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peppermintbat's review
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
4.75
meghan21's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.0
lizsim's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
4.75
fish_reads's review
4.0
I didn’t care overmuch for Tris in the original quartet, but this book really brought out the excitement. It was almost like a crime drama. It got to be pretty frustrating at points, but overall I liked it.
ceeonearth's review
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.0
alexblackreads's review
3.0
I was a little torn between three and four stars on this book, but decided to go with the lower rating.
I had a lot of fun with the story overall. It grabbed me easily and I never had to push myself to finish. I was just excited to pick it up and read, which seems like a small thing but I haven't felt that way about many of the other books in the first two quartets. I liked Tris's student as well. I think it's an interesting relationship to explore, a student who's so much older than their teacher.
I also quite enjoyed the mystery/crime element. This is the only book in the series where you don't know who's committing the crime or why, and I found myself quite intrigued because I didn't remember. It doesn't really matter, the main focus is much more on the high fantasy magic elements, but I still think as a side story it's quite well done.
What I had an issue with was the culture Tris is visiting. She's traveled far south to a different country with very different customs and this book is heavy on othering people of that country. It's possible to critique the customs of a place without othering the people as whole, like what was done with Daja's book, but it didn't succeed here. Instead it fell more into the category of white savior trope, and this isn't the only one of Pierce's books that feels that way to me.
But I did still like this one, and it's probably my second favorite of this quartet. At least it didn't drag like the first two books did. It's left me very excited to get to The Will of the Empress, which is by far my favorite.
I had a lot of fun with the story overall. It grabbed me easily and I never had to push myself to finish. I was just excited to pick it up and read, which seems like a small thing but I haven't felt that way about many of the other books in the first two quartets. I liked Tris's student as well. I think it's an interesting relationship to explore, a student who's so much older than their teacher.
I also quite enjoyed the mystery/crime element. This is the only book in the series where you don't know who's committing the crime or why, and I found myself quite intrigued because I didn't remember. It doesn't really matter, the main focus is much more on the high fantasy magic elements, but I still think as a side story it's quite well done.
What I had an issue with was the culture Tris is visiting. She's traveled far south to a different country with very different customs and this book is heavy on othering people of that country. It's possible to critique the customs of a place without othering the people as whole, like what was done with Daja's book, but it didn't succeed here. Instead it fell more into the category of white savior trope, and this isn't the only one of Pierce's books that feels that way to me.
But I did still like this one, and it's probably my second favorite of this quartet. At least it didn't drag like the first two books did. It's left me very excited to get to The Will of the Empress, which is by far my favorite.
sophiewilliams's review
3.0
I miss seeing the characters in the same place, but a good story nonetheless
quasinaut's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.5
Tamora Pierce again builds a new city with its own people and customs and problems. I liked meeting Keth and Glaki and Chime and many of the various side characters.
I felt like the serial killer plotline was so stalled throughout the book -- each murder a repeat of the last, with Dema getting foiled by the priests as well as the constraints put on him through his rank as a member of the First Class. But then as soon as Keth started helping, this story resolved perhaps too neatly.
I find Tris to be so frustrating because she's so reactive and, often, rude. For someone who likes reading and learning, I was surprised by how little she understood the customs in this city; she doesn't need to accept them, but she must understand them in order to work within them. Overall, I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, found the setting to be intriguing, and was underwhelmed by the plot.
I felt like the serial killer plotline was so stalled throughout the book -- each murder a repeat of the last, with Dema getting foiled by the priests as well as the constraints put on him through his rank as a member of the First Class. But then as soon as Keth started helping, this story resolved perhaps too neatly.
I find Tris to be so frustrating because she's so reactive and, often, rude. For someone who likes reading and learning, I was surprised by how little she understood the customs in this city; she doesn't need to accept them, but she must understand them in order to work within them. Overall, I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, found the setting to be intriguing, and was underwhelmed by the plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Classism