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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Honestly, this was going to be 3.5 until the very last chapter. The constant perspective switching multiple times a chapter was jarring, and as it was all third person, it was not immediately clear who's perspective each scene was told from. Still, there were certain characters I loved, such as Lieard and Emeralh. Auraya didn't hold a great deal of interest for me, despite being the protagonist.
I look forward to reading the next book!
I look forward to reading the next book!
One of my favorite series of all time. Well written, cozy but not boring, interesting world-building and fascinating characters. A lot of little feel-good moments between characters, but never too much. Much to discover with a lot of different perspectives. Some people might see the ending coming, but that's not the point of this story for me, it's all the lore, details, and all the little things in between that make me come back to these books every few years :)
I finished it, it was big victory, because this book is very thick. I remebember only bits and pieces of plot. But I think, I will read it again, when I will have a chance to read it again. And I remember, it was nice reading. (sorry for my English)
It is hard for me to give this three stars since I skipped sections of it. Many authors feel the need to use multiple viewpoints in every situation. This is definitely an example of when not to use it. There really is only one main character in this, the others are just parts in her story. The love story of the small flying creatures did not need separate chapters, farmers seeing large animals didn't need it's own section, and the witch really didn't need her own section. She seems to have the potential to play a larger role at some point, but her travels didn't have an impact on much during this novel and I could really do without it. The gods and the white are interesting, the main character is likable, and the dreamweaver holding a legend inside him is a good story line, but everything else was unnecessary and a waste of print. I was able to finish the book only because I skipped the side chapters, and without them this is decent. I don't see this flaw changing with the next novel but I bought it years ago so I will read it.
I love big, sprawling universes but they can tend to add too much too fast. This book did not do that, adding just the right amount of characters, places, and history at just the right time. I loved the world, the characters, everything. Excellent fantasy book that picks up different subject matter than your run of the mill fantasy. There were a few things I didn’t like, but those are my tastes—don’t want to give any spoilers! It can take a little to get into it, and a few parts might drag, but overall it was good and not redundant.
RANDOM ASIDE: I have no idea why the cover says "Destiny demands sacrifice." Seriously that had like, nothing to do with the book.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I've heard it referred to positively so many times that I think I came in with my hopes a little high - although, to be fair, every time I read the back cover copy I put the book back down again because it sounded so bland. I had to skip that this time and just dive right in...
Unfortunately, it was pretty bland. The world was fairly interesting but I kept hoping/expecting the author to do something subversive, especially with the gods. Hint: she didn't.
I don't know why I had this expectation - maybe I've read so much non-standard fantasy that it's baked into me now? Offhand, I can't think of a fantasy that feels more generic than this one.
With the almost-exception of the MC, of course. It's a (positive, strong, etc.) female. I think this may be one of the reasons it came recommended so highly. The heroine was indeed strong and positive and free thinking and such (although, to me as a reader she still came off as ignorant and unable to think hard about her world although I get how this makes sense in the context of the world, it still kind of turns me off as a reader). And she wasn't blonde (still white though, deffffffinitely white. This might even be one of those series where everyone "human" is white. Ugh.), so there's that.
Anyway, the MC, while being non-negative, still came off as very bland to me. And the way she "powered up" a couple times was just kinda really random and... I dunno. There are hints that it's not random, but ..meh. And the last time it happened (during the last battle) it was just... it should have been explained better or elaborated on or something. I mean, I get how the whole gods thing hampers everyone's thinking (at least from my perspective)... but it makes for a really frustrating read. [Which is interesting, because I have a similar world in my most recent novel, so I'm curious how my take will come off to others. Maybe I didn't do so hot either...].
[SPOILER]
The main romance came off a bit squicky (and maybe a little marysueish) to me as well. I mean, the dude was basically her teacher for years as a child...then she gets with him when she's 25? Maybe I'm old fashioned? Even aside from that, I didn't really feel it either, I mean, other than the teacher-student and ex-teacher-grown-up-student vibe between them, I didn't really feel anything.
There are some weird bits of foreshadowing and, while I am curious where they are going (is Auraya on her way to goddesshood? What's up with Mirar and all the time the author spends on The Hag? Leaving the enemy sorcerers alive and free seems... I mean, is that what happens? Do you let the enemy generals go free when they are also the nukes?? Maybe??), I am not curious enough to move through the series at the pace prescribed by reading them.
Sooooo I'm kinda hoping someone just dumped the plot up on wiki. Let's see about that...
TWO AND A HALF STARS
Rather bland fantasy that colors safely between most of the lines. Could have been much more interesting (to me). And might be, later in the series, but there wasn't enough here to make me care enough to continue reading.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I've heard it referred to positively so many times that I think I came in with my hopes a little high - although, to be fair, every time I read the back cover copy I put the book back down again because it sounded so bland. I had to skip that this time and just dive right in...
Unfortunately, it was pretty bland. The world was fairly interesting but I kept hoping/expecting the author to do something subversive, especially with the gods. Hint: she didn't.
I don't know why I had this expectation - maybe I've read so much non-standard fantasy that it's baked into me now? Offhand, I can't think of a fantasy that feels more generic than this one.
With the almost-exception of the MC, of course. It's a (positive, strong, etc.) female. I think this may be one of the reasons it came recommended so highly. The heroine was indeed strong and positive and free thinking and such (although, to me as a reader she still came off as ignorant and unable to think hard about her world although I get how this makes sense in the context of the world, it still kind of turns me off as a reader). And she wasn't blonde (still white though, deffffffinitely white. This might even be one of those series where everyone "human" is white. Ugh.), so there's that.
Anyway, the MC, while being non-negative, still came off as very bland to me. And the way she "powered up" a couple times was just kinda really random and... I dunno. There are hints that it's not random, but ..meh. And the last time it happened (during the last battle) it was just... it should have been explained better or elaborated on or something. I mean, I get how the whole gods thing hampers everyone's thinking (at least from my perspective)... but it makes for a really frustrating read. [Which is interesting, because I have a similar world in my most recent novel, so I'm curious how my take will come off to others. Maybe I didn't do so hot either...].
[SPOILER]
The main romance came off a bit squicky (and maybe a little marysueish) to me as well. I mean, the dude was basically her teacher for years as a child...then she gets with him when she's 25? Maybe I'm old fashioned? Even aside from that, I didn't really feel it either, I mean, other than the teacher-student and ex-teacher-grown-up-student vibe between them, I didn't really feel anything.
There are some weird bits of foreshadowing and, while I am curious where they are going (is Auraya on her way to goddesshood? What's up with Mirar and all the time the author spends on The Hag? Leaving the enemy sorcerers alive and free seems... I mean, is that what happens? Do you let the enemy generals go free when they are also the nukes?? Maybe??), I am not curious enough to move through the series at the pace prescribed by reading them.
Sooooo I'm kinda hoping someone just dumped the plot up on wiki. Let's see about that...
TWO AND A HALF STARS
Rather bland fantasy that colors safely between most of the lines. Could have been much more interesting (to me). And might be, later in the series, but there wasn't enough here to make me care enough to continue reading.
Auraya, a girl with magical abilities, has moved up through the ranks to become one of the Priestesses of the White (Immortal, direct contact with the Gods). Her magical Gifts appear/develop throughout the book, always arriving at just the right moment to save the day.
The story was interesting enough. Some of the switches between narrators/characters seemed cumbersome. Not quite as compelling as Tamora Pierce or Robin McKinley, the characters are not as strong.
The Siyee (a flying people), and the veez (Auraya's pet), and the Dreamweavers and the Wilds all make Auraya's story a little more interesting.
The story was interesting enough. Some of the switches between narrators/characters seemed cumbersome. Not quite as compelling as Tamora Pierce or Robin McKinley, the characters are not as strong.
The Siyee (a flying people), and the veez (Auraya's pet), and the Dreamweavers and the Wilds all make Auraya's story a little more interesting.
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A friend recommended this to me because I wanted more exposure to fantasy fiction.
I tried... I really did... But I couldn't finish it. I have less than 100 pages left of a nearly 600-page book to read, and I'm stopping. As much as it pains the completionist in me, I don't care about the characters or the world, or anything that's happening in it. I feel no emotion reading it, no pull or desire to read more. I can't justify wasting more time than I already have with Priestess of the White. It's not a bad book, but it's not a good one either. It's there if you're bored and have absolutely nothing else to read, but I wouldn't recommend it.
You know when you're dragging your feet to read a book because you know you'll be reading something you don't like? That's how I've felt for the months I've spent with this one. I'd say I gave it a good chance, yeah? Enough. Onto better things.
I tried... I really did... But I couldn't finish it. I have less than 100 pages left of a nearly 600-page book to read, and I'm stopping. As much as it pains the completionist in me, I don't care about the characters or the world, or anything that's happening in it. I feel no emotion reading it, no pull or desire to read more. I can't justify wasting more time than I already have with Priestess of the White. It's not a bad book, but it's not a good one either. It's there if you're bored and have absolutely nothing else to read, but I wouldn't recommend it.
You know when you're dragging your feet to read a book because you know you'll be reading something you don't like? That's how I've felt for the months I've spent with this one. I'd say I gave it a good chance, yeah? Enough. Onto better things.