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annaavian's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? No
1.0
I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately I ended up being disappointed.
The storytelling felt basic and didn't offer anything particularly new or interesting, with the narrative dwelling too long in one time period. The characters, both heroes and villains, were unremarkable and at times felt like caricatures. They all sounded much younger than intended which made some violent scenes feel really out of place.
Despite the complexity of the story, it failed to encompass true depth. The simple writing style, heavy with similes and repetition, poor pacing, excessive focus on the inauthentic romance, and overly detailed scenes limited the imagination and detracted from the fantastical elements.
The storytelling felt basic and didn't offer anything particularly new or interesting, with the narrative dwelling too long in one time period. The characters, both heroes and villains, were unremarkable and at times felt like caricatures. They all sounded much younger than intended which made some violent scenes feel really out of place.
Despite the complexity of the story, it failed to encompass true depth. The simple writing style, heavy with similes and repetition, poor pacing, excessive focus on the inauthentic romance, and overly detailed scenes limited the imagination and detracted from the fantastical elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Misogyny, and Animal death
_krysta's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
This book was thought provoking and has an interesting premise. I enjoyed the overall theme of good versus bad, and how a thirst for power can corrupt. There was a surprising cast of diverse characters I wouldn't have expected to team together so well. The bad people were truly evil, which is where a lot of the horror and violence comes in. So truly consider content warnings on that front, there are some brutal murders. It goes to show how a lot of pain and suffering can lead others to inflict the worst upon the world. I felt the magic books was unique and enjoyed learning how each worked. It was also reflective on how a book can be used for good and bad, depending on the users intentions. I thought the characters also showed immense growth by the end. We get insight into each one and I appreciated the third person omniscent narration for that purpose. The time travel was well done, I didn't have to work too hard to keep track of the time jumps.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Body horror, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Torture, Death of parent, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Racism, Cursing, Eating disorder, Alcohol, and Misogyny
Gruesome death, hateful language by antagonists. Eating disorder minor, really just random comments on food by 2nd fmc.tonisecelecticlibrary's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book could best be described as a contemporary fantasy/ magical realism thriller. Ever since reading Ink Blood Sister Scribe I have loved the idea of books as magic. This book’s fantasy and magical books were so well thought out and crafted and so completely unique I loved it.
Other things I loved:
The realness of some of most of the characters being driven by basic human emotions- particularly greed. It was infuriating but a pretty good picture of humanity.
The way everything comes together at the end and all starts to make sense was just amazing. I applaud the author on that.
Good vs evil trope with some morally gray in between. The bad guys in this book were really bad and pretty masterful on the part of the author.
Unfortunately, this book is only 3 stars for me because there were some aspects I just did not like.
Unfortunately, this book is only 3 stars for me because there were some aspects I just did not like.
Things I didn’t like:
As much as I said I liked the characters being real and driven by emotion, the FMC was so intelligent I thought she’d be a little past that. Her impulsive decisions without thinking through the consequences were the catalyst for most of the plot in the book. Even her well thought out actions were still sometimes problematic.
The pacing. Some chapters spanned years, others not even an hour. While that is common in fantasy books, I feel as though it could’ve been done differently to be more cohesive.
While realistic to see, the racism from the “bad” characters, fat comments, and low self-esteem in the FMC were cringey at times.
There was no need for the hints of romance in this book. The book was described as being full of “adventure, magic, and romance.” The romance was slim to none and did not add to the book at all.
I also had a really hard time getting into the book. It wasn’t until about 60% through I started wanting to pick it up. I think it was my frustration with the FMC but also I may just be in a bit of a book hangover, so I’m not holding that one against the author.
Overall a good book. I would recommend it to fans of Ink Blood Sister Scribe, people who like reading about other people with a love of books, or other magical realism/ contemporary fantasy readers. This is Gareth Brown’s debut novel and I think there will be a lot more good things from him in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book. This review is given voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Fatphobia and Misogyny
frenchkey's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
Fascinating worldbuilding. The author builds tension well and has a deft hand with foreshadowing. I really enjoyed the various characters and relationships and the twists and turns in the plot were fascinating. Every time I felt I knew what was going to happen, I was surprised. Cassie's emotional journey was well realised. A very enjoyable read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Gun violence, Death, Blood, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Kidnapping and Vomit
traceyreads2's review
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? It's complicated
2.0
Thank you to Netgalley for a digital ARC copy of this book.
I was surprised by the constant labeling of characters in this book only to pigeon hold them into tropes that are harmful and often not true. Why mention a character is a certain gender or ethnicity only to have them immediately be a ruthless murderer?
I really had high hopes for this book and was hoping to enjoy it more than I did, but I instead I could barely finish it.
I was surprised by the constant labeling of characters in this book only to pigeon hold them into tropes that are harmful and often not true. Why mention a character is a certain gender or ethnicity only to have them immediately be a ruthless murderer?
I really had high hopes for this book and was hoping to enjoy it more than I did, but I instead I could barely finish it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, Misogyny, Racism, Fatphobia, and Xenophobia
alixgmartin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is going to be a hit in 2024, I just know it. It's a book that speaks to the joy and magic of books, but also of travelling, scholarship, and friendship. We begin in one of a book lover's favorite places: a bookstore at closing time. One of Cassie's regular customers dies at his seat, leaving behind a mysterious book that takes Cassie on a trip of many lifetimes. I really don't want to say too much about how the plot works, because there are several surprises and I really enjoyed not knowing where we were going.
Cassie is such a good character, I actually wish we got to spend more time with her as her character grows over the course of the book. Cassie's relationships are important, and I loved how important her friendship with Izzy is. As I read, there were a few moments of confusion but I was delighted that every question I had (and a few I didn't know I had) were resolved in the very satisfying concluding part.
Definitely a book for those who believe that books are magic, and fans of Addie LaRue, 10,000 Doors of January, or The Ninth House.
Cassie is such a good character, I actually wish we got to spend more time with her as her character grows over the course of the book. Cassie's relationships are important, and I loved how important her friendship with Izzy is. As I read, there were a few moments of confusion but I was delighted that every question I had (and a few I didn't know I had) were resolved in the very satisfying concluding part.
Definitely a book for those who believe that books are magic, and fans of Addie LaRue, 10,000 Doors of January, or The Ninth House.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Misogyny, Vomit, and Racial slurs
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