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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.
queercutie'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.
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars for my personal enjoyment level but 3 stars for the overall plot. The characters behaved very foolishly and I could see 90% of the plot twists coming from a mile away. The writing was compelling for sure but the plot really didn’t bring anything new.
michelleleao10's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
What a story! It took me a bit to get into it but only because the author did quite a bit of important and necessary world building! I truly enjoyed this fantasy novel! I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel!
mellimeldisiel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A bit long winded and definitely a mammoth novel to get through, but full of amazing world building and a magic system that is as intricately designed as it is beautiful. Plenty of twists and turns with moments of betrayal and intrigue around every corner. Well worth sticking with it
hsecen's review against another edition
4.75
May 2023 reread:
Bumping up my rating because this story once again pulled me in and did not let me go, even after I finished reading that last page. I'm in love with all of these characters and how much growth they go through in just this one journey. I cannot wait for November when the series continues!
4.5 stars
I was only semi interested in this book since it was the only BoM pick that was a genre I enjoy reading, but oh wow it surprised me in such a good way! I loved all the characters, they felt so relateable with their strengths and the weaknesses that they were learning to overcome. And the different relationships between all the characters was intriguing to me and I found myself continuing on just to find out more about that, as well as the plot. The world building was really easy for me to follow and I was hooked from the beginning. It didn’t feel slow in the first half of the book but compared to the second half, there’s more build up. But I loved this and I can’t wait to read more!
Bumping up my rating because this story once again pulled me in and did not let me go, even after I finished reading that last page. I'm in love with all of these characters and how much growth they go through in just this one journey. I cannot wait for November when the series continues!
4.5 stars
I was only semi interested in this book since it was the only BoM pick that was a genre I enjoy reading, but oh wow it surprised me in such a good way! I loved all the characters, they felt so relateable with their strengths and the weaknesses that they were learning to overcome. And the different relationships between all the characters was intriguing to me and I found myself continuing on just to find out more about that, as well as the plot. The world building was really easy for me to follow and I was hooked from the beginning. It didn’t feel slow in the first half of the book but compared to the second half, there’s more build up. But I loved this and I can’t wait to read more!
mapleflakes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5