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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is book #2 in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series and it's a pretty classic fantasy series. I find that classic fantasy often tends to fall into some of the tropes I don't love very much (sloooooow pacing and not so developed characters were the two major complaints with this book) but when I am in the mood to read a classic fantasy series I do enjoy a good one and I think this one is that :)
Simon is the main character for a lot of the first book but I feel like in book two we start to branch off into a few different plot threads and follow more people in detail. Simon is our young 'chosen one'. The boy who used to sleep in the kitchens, until he was sent off on the most important quest of all time...to find Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (3 magic swords) and hopefully fix THE WORLD :)
We also have Binabik who is a personal favourite of the series for me. He's a troll, and he lives in a land full of trolls (well, normally he would but up until now he's been on a quest with Simon). I loved getting to see him with his people (even though they're pretty mean to him) and seeing ALL the trolls - They're kind of like cute little trolls rather than big scary ones!
Jirki is a Sitha, one of the ancient magical races of the world who might be able to help if only they would stir themselves into action and actually worry about the destinies of mortals (can you tell I've read a few books where this happens?!)
Prince Josua is an exiled Prince by this book and he's on the run and in hiding from the evil Norns and the others who would seek to do him harm (that's most people). He's the land's best noble chance for redemption so must be protected at all costs.
Miriamele was the worst developed character in my opinion, she's the daughter of the crazy King (he's the reason so much of the world is an issue - or one of them) and yet ALL she seems to do is be scared, flirty, weak or whiney... I have to say from experience there's a lot more than that to a lady and she's just not a convincing character. A lot of her plot felt forced and anti-climatic to me in this book which was a shame as I think she could be great when used properly...
Maegwin is probably one of the most far-off from the rest of the characters and the most intriguing to me. Her plot just keeps picking at me and making me wonder where it's going and how she fits into everything. She's a princess who's in hiding as the last of her line with the last of her loyal followers...
The plot of this book certainly had some wonderful moments but equally it suffers from the slow pacing that this sort of book is known for. I don't mind a slow read when I am audio-booking (which is what I did with this one) but sometimes this felt like a lot could have been shortened/cut.
In terms of the book as a whole I did enjoy it even though I have issues with it. It's one of the better classic fantasies I've read and I have fun being in the world, I just think it doesn't hold up alongside some of the other more modern books. It's a good adventure and I'm committed to seeing where it goes, so I am diving straight into book #3 and will report back. 3*s for this one.
Simon is the main character for a lot of the first book but I feel like in book two we start to branch off into a few different plot threads and follow more people in detail. Simon is our young 'chosen one'. The boy who used to sleep in the kitchens, until he was sent off on the most important quest of all time...to find Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (3 magic swords) and hopefully fix THE WORLD :)
We also have Binabik who is a personal favourite of the series for me. He's a troll, and he lives in a land full of trolls (well, normally he would but up until now he's been on a quest with Simon). I loved getting to see him with his people (even though they're pretty mean to him) and seeing ALL the trolls - They're kind of like cute little trolls rather than big scary ones!
Jirki is a Sitha, one of the ancient magical races of the world who might be able to help if only they would stir themselves into action and actually worry about the destinies of mortals (can you tell I've read a few books where this happens?!)
Prince Josua is an exiled Prince by this book and he's on the run and in hiding from the evil Norns and the others who would seek to do him harm (that's most people). He's the land's best noble chance for redemption so must be protected at all costs.
Miriamele was the worst developed character in my opinion, she's the daughter of the crazy King (he's the reason so much of the world is an issue - or one of them) and yet ALL she seems to do is be scared, flirty, weak or whiney... I have to say from experience there's a lot more than that to a lady and she's just not a convincing character. A lot of her plot felt forced and anti-climatic to me in this book which was a shame as I think she could be great when used properly...
Maegwin is probably one of the most far-off from the rest of the characters and the most intriguing to me. Her plot just keeps picking at me and making me wonder where it's going and how she fits into everything. She's a princess who's in hiding as the last of her line with the last of her loyal followers...
The plot of this book certainly had some wonderful moments but equally it suffers from the slow pacing that this sort of book is known for. I don't mind a slow read when I am audio-booking (which is what I did with this one) but sometimes this felt like a lot could have been shortened/cut.
In terms of the book as a whole I did enjoy it even though I have issues with it. It's one of the better classic fantasies I've read and I have fun being in the world, I just think it doesn't hold up alongside some of the other more modern books. It's a good adventure and I'm committed to seeing where it goes, so I am diving straight into book #3 and will report back. 3*s for this one.
Beautiful writing, great plot and characters, it was just about 200 pages too long. Tad Williams is a master of making the world feel vast and interesting, and his prose is unmatched, but sometimes there are far too many words. Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading the next one
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Middle of the story, but I liked how the main characters have grown and developed. Starting the last book (part 1) next...
I'm really enjoying these! But, I miss how in the first book, I could get comfortable in a character's situation because switching to a different perspective was so seldom. I found myself jumping around SO much in this book, between such different situations, that I never felt like I could put my feet down. I could follow, but I was never more aware that I was reading a book than in the (many) chapters dedicated to a multitude of POVs from around the map.
I love this series, but this is my least favorite of the three. Loved the world building of the first book...all of which play into the story moving forward. In this one there is a great deal of time is devoted to world building in the troll village and the sithi community...far too much time. I loathed the troll people by the time we were done with them and on our way. Happy to have this re-read behind me and am ready for the third and final installment.