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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
Rating: All-Time Favorite
This book is the fourth book in a five book series, so there's not a ton that can be said without spoiling the previous books. BUT this book picks up immediately after the end of Memory of Souls, and this book focuses more on some of the characters that we've met along the way and catches us up on the events since the end of the first book/whatever book we last saw them during. This book continues the story within a story/multiple POVs and storylines that have been consistent through the rest of the series. This book also makes some MAJOR developments towards resolution of the main issue. I think that this was much less explosive in terms of plot points when compared to the first three, but that wasn't the focus of this story. This is really a story about confronting and dealing with trauma both within characters as an individual, and within relationships between characters.
This book is the fourth book in a five book series, so there's not a ton that can be said without spoiling the previous books. BUT this book picks up immediately after the end of Memory of Souls, and this book focuses more on some of the characters that we've met along the way and catches us up on the events since the end of the first book/whatever book we last saw them during. This book continues the story within a story/multiple POVs and storylines that have been consistent through the rest of the series. This book also makes some MAJOR developments towards resolution of the main issue. I think that this was much less explosive in terms of plot points when compared to the first three, but that wasn't the focus of this story. This is really a story about confronting and dealing with trauma both within characters as an individual, and within relationships between characters.
I will say that this series is one that you should probably read pretty close to each other. It is a big sweeping plot that has a lot of characters, a lot of very important small plot points, and a narrative structure that can be confusing if you're not interested in the story that's being told. The only reason I didn't continue after the second book was because too much time had passed between reading that one and the third by the time my library acquired it, and it had only been a couple of months at that point.
So, I recommend this book if you enjoy sprawling epic stories, incredible characters who are MESSY, queer-norm worlds, gods walk among us, political fantasy, and just some really incredible world building and magic systems that in my opinion are on-par/better than a lot of what I've come across.
**Possible spoilers for books 1-3 after this point.**
This book explores our side characters more than our main trio of Janel, Khirin, and Teraeth. In addition to our trio (and Thurvy and Senara), we get to explore what Galen, Kalindra, Sheloran, Talea, Qown, Talon, and Xivan have been up to over the course of the last several books.
Honestly, I thought that the way that we were jumping back and forth between everyone was a little bit clunky at first - it was framed as a sort of game/contest between Khirin and Vol Karoth, but then as the story progressed, I kind of forgot the reason why and just enjoyed the ride.
This book made me appreciate Sheloran and Galen so much - they are like the Doctor and Donna and just love each other so fiercely, but in a completely platonic way, which I LOVED. They are one of my favorite friendships that I've come across. Kalindra, Talea, and Talon are all fantastic and I loved their journeys as well. Xivan and Qown are probably my two least favorite characters, but I still enjoyed their journeys as well and their growth as characters.
The progression of the relationship between Khirin, Teraeth, and Janel just continues and you can't help but root for them because they are just the best. There were times that I wanted to cry with the poignancy of their interactions and just the way they interact.
That, I think, is really the heart of this series' success for me. Jenn Lyons is so accomplished at not just creating characters that I care deeply for and who are compelling to read about, she also is a master of creating authentic interactions between them all. There is betrayal, friendship, love, conflict, aggression, and weird tangled backstories linking EVERYONE. It is such a realistic portrayal of both the joy and the sorrow of human relationships. I love it so much.
Even though this was probably my least favorite of the installments so far, this is still one of my all-time favorite books and head and shoulders above a lot of other five star books I have read. I think this series is a serious contender for number one on my shelf and in my heart. We will see how it sticks the landing.
**Possible spoilers for books 1-3 after this point.**
This book explores our side characters more than our main trio of Janel, Khirin, and Teraeth. In addition to our trio (and Thurvy and Senara), we get to explore what Galen, Kalindra, Sheloran, Talea, Qown, Talon, and Xivan have been up to over the course of the last several books.
Honestly, I thought that the way that we were jumping back and forth between everyone was a little bit clunky at first - it was framed as a sort of game/contest between Khirin and Vol Karoth, but then as the story progressed, I kind of forgot the reason why and just enjoyed the ride.
This book made me appreciate Sheloran and Galen so much - they are like the Doctor and Donna and just love each other so fiercely, but in a completely platonic way, which I LOVED. They are one of my favorite friendships that I've come across. Kalindra, Talea, and Talon are all fantastic and I loved their journeys as well. Xivan and Qown are probably my two least favorite characters, but I still enjoyed their journeys as well and their growth as characters.
The progression of the relationship between Khirin, Teraeth, and Janel just continues and you can't help but root for them because they are just the best. There were times that I wanted to cry with the poignancy of their interactions and just the way they interact.
That, I think, is really the heart of this series' success for me. Jenn Lyons is so accomplished at not just creating characters that I care deeply for and who are compelling to read about, she also is a master of creating authentic interactions between them all. There is betrayal, friendship, love, conflict, aggression, and weird tangled backstories linking EVERYONE. It is such a realistic portrayal of both the joy and the sorrow of human relationships. I love it so much.
Even though this was probably my least favorite of the installments so far, this is still one of my all-time favorite books and head and shoulders above a lot of other five star books I have read. I think this series is a serious contender for number one on my shelf and in my heart. We will see how it sticks the landing.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
so here’s the thing: this book could have been so much shorter and still gotten us where we needed to be for the final book. there are definitely characters in this and plot lines i didn’t care about as much. there was maybe some skimming involved (a lot of this is kind of repetitive flashbacks of things that happened previously). but the characters i love i still really love, so it’s worth it to me. but honestly would have a hard time recommending starting this series to anyone.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
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:
Yes
This is what happens when your favorite self-sacrificing idiot goes and does something and all the other characters need therapy to address their conflicted feelings and have a joint therapy session about what they did.
I loved the set-up of this book the best, and I think this had some of the most fascinating character moments of the series so far.
I loved the set-up of this book the best, and I think this had some of the most fascinating character moments of the series so far.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes