Reviews with content warning for Violence - Poison Study

The story premise is good but it almost reads like a rough draft. We get told rather than shown what happens. The narration was also flat and the strange music at the end of every chapter break pulls you out of the story and at times seems to mock the story itself. if you are interested in this series, I hear there is a revision coming. Listen to that one instead. its probably better done and the story itself isn't bad.

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kassidyreads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

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endemictoearth's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

After talking animatedly at my spouse for ten minutes about this book and reading some 1 and 2 star reviews, I think I can say a few things. I agreed most with the sentiments of the 2 star reviews. Because I did mostly enjoy the first 75% and I was drawn in and along for the ride as we learned about this world and the role Yelena had within it. Valek was kind of a dick, but didn't do anything so egregious that I couldn't ship them. But the closer we got to the end of the book, there were so many threads, I knew they wouldn't all be woven in or tied up satisfactorily. I know this is the start of a series, but I do believe every book should have a beginning middle and end, even if some elements are carried over. This book did have some resolutions, but the execution of the last 20% or so really let me down big time.

Lots of convenient magic-related things popped up (previously hinted at, but lazily executed), and the villains became even more cartoonish as the story went along (and the

Mogkan/Kangom

stuff, even if it's pointed out as being unoriginal was SO obvious and kind of stupid). I also thought that the inconsistent presence of the ghost of the man she killed was convenient to the plot, as well.

The love story went from 2 to 11 out of nowhere; we definitely needed more moments between Yelena and Valek before they start

banging (in a fade to black sort of way). Their romance could have been drawn across the series, instead of cramming it in and giving us this whole “the Commander who you saved but has still ordered your death needs me more than you do right now; we’ll be reunited someday” is BULLSHIT. If it leads to pining letters in book 2, that could work (not that I'll ever know.)

There was just 20 pounds of plot in a 5 pound sack in the last part of the book, and all the intrigue and potential that had been built up just evaporated in a tornado of Things Happening Abruptly. Not to mention the clumsy handling of the Commander's

trans identity

. I understand this is 2005 YA, so it could have been a lot worse, but it was very ham-fisted and confusing and kind of pointless? Unless it plays into something later in the story, it was mostly just baffling.

(I will say I liked Ari and Janco, both their relationship and how they remained loyal to Yelena (and that they’ll accompany her to Sitia); they were my favorite characters and I could have read a whole book of them)

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maevebillings's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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malima's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Poison study starts with Yelena, a girl that has been in prison for a year because she killed the son of a powerful man, both of which had tortured her, being selected to become the food taster of the Commander, Ixia's ruler, after the previous one had died.
She learns to recognise poisons and to defend herself, she makes some friends, falls in love, finds out she has magic, and gets involved in the country's politics.
Mostly, this book is okay. It's exactly what you'd expect from a YA Fantasy book, nothing less, nothing more. Nothing bad about it, but also nothing special about it.
All the relationships - both platonic and romantic - somewhat lack chemistry, but not to a degree that makes them unbelievable either.
I kept reading because it was an enjoyable enough read and I had no reason to stop, but planned not to continue with the sequel. Luckily, the end does pick up, and once we get to know more about the political plot brewing inside Ixia and Yelena gets involved in it, the plot did catch my interest.
The relationships didn't become any more interesting, though, but the dimension of their political allyship between Yelena and her love interest made me willing to overlook their lack of chemistry towards the end.
There is no way this series will become one of my favourites, but the glimpse we got into the magical and political landscape in Ixia and its neighbour Sitia towards the end, makes me think the series will probably turn out to be in overall an enjoyable, if mediocre, read after all.

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