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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was phenomenal. Creepy, spooky, magical, tender, sad, everything it needed to be.
Please go read it! 🙏
Please go read it! 🙏
Go in expecting the trappings of a YA novel, and it enjoy it at that face value, and then appreciate the tropes that are subverted.
Which I did, and so I did entirely enjoy it, except for the Dragon, who is an interesting but loathsome person
I enjoyed the structure of the magic system, the writing style, the main character Nieshka and how the entire plot of the book revolves around her love of her best friend Kasia. These are incredible characters with compelling arcs and the book is fast paced and held my attention the whole time.
I hated the romance.
I read this in one sitting, which is a testament to how engaging and enjoyable the story is despite that.
Which I did, and so I did entirely enjoy it, except for the Dragon, who is an interesting but loathsome person
I enjoyed the structure of the magic system, the writing style, the main character Nieshka and how the entire plot of the book revolves around her love of her best friend Kasia. These are incredible characters with compelling arcs and the book is fast paced and held my attention the whole time.
I hated the romance.
Spoiler
He’s a hateable character and I genuinely don’t know what she sees in him - I don’t think Nieshka knows herself, and it feels like they get together only because the pitch of the book says they should. I don’t love captive/captor romances, and no amount of giving her power and agency could change that initial dynamic.I read this in one sitting, which is a testament to how engaging and enjoyable the story is despite that.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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:
No
The book did a great job of pulling you into a world of classic folklore fantasy. It used classic tropes in new and interesting ways. While the pacing sometimes felt disjointed, and I wished for some more character development in some of the other characters, overall it was a lovely read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
This book did not go where i expected, but it was a delightful ride. It got better with time and it had quite a lovely ending and a wildly surprising climax to me. I’d recommend if ur into weird wizards
adventurous
tense
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
adventurous
dark
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:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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
adventurous
emotional
tense
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:
Complicated
Excellent
Awesome world building, great magic and a compelling story with lots of action and solid pacing. Satisfying conclusion to a story that, at its heart, is a happy one.
Awesome world building, great magic and a compelling story with lots of action and solid pacing. Satisfying conclusion to a story that, at its heart, is a happy one.
It is immensely better on the second read! I love pretty much anything related to Slavic folklore, so the setting and cultural background were a big draw for me, and pretty solidly done.
However, I will stand by my opinion that very little of Agnieszka's motivations are portrayed in a substantial way through most of the book, particularly in the second half. Perhaps it was the author's intent to have the reader be swept away in the fast pace of the plot at that point, but it just... always comes off (to me) as an unfinished narration that portrays Agnieszka as having little control over/solid opinion about her path.
Some of Agnieszka's characterization and decisions come off as "WOE IS ME FOR BEING *DIFFERENT* AND *TOO GOOD*" but it can be mostly ignored. Despite the fact she constantly frames herself as inadequate, she is repeatedly able to perform tasks others are stumped by. The side characters are more sympathetic.
However, I will stand by my opinion that very little of Agnieszka's motivations are portrayed in a substantial way through most of the book, particularly in the second half. Perhaps it was the author's intent to have the reader be swept away in the fast pace of the plot at that point, but it just... always comes off (to me) as an unfinished narration that portrays Agnieszka as having little control over/solid opinion about her path.
Some of Agnieszka's characterization and decisions come off as "WOE IS ME FOR BEING *DIFFERENT* AND *TOO GOOD*" but it can be mostly ignored. Despite the fact she constantly frames herself as inadequate, she is repeatedly able to perform tasks others are stumped by. The side characters are more sympathetic.