Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was okay. I was excited to pick it up because it was a slight departure from the normal Western European-inspired Tolkein-esque high fantasy and yes indeed it is set in a 16th-century Poland-inspired landscape. But I think that's about the only unique thing about it. The narrator is not particularly memorable, and there are a lot of fantasy tropes here that aren't as explored as well as they could have been. Additionally, the prose is straight-up confusing sometimes, and I couldn't tell how some action was taking place because the author did not make transitions clear. I understand that there is value in slipping in stream-of-consciousness into the narrative, but none of that value is seen here. I'm a reader who enjoys not having every last detail explained to me, but another problem with this book was that not only was there no telling, there was very little showing, and so I was left with only a vague idea of how the magic system worked and what the left and right lateral limits might be. The way it's used seems, to this philistine reader, contradictory and totally arbitrary to whatever the plot needs. Which is annoying, considering that magic is so central to the narrator's story.
Overall, not horrible, and I'm sure I would have fucking adored it as a young pre-teen, but not worth spending money on.
Overall, not horrible, and I'm sure I would have fucking adored it as a young pre-teen, but not worth spending money on.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book- I’m not normally a fan of fantasy literature but this was more of a fairy tale than a fantasy adventure.
I did feel invested in Angieska and felt her character was well developed. Her friendship with kasia is endearing and the way her relationship develops with the dragon is interesting and makes a believable timeline.
As an antihero, the dragon is an interesting character. At first we think he’s dreadful, then we start to understand why he is the way he is and then eventually, we have some fondness for him despite his foibles.
The story was mostly well paced, although when the action started, it did seem to start taking enormous leaps with the plot when it would have been nice to rest on our laurels and enjoy a little character development. I was invested in the relationship between agnieska and the dragon and although the dragon is very definitely an antihero and doesn’t always behave as we hope he would, we do understand why he is that way and have faith that agnieska will work her magic on him too. The only complaint is that i find the age gap troubling and i wish agnieska had been older. Agnieska is supposed to be 17 years old, but her maturity, wisdom and strength, and her sexuality and sensuality would be more believable of a character a decade older. However, this of course would not fit with the trope of ‘young maiden whisked away and locked in a castle’. Maybe this wasn’t the best way to begin this story given that the dragon had to be an almost immortal or ageless figure, and although the narrative describes him as looking much younger than his years, he certainly is described as looking and acting as a man anywhere between his late 20s and early 50s, despite being much much older.
The battle at the castle was a bit much for me- too much gore, too much destruction and too much hopelessness, much like the earlier events in the forest when they rescued the queen.
Having managed to keep kasia and the royal children safe, I felt the story could have been tied up here, but then we were suddenly thrown in the last part of the book into another battle against the forest. As the pages became less, the reader wonders how the story will ever come right. This is a good plot twist as it seems that all is lost, and I felt real relief that there was actually a happy ending, which I suppose one should anticipate, as all fairy tales have happy endings.
I did really enjoy the themes and premise of this book and found that from halfway through it was hard to put down. It also left that insatiable thirst for more of the same after finishing a book you really enjoy!
I did feel invested in Angieska and felt her character was well developed. Her friendship with kasia is endearing and the way her relationship develops with the dragon is interesting and makes a believable timeline.
As an antihero, the dragon is an interesting character. At first we think he’s dreadful, then we start to understand why he is the way he is and then eventually, we have some fondness for him despite his foibles.
The story was mostly well paced, although when the action started, it did seem to start taking enormous leaps with the plot when it would have been nice to rest on our laurels and enjoy a little character development. I was invested in the relationship between agnieska and the dragon and although the dragon is very definitely an antihero and doesn’t always behave as we hope he would, we do understand why he is that way and have faith that agnieska will work her magic on him too. The only complaint is that i find the age gap troubling and i wish agnieska had been older. Agnieska is supposed to be 17 years old, but her maturity, wisdom and strength, and her sexuality and sensuality would be more believable of a character a decade older. However, this of course would not fit with the trope of ‘young maiden whisked away and locked in a castle’. Maybe this wasn’t the best way to begin this story given that the dragon had to be an almost immortal or ageless figure, and although the narrative describes him as looking much younger than his years, he certainly is described as looking and acting as a man anywhere between his late 20s and early 50s, despite being much much older.
The battle at the castle was a bit much for me- too much gore, too much destruction and too much hopelessness, much like the earlier events in the forest when they rescued the queen.
Having managed to keep kasia and the royal children safe, I felt the story could have been tied up here, but then we were suddenly thrown in the last part of the book into another battle against the forest. As the pages became less, the reader wonders how the story will ever come right. This is a good plot twist as it seems that all is lost, and I felt real relief that there was actually a happy ending, which I suppose one should anticipate, as all fairy tales have happy endings.
I did really enjoy the themes and premise of this book and found that from halfway through it was hard to put down. It also left that insatiable thirst for more of the same after finishing a book you really enjoy!
adventurous
dark
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
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fast-paced
Read for book club.
This book is entirely derivative. They could’ve done something interesting with the magic system related to etymology of words allowing her to perform related actions. Instead, they just retcon what spells are able to do.
Everything works out for the main character. She doesn’t have to work hard or fail at any point.
More interesting lore related to the Baba Yaga could’ve been brought in.
And I don’t know what theme I’m supposed to get from it.
This book is entirely derivative. They could’ve done something interesting with the magic system related to etymology of words allowing her to perform related actions. Instead, they just retcon what spells are able to do.
Everything works out for the main character. She doesn’t have to work hard or fail at any point.
More interesting lore related to the Baba Yaga could’ve been brought in.
And I don’t know what theme I’m supposed to get from it.