess Elenora.
They all bring unique POVs to the conversation 3/4 stuck in Verdian, the prison of the country. I enjoyed seeing how they were treated in prison and the magic was very unique.
I'm interested to see where this goes and to continue learning about this cool world.
Overall Rating: 3.6
I picked this up because I heard it was a heist to break people out of prison. So similar to six of crows kind of. I was excited about that, but the heist isn't really main point of this book. So if that's why you wanna read take a look at some reviews before purchasing.
It is however has amazing world building, and has an interesting tackle at legal system that has to deal with magic. This was the first fantasy book I've really read that has to deal with that. It was very cool. I enjoyed it a lot and I kind of wish the marketing I saw for this highlighted on that.
It felt like Ace Attorney, but competant.
We have a couple of main characters: Cayder, Jey, Leta, and Princess Elenora.
They all bring unique POVs to the conversation 3/4 stuck in Verdian, the prison of the country. I enjoyed seeing how they were treated in prison and the magic was very unique.
I'm interested to see where this goes and to continue learning about this cool world.
theveryhungrythesaurus's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
2.5
ameserole's review against another edition
3.0
For almost a year, I've been patiently waiting to get my hands on League of Liars. I'll admit that the cover, title, and synopsis really intrigued me. So, I think I accidentally overhyped myself for this book because I ended up being disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book, but I was expecting something more from it.
After meeting the characters, I honestly had no idea who I could or couldn't trust. Heck, I still don't after finishing it. Each twist, turn, secret and betrayal left me completely confused for most of the book. I wouldn't even know if I felt any whiplash from it all because the pages just kept turning.
If I'm still being honest here, a lot went down in this book. Whether it was the trial or anything that could or could not be living within the veil. Questions were constantly being formed in my mind while trying to digest it all.
So, with the ending creeping closer and closer I'll admit that I was shocked with the cliffhanger. I'm not sure if there's going to be another book or not, but I seriously hope we get a sequel. If not, I guess I'll be okay with it all.
After meeting the characters, I honestly had no idea who I could or couldn't trust. Heck, I still don't after finishing it. Each twist, turn, secret and betrayal left me completely confused for most of the book. I wouldn't even know if I felt any whiplash from it all because the pages just kept turning.
If I'm still being honest here, a lot went down in this book. Whether it was the trial or anything that could or could not be living within the veil. Questions were constantly being formed in my mind while trying to digest it all.
So, with the ending creeping closer and closer I'll admit that I was shocked with the cliffhanger. I'm not sure if there's going to be another book or not, but I seriously hope we get a sequel. If not, I guess I'll be okay with it all.
pantsreads's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5
I wanted more from this book, which felt more MG than I expected, both in world-building and characters. I'm very curious to see if there are sequels to come, too, as the ending leaves a lot to be desired if this is a standalone.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
I wanted more from this book, which felt more MG than I expected, both in world-building and characters. I'm very curious to see if there are sequels to come, too, as the ending leaves a lot to be desired if this is a standalone.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
joyreads2024'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
None of the characters were likeable. It had a good basis if the characters weren’t super annoying and the pace wasn’t so slow. And the romance was stupid and not there. BUT I am also not the target demographic for it so I’m sure other people will like it
creataav's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
5.0