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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
This was fun! I loved the characters, and I'm very interested in learning more about the world. This was a great start to the series.
A steampunk dystopian fantasy following the adventure of three unlikely allied characters as they seek to overthrow the totalitarian regime of the Dragon King.
The world and caste systems are richly imagined and complex, but I found the characters themselves to be a bit depthless and felt a barrier in emotional connection. This detracted from the banter between the FMC and MMC as they begrudgingly realize they don’t actually despise each other (one of my favourite tropes ever but this simply didn’t hold the anticipated profundity).
I’m hopeful for more emotional fulfillment between Arianna and Cvareh as the saga continues, but am enamoured with Elise Kova’s writing for the sake of the intricately crafted world alone.
The world and caste systems are richly imagined and complex, but I found the characters themselves to be a bit depthless and felt a barrier in emotional connection. This detracted from the banter between the FMC and MMC as they begrudgingly realize they don’t actually despise each other (one of my favourite tropes ever but this simply didn’t hold the anticipated profundity).
I’m hopeful for more emotional fulfillment between Arianna and Cvareh as the saga continues, but am enamoured with Elise Kova’s writing for the sake of the intricately crafted world alone.
still fun on the second read tho too much blood for my taste hahahhaa pun intended
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Quite a good book, better than I expected honestly. Good world building and story, listening to the second book now.
I barely listened to this book but realized I needed something else at the time. Maybe I'll come back to it
4.75
A fast-paced, interesting world with a badass main character AND no insta-love here folks!
How could I not be happy?
A fast-paced, interesting world with a badass main character AND no insta-love here folks!
How could I not be happy?
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
I wanted to like The Alchemists of Loom. It’s an interesting premise and the world building has a lot of potential for some really creative storytelling. But the story never really finds its footing and the end result is a book that drags and feels too ambitious for Kova’s skill level.
If there are updated editions of The Alchemists of Loom out there—since I borrowed a copy from my library that I suspect was pretty old—it’s possible my review wouldn’t hold. Revised with a bit more experience under Kova’s belt, I could see The Alchemists of Loom being an interesting read. And if it ever gets swept up in her trad publishing deals, I might consider giving it another try.
The Alchemists of Loom: 2.75 stars
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
So I have some mixed feelings. Despite how short the book is, it took me so long to read it. I simply wasn’t hooked into the story or characters. There are some elements that have my attention, so I’ll see how the second book is like before deciding to stop reading the series. I am also greatly upset at naming one of the races Dragons when they have nothing in common with actual dragons; it just seems lazy and misleading to me. Everything and everyone else are given new names, so it comes off weird. It was also very confusing as it doesn’t explain that for a long while, so I did not know what the author was telling me was happening when I had zero idea what a Dragon even looked like. Maybe personal pet peeve, but I find it lazy. Some of the beginning writing of Arianna also came off as cringey to me, and her continued personality rubs me the wrong way. Now that I’m writing this, maybe I shouldn’t read the next book, but I’m somewhat intrigued to see where it goes.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated