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rexpostfacto's review against another edition
4.75
Rebecca you almost had me there at the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Death
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A Fire Endless is a fitting end to the Elements of Cadence duology and an equally fitting sequel to A River Enchanted.
Rebecca Ross has crafted these twin books with great care, and it shows in the writing. Whilst reading Fire, I could feel her expert hand guiding the plot and characters, rather like (at least as it seemed to me) a chess master moving all their pieces into place to reach - in this case - a winning conclusion.
There were times when it seemed that Ross's writing held me under some magic spell, that to stop reading would be to break it. I realise that may sound odd and faintly ridiculous, but it is a testament to the immersiveness of the world and characters Ross has created that I felt this way.
I don't mean to say that this book was without flaws. Sometimes in between reading sessions I would lose the thread of certain plot elements, and had to accept that they had already been explained so I did not have to go back and reread. And that phrase I referred to earlier, about the chess master? Well, there were times when the chain of events seemed a little too convenient, too planned, too predictable.
But these quibbles didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the novel, and I am greatly looking forward to reading more from the extremely talented Rebecca Ross.
Rebecca Ross has crafted these twin books with great care, and it shows in the writing. Whilst reading Fire, I could feel her expert hand guiding the plot and characters, rather like (at least as it seemed to me) a chess master moving all their pieces into place to reach - in this case - a winning conclusion.
There were times when it seemed that Ross's writing held me under some magic spell, that to stop reading would be to break it. I realise that may sound odd and faintly ridiculous, but it is a testament to the immersiveness of the world and characters Ross has created that I felt this way.
I don't mean to say that this book was without flaws. Sometimes in between reading sessions I would lose the thread of certain plot elements, and had to accept that they had already been explained so I did not have to go back and reread. And that phrase I referred to earlier, about the chess master? Well, there were times when the chain of events seemed a little too convenient, too planned, too predictable.
But these quibbles didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the novel, and I am greatly looking forward to reading more from the extremely talented Rebecca Ross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Sexual content, Blood, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Torture, and War
A major plot point in the novel revolves around the Breccan Laird and her family takingthecriticalreader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I was excited to see the sequel to A River Enchanted was listed as an add-on for the December Book of the Month picks!
Blurb:
In this conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology, a blight is infecting the East and West of the isle of Cadence, and the spirits are restless under the despotic rule of Bane, King of the Northern Wind. Jack remains in the East while his wife, Adaira, lives with her parents from the enemy Breccan Clan. Tensions and stress run high as the Tamerlaine and Breccan Clans struggle to trust one another amidst a war in the spirit realm.
Review:
Rebecca Ross’s writing has a magic of its own. Every time I opened A Fire Endless, I forgot that I was reading and became completely immersed in the world and story she created. Her writing allowed me to grasp the storyline, feel the emotions the characters were feeling, and understand the world’s magic with little to no effort, which is not an easy feat in the fantasy genre. I also appreciate her ability to build stakes without making her story too dark.
As I read, there were very few moments that pulled me out of the story. One thing that struck me was how Rebecca Ross eschews cheap plot devices or lazy story conventions to further the story. The main characters, although not perfect, act intelligently and respond appropriately to their situations. Ross lets her story unfold naturally and at its own pace. The result is a magnificent story that is enjoyable to read and provides a satisfying conclusion to the duology.
The only thing that is keeping me from rating A Fire Endless as a 4.75 or 5 is that Ross did not take any risks with the ending of the story. That does not mean that the ending is bad—far from it. I am glad that she chose the safe route if she did not feel that she could handle a bolder ending. That being said, I think if she had been able to successfully shake things up more at the end, A Fire Endless might have been a masterpiece.
The Run-Down:
You will almost certainly like A Fire Endless if you liked the first book in the duology.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Child death, Vomit, Murder, Bullying, and Blood
Minor: Kidnapping, Abandonment, Grief, Alcohol, and Fire/Fire injury
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