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jrhoffer1913's review against another edition
5.0
Wow what a wild ride! The world was fascinating, and the characters were vibrant, relatable, and very well done. At times I found the story confusing but it was fast paced and pulled me along anyways. The end did help clear up most pieces but I’ll have to reread to catch other pieces. Overall it was a great book and I can’t wait for the second
headcanonheadcase's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! It took me a few chapters to really get into it, but once I did, I loved every page. It is so much more than a simple retelling; it is a reimagining. And it kept me on the edge of my seat at the end.
benheld's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
vilima's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Parece que eu tava lendo um quadro do Salvador dali
Chato ainda por cima
Chato ainda por cima
joy456's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
walking_library's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
themonii22's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
I loved the setting of this story and I could picture everything very well. I loved all of the intricacies and depth of the plot but it never become too complicated that I couldn’t keep track of what was happening. I loved how Chelsea Abdullah was able to instill such a feeling of unease when it came to the ghouls and their silence.
My big issue with the book is that there is no break in the entire middle part. It’s conflict after conflict after conflict, whether that be physical or emotional. The characters themselves do get breaks but they are often entirely skipped over on page as the text will say something along the lines of “they had made good progress the past few days.” To the reader (or me atleast) it became emotionally draining as there would be no release of tension but instead it would just build and build. I would have liked to see how they interact after a long day of traveling or had a small town added in where they get treated to a good meal and stay up late drinking and dancing or something like that.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the climax was rewarding enough for a good segway into a sequel which I will definitely be reading when it comes out.
My big issue with the book is that there is no break in the entire middle part. It’s conflict after conflict after conflict, whether that be physical or emotional. The characters themselves do get breaks but they are often entirely skipped over on page as the text will say something along the lines of “they had made good progress the past few days.” To the reader (or me atleast) it became emotionally draining as there would be no release of tension but instead it would just build and build. I would have liked to see how they interact after a long day of traveling or had a small town added in where they get treated to a good meal and stay up late drinking and dancing or something like that.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the climax was rewarding enough for a good segway into a sequel which I will definitely be reading when it comes out.
moralesm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
5.0
lucielockettreads's review
4.25
This book is the first instalment in a proposed trilogy, with the second instalment releasing March 2025 so it’s fair to say that there is more to come yet.
one cannot know the outcome of a journey if one is not brave enough to take it.
This is an inviting story set in the deserts, I have seen it was inspired by Arabic stories that I am not accustomed to so I cannot judge these stories but I can say the author does a fantastic job of world building, I could see the deserts and all the areas encountered! The mythical Jinn were exciting and shrouded in mystery just as any godlike creatures should be! The Midnight Merchant is wonderfully complex character and I think that Chelsea does a good job at slowly revealing the twists and turns related to her backstory.
My main issue with the story is the pacing, we build very slowly to exciting things and then the pace is slowed again, which again I have seen other viewers mention. I think as a beginner still in the fantasy genre this is a good read because for people like me its not heavy on the pacing and you can read it slowly and indulge, but more seasoned fantasy readers may find issues. There is a lot left up in the air by the ending its not as much of a bad cliffhanger as you would expect and I think come 2025 I may read the second in the series.