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beautifulminutiae's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Murder, Blood, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, and Confinement
Minor: Sexual content
cascannotread's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5
This was a really fun new fantasy series based on Korean mythology. I actually wished the book incorporated a bit more mythology but it was enjoyable nonetheless, and I’m looking forward to the next instalment.
The Last of the Talons follows Shin Lina, allegedly the best assassin in the country/region. I say allegedly because for the most part she felt very unserious and immature for a supposed battle-worn assassin. Some of her so-called “tactics” felt cartoonish and amateurish. Her assassin skills aside, I did enjoy Shin Lina as a character and what of the most interesting parts of her story was her grief. Not to spoil too much but Lina suffers from survivor’s guilt. She starts the story haunted and broken, both physically and mentally and throughout the course of the story she learns to heal and find happiness again.
One thing that confused me about the story was the setting and time period. My e-arc did not have a map and I’m not sure if they added one in the finished copy but I feel it would be really helpful here. I never quite understood the geography and the different countries and regions of the world. At first I assumed the story was in a Joseon-like period but some of the descriptions about the other regions made the story feel like it was more modern.
This was a really fun new fantasy series based on Korean mythology. I actually wished the book incorporated a bit more mythology but it was enjoyable nonetheless, and I’m looking forward to the next instalment.
The Last of the Talons follows Shin Lina, allegedly the best assassin in the country/region. I say allegedly because for the most part she felt very unserious and immature for a supposed battle-worn assassin. Some of her so-called “tactics” felt cartoonish and amateurish. Her assassin skills aside, I did enjoy Shin Lina as a character and what of the most interesting parts of her story was her grief. Not to spoil too much but Lina suffers from survivor’s guilt. She starts the story haunted and broken, both physically and mentally and throughout the course of the story she learns to heal and find happiness again.
One thing that confused me about the story was the setting and time period. My e-arc did not have a map and I’m not sure if they added one in the finished copy but I feel it would be really helpful here. I never quite understood the geography and the different countries and regions of the world. At first I assumed the story was in a Joseon-like period but some of the descriptions about the other regions made the story feel like it was more modern.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Gore, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, and Blood
cw: substance abuse, gore, death, mutilation, grief, hallucinations, kidnapping, parental deathezwolf's review against another edition
So I decided not to finish this at 20%.
I was intrigued by the plot description and I saw another review compare it to Guardian: A Great and Lonely God which is a show I adored, but even that wasn't enough for me to finish it. Aside from them being based on similar Korean lore, I didn't see the comparison and was extremely disappointed.
Lina was a frustrating and borderline annoying main character and none of the other characters appealed to me at all either. They were all dislikeable to me, even characters in Lina's flashbacks. I wanted to try and finish it at least for the sibling plot with Lina and her sister, but Lina's internal monologue was too frustrating to read about. It felt like a lot of telling instead of showing in regards to Lina's skills as an assassin and the way it was absolutely drilled in how much suffering Lina had gone through in a year and the cigarette and the sweets and the palace and the clothes, etc. were all so fancy. The reiteration wasn't needed. Maybe I'll pick this up someday and finish it to find out what happens to Lina's sister, but for now, I am okay not knowing.
I am still giving this two stars because I think it had potential in its plot and having fantasy stories based in other cultures is important and it might appeal to other people, but it wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
I was intrigued by the plot description and I saw another review compare it to Guardian: A Great and Lonely God which is a show I adored, but even that wasn't enough for me to finish it. Aside from them being based on similar Korean lore, I didn't see the comparison and was extremely disappointed.
Lina was a frustrating and borderline annoying main character and none of the other characters appealed to me at all either. They were all dislikeable to me, even characters in Lina's flashbacks. I wanted to try and finish it at least for the sibling plot with Lina and her sister, but Lina's internal monologue was too frustrating to read about. It felt like a lot of telling instead of showing in regards to Lina's skills as an assassin and the way it was absolutely drilled in how much suffering Lina had gone through in a year and the cigarette and the sweets and the palace and the clothes, etc. were all so fancy. The reiteration wasn't needed. Maybe I'll pick this up someday and finish it to find out what happens to Lina's sister, but for now, I am okay not knowing.
I am still giving this two stars because I think it had potential in its plot and having fantasy stories based in other cultures is important and it might appeal to other people, but it wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Blood, Confinement, and Death
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