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restlessreaderjay's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
3.5
This one definitely takes a little while to get started, but once it does the pace is pretty fast. I still love all of the characters, and Emma and Leo's friendship continues to be one of the best relationships in the book. It was definitely a step up from the first book (White Tiger). Though I did finish it in one sitting, I found the plot itself to be fairly predictable - there's a lull, a battle, a lull, a battle, a lull, a battle - on and on until the ending. Which isn't a bad thing, but the battles ended more or less the same, which made them predictable and just this side of boring. That being said, the stakes felt real in this book compared to the first book, and there are times where Emma's life (and others') are genuinely in danger.
Honestly, the only thing that's keeping me from rating these books higher is the incessant Mary-Sue-ness of Emma. Which isn't to say I don't like her character - she's definitely my favorite of the bunch! But until we get The Big Explanation as to why she's one of the best of the best in only 14 months, her ability to just do everything (even if it takes a couple of times) is getting a bit grating.
Overall, not a bad read if you want some mostly mindless battle-then-fluff stuff. Exposition is a bit clunky, and there are places where the internal dialogue seems a bit out of character and/or disjointed. I'll definitely be continuing on to the next book!
Honestly, the only thing that's keeping me from rating these books higher is the incessant Mary-Sue-ness of Emma. Which isn't to say I don't like her character - she's definitely my favorite of the bunch! But until we get The Big Explanation as to why she's one of the best of the best in only 14 months, her ability to just do everything (even if it takes a couple of times) is getting a bit grating.
Overall, not a bad read if you want some mostly mindless battle-then-fluff stuff. Exposition is a bit clunky, and there are places where the internal dialogue seems a bit out of character and/or disjointed. I'll definitely be continuing on to the next book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia
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