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jareeda16's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
There were times when I was intensely sucked into this book and then other times it felt like the author was challenging me to DNF it. She did a great job of making the world dark and gritty, unfortunately it took an unexpected turn that reminded me I should pay more attention to the content warnings before I start a book. (See my warnings below)
There were so many moving parts that it felt utterly chaotic and I don’t think there’s any possible way I could explain this plot to someone. I didn’t mind Alice as a character and I don’t mind that she constantly does things she’s told not to do. Everyone in the world seems determined to deceive and betray her so she’s right to be paranoid about it. I felt misled by the prologue in a way that left me confused about why it exists at all and the huge twist at the end was a complete shock to me because I didn’t feel like it was foreshadowed at all.
I’m interested in picking up the second book to see how any of this can be resolved and I want to see how Alice can grow given time to settle into her new life. But I don’t know if I’d recommend this to anyone really because of some of the triggers.
There were so many moving parts that it felt utterly chaotic and I don’t think there’s any possible way I could explain this plot to someone. I didn’t mind Alice as a character and I don’t mind that she constantly does things she’s told not to do. Everyone in the world seems determined to deceive and betray her so she’s right to be paranoid about it. I felt misled by the prologue in a way that left me confused about why it exists at all and the huge twist at the end was a complete shock to me because I didn’t feel like it was foreshadowed at all.
I’m interested in picking up the second book to see how any of this can be resolved and I want to see how Alice can grow given time to settle into her new life. But I don’t know if I’d recommend this to anyone really because of some of the triggers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, Violence, Car accident, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery, Suicide, Sexual violence, Medical content, Confinement, and Genocide
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Cancer
Animal cruelty/death (on page):dads2tired's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
co2lreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.75
The Nightjar is an interesting concept with a mix of several mythologies, but it wasn't super fleshed out. I'm confused as to the point of the prologue. It ended up seeming to be a misdirection and having read the majority of the book with that as where I thought it was going to go, the actual ending seemed to come out of nowhere. I liked the characters but Alice's default setting seems to be doing the exact opposite of what people tell her to do. I'm still interested in reading the next book and hope that the author has grown from this debut.
carrymey's review against another edition
2.0
DNFed at about 30%.
The beginning was very strong, but then it just went down and down. Alice is no character of her own right, she just goes along, ot rather against, what people are telling her. She does stupid things all the time and then is like "oops that wasn't such a good idea." I am being very harsh here. I just really can't get behind the characters at all. The settings seemed so perfect and interesting and then it was not. It might be, because I don't enjoy north mythology and I find it fits not at all with the rest of the setting. It all feels very Harry-Pottery-but-then-not. Such a pity I spent 7 Euros on this. At least I didn't get a physical book that I have to get rid of now.
The beginning was very strong, but then it just went down and down. Alice is no character of her own right, she just goes along, ot rather against, what people are telling her. She does stupid things all the time and then is like "oops that wasn't such a good idea." I am being very harsh here. I just really can't get behind the characters at all. The settings seemed so perfect and interesting and then it was not. It might be, because I don't enjoy north mythology and I find it fits not at all with the rest of the setting. It all feels very Harry-Pottery-but-then-not. Such a pity I spent 7 Euros on this. At least I didn't get a physical book that I have to get rid of now.
erisxo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
nicholeb84's review against another edition
2.0
When I started this novel, I was so addicted it to it. It was so exciting and I'm always a wh@re for "alternative world besides our world" stories. Yes! There were some really interesting seeds placed in the first hundred and fifty pages or so of the novel. Some interesting things getting started and then -
Yeah. . .I spend a lot of time thinking about how dumb Alice is. She seemed much younger than someone whose probably meant to be in her mid-to-late-twenties. I sometimes found myself wondering if she was originally meant to be a teenager with how naive and bratty she could be. Like, there were literal times when someone would say: "Don't do X." and she would do X!
Another issue is how fast things go by. One page they are discussing having to get a magical thing and the next thing you know - they have the magical thing. So, we can spend countless pages of Alice wondering if she is really attracted to Crowley and if he likes her back, but we can't go on a ten page romp for a magical item? By the way, the romance is not worth it to be called a romance.
I understand the author is writing a companion to this novel - it needs it. That was a really lackluster ending. :( I wanted more than I got from this. Disappointed yet again.
Yeah. . .I spend a lot of time thinking about how dumb Alice is. She seemed much younger than someone whose probably meant to be in her mid-to-late-twenties. I sometimes found myself wondering if she was originally meant to be a teenager with how naive and bratty she could be. Like, there were literal times when someone would say: "Don't do X." and she would do X!
Another issue is how fast things go by. One page they are discussing having to get a magical thing and the next thing you know - they have the magical thing. So, we can spend countless pages of Alice wondering if she is really attracted to Crowley and if he likes her back, but we can't go on a ten page romp for a magical item? By the way, the romance is not worth it to be called a romance.
I understand the author is writing a companion to this novel - it needs it. That was a really lackluster ending. :( I wanted more than I got from this. Disappointed yet again.
leasey23's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Oh I am fully mixed. There's so much about this book that I really enjoyed, but there's also something very unsatisfying about the ending..
I like the premise and the world-building, but some of it feels very disjointed, like it's been put in for shock factor (see p150 dogs), to try and give us a taste of the darkness of this other world. But then, darkness is shown in the rest of the book through mistrust and lies, rather than this initial violence, so it changes the mood completely. I like the twisty psychological darkness, I think it suits the story, but the random bouts of physical violence almost take me out of it, as if the author decided those specific characters weren't worth following that same thought process. There's one scene which shows how this can be done, with Marianne taunting her until she draws blood, still violent but keeping with the right idea. And I did not enjoy the ending. why have we spent an entire book trying to save Jen only for her to be saved and then MURDERED INSTANTLY????? Talk about unsatisfying.
I'm giving this 2.5, I feel very conflicted about it and yet I enjoyed the majority of it!
I like the premise and the world-building, but some of it feels very disjointed, like it's been put in for shock factor (see p150 dogs), to try and give us a taste of the darkness of this other world. But then, darkness is shown in the rest of the book through mistrust and lies, rather than this initial violence, so it changes the mood completely. I like the twisty psychological darkness, I think it suits the story, but the random bouts of physical violence almost take me out of it, as if the author decided those specific characters weren't worth following that same thought process. There's one scene which shows how this can be done, with Marianne taunting her until she draws blood, still violent but keeping with the right idea. And I did not enjoy the ending.
I'm giving this 2.5, I feel very conflicted about it and yet I enjoyed the majority of it!
amotisse's review against another edition
4.0
Listening to audiobooks has crept out of my car and into the house, while I cook, shower and potter about. Just as easy to get lost in the story but with free hands! Nothing like a magical world to discover, full of secret origins, rules, dangers and abilities.
A grown up young adult/crossover read. The action kept me listening. Plenty of lies and deceit, true friendship, longing and a sad loneliness.
A grown up young adult/crossover read. The action kept me listening. Plenty of lies and deceit, true friendship, longing and a sad loneliness.
kris10l's review against another edition
3.0
Deborah Hewitt creates a unique and magical world in this intriguing novel. While I felt that the pacing of the novel was rushed in some places and too drawn out in others, I ultimately enjoyed this book.