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chrispybacon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Good writing style
Good ideas but
not well executed
hated the gendered magic system with the men being analytical and basing everything on books and calculations and the women being bubbly and musically inclined and in tune with nature
The romance was gross and unnecessary, he should have stayed a mentor. The age difference really was not it
Why were the characters so brainless
The plot shouldnt have left the valley, the minute it did the suspense broke and I lost interest
Good ideas but
not well executed
hated the gendered magic system with the men being analytical and basing everything on books and calculations and the women being bubbly and musically inclined and in tune with nature
The romance was gross and unnecessary, he should have stayed a mentor. The age difference really was not it
Why were the characters so brainless
The plot shouldnt have left the valley, the minute it did the suspense broke and I lost interest
leafblade's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like I wasted my time with this book, honestly.
The beginning was great, the writing pulled me in instantly and I didn't hate any character. This was until, like, when they healed Jerzy maybe?????
Then it just got confusing. The world building was horrible, and I didn't ever understand where they were standing. If you know your book is going to be published as an ebook too, don't make it necessary for the reader to have a map handy at any given time. You can't just name places and hope for everyone to understand. The landscape descriptions were really confusing and plainly bad, at times I had to read three paragraphs like five times each and I wouldn't be able to construct the world in my head. Some things just didn't make sense.
The battle scenes were, again, confusing. That's my main problem with this book. I hate not knowing what's going on if it's an important plot point, but I can accept it. But if it's not a plot thing but just that the author can't get her ideas on the paper clearly enough, then it's worse.
Also it took a direction I would never imagine it taking, and if I had knew I would've never read it. I came here to read a story about magic, a fairy tale, the dragon locking girls up in the tower and those girls fighting to get free. Instead I got:
a) A political kind of story with characters we didn't even have the need to meet?????
b) A love story that was totally scary, I'm not kidding. And I'm not talking about age gap because yes we know immortal characters could never love anyone that way. I'm talking that the dragon practically kidnapped agnieszka, scared the shit out of her when he just went "say this" "*magic happens* SHIT" (and he knew how badly witches were treated in her village), and okay that could've been it. But then they kiss, which is okay too. I was waiting for it, honestly. Their second kiss takes them to sex (oh and a question, was agnieszka a virgin???? not because it should add or take anything but I'm just curious), and then they never do anything romantic again ever. They never kissed again. I think they never hugged again. They definitely held hands but just because their magic required it. Like, what the fuck Naomi Novik. You're telling me you """developed""" this whole love story and then they just had sex (which was an experience itself but I am sex repulsed so I get it if it wasn't that bad for everyone else) and???????? never talked it out????????? not even the morning after???????????? did the dragon use a condom??????????????????? or magical protection??????????????? does she take pills??????????? what is this
By the end I was just annoyed, bored and didn't want to have anything to do with this book so I skim read it and it was bad, man. It should've been either a shorter book or more than one book.
The beginning was great, the writing pulled me in instantly and I didn't hate any character. This was until, like, when they healed Jerzy maybe?????
Then it just got confusing. The world building was horrible, and I didn't ever understand where they were standing. If you know your book is going to be published as an ebook too, don't make it necessary for the reader to have a map handy at any given time. You can't just name places and hope for everyone to understand. The landscape descriptions were really confusing and plainly bad, at times I had to read three paragraphs like five times each and I wouldn't be able to construct the world in my head. Some things just didn't make sense.
The battle scenes were, again, confusing. That's my main problem with this book. I hate not knowing what's going on if it's an important plot point, but I can accept it. But if it's not a plot thing but just that the author can't get her ideas on the paper clearly enough, then it's worse.
Also it took a direction I would never imagine it taking, and if I had knew I would've never read it. I came here to read a story about magic, a fairy tale, the dragon locking girls up in the tower and those girls fighting to get free. Instead I got:
a) A political kind of story with characters we didn't even have the need to meet?????
b) A love story that was totally scary, I'm not kidding. And I'm not talking about age gap because yes we know immortal characters could never love anyone that way. I'm talking that the dragon practically kidnapped agnieszka, scared the shit out of her when he just went "say this" "*magic happens* SHIT" (and he knew how badly witches were treated in her village), and okay that could've been it. But then they kiss, which is okay too. I was waiting for it, honestly. Their second kiss takes them to sex (oh and a question, was agnieszka a virgin???? not because it should add or take anything but I'm just curious), and then they never do anything romantic again ever. They never kissed again. I think they never hugged again. They definitely held hands but just because their magic required it. Like, what the fuck Naomi Novik. You're telling me you """developed""" this whole love story and then they just had sex (which was an experience itself but I am sex repulsed so I get it if it wasn't that bad for everyone else) and???????? never talked it out????????? not even the morning after???????????? did the dragon use a condom??????????????????? or magical protection??????????????? does she take pills??????????? what is this
By the end I was just annoyed, bored and didn't want to have anything to do with this book so I skim read it and it was bad, man. It should've been either a shorter book or more than one book.
adelinebal4's review against another edition
I didn’t dislike this book at all! I just feel like there are so many books to read and this one isn’t really keeping me gripped.
lexlux's review against another edition
5.0
This one was recommended to me by someone special because he thought I would love it. And boy, did I!
Inspired by the fairy tales that I grew up reading, this book just makes them better by adding a female protagonist who is so relatable she could be any of us.
The author’s words paint a visual picture unlike any other I’ve read in recent times. I felt I was in the tower, in the midst of fierce battle, under the magical shade of the wood.
Takes some time to take off but hurtles towards an all inclusive, wonderful climax which tugs at your heart strings and makes you question everything you thought you knew about morality.
Loved it. 5 stars. Easy.
Thank you, Goober. Love you.
Inspired by the fairy tales that I grew up reading, this book just makes them better by adding a female protagonist who is so relatable she could be any of us.
The author’s words paint a visual picture unlike any other I’ve read in recent times. I felt I was in the tower, in the midst of fierce battle, under the magical shade of the wood.
Takes some time to take off but hurtles towards an all inclusive, wonderful climax which tugs at your heart strings and makes you question everything you thought you knew about morality.
Loved it. 5 stars. Easy.
Thank you, Goober. Love you.
cyhr04's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
bluepuppybites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
001's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
bookedandcozy's review
4.0
I loved the story and the way that this book was written. It was a bit moody and had some points that I expected the story to go in one direction but it took a different turn so that was refreshing. I really enjoyed the friendship between the FMC and her best friend. This has very light spice which was fine. The reason I gave 4 stars and not 5 was because I didn’t like the MMC and the way her treated the FMC. He was rude and degrading to the FMC many times throughout the book even once they were starting to fall for one another. I’ve seen this done in a way that feels more natural and somehow less demeaning but in this book it gave me the ick. I loved the rest of the story so much that I ignored it though so take that information as you will.