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amykeeley's review against another edition
3.0
My rating is really more like two and a half stars. Bumped it to three because Numair is so amazing in this book.
To start, I think this should have been two books.
I know that sounds crazy because hardly anything happens in the first half. But maybe if it had been two books, there would have been time to really explore the world Pierce built and watch some conflict come out of the geography. Not to mention there would have been time to explain what the heck was going on better.
This book has a number of things that either disappointed me or didn't work at all for me.
First, the plot. There really isn't one. So much is happening in so many different areas that, without lengthening the story, it's difficult to track. If this had been two books, I think more development in other areas would have improved.
The realms of the gods wasn't nearly as dangerous as it seemed, and they just kind of walk from place to place with only outside interference from a single antagonist now and then. Outside of the romance (more on that later) nothing really happens as she and Numair travel.
Next, Pierce really should have let go of Daine's point of view more often. I hoped she would when she briefly entered Numair's head at the beginning (and withheld the obvious information that he now knew he was in love with Daine). I hoped she would alternate between Numair, Daine, and some other third character so we could have a clear view of the battle in the mortal realms. This book really needed that for many reasons.
One of those reasons is the romance between Daine and Numair (more later) but also because stuffing that many events into one book means you can't focus on emotions and conflict as well. Though the dreams were useful, I kept feeling like the narrative was cold.
Also, because we weren't really in Daine's head either, she came across as stupid and immature more often than I liked.
The thing that burned me the most is that this shouldn't be a children's book, and yet that's how it's written. Rape is referenced at one point when Daine is in danger, and then it's like the author remembered she was writing a children's book so we never get closure on that fear. Everyone just kind of ignores it and goes about their business. Even Bella in Twilight was more shaken up than Daine, and no, I don't think that points to her being a stronger character.
Because this is supposedly a children's book, the issues between Daine and Numair are never resolved.
See, Numair is thirty by this point in the series, and Daine is sixteen. (Could be ick, but because Numair is a gentleman, it's not.) Now, it's made clear in a previous book that society in her culture expects her to start exploring her sexuality at this age and that she can get married if she chooses. And Daine does experiment some with kissing a few of the local boys. It's nice, but no big deal.
Because we don't see her changing from girl to woman, because we don't see her deep love for Numair clearly add the element of attraction, their romance loses a lot of the build-up that would make the moment when she discovers Numair wants her less of a disappointment. The kiss is described well, and his actions before and after it are fantastic, but afterward, I think she acts too much like a little kid who's found a new toy.
He even points out the difference in their ages, and his fear that one day she'll wake up to discover she's with an old man. This is a valid fear. Thankfully, we get to see her fear that he'll wake up one day and discover he married a baby.
Given the way she acts in this volume, that's an extremely valid fear.
However, none of that is resolved by the end except that she decides she loves him, too, and they get a happy ending.
If this had been split into two books, I wonder if the romance would have had the time it needed to transition adequately.
But then, this is a children's book.
It's still a joy to watch when they're together, though. And Numair is never weakened so that Daine can shine. They save each other, they help each other, and they work together so seamlessly that even one of the immortals comments on it.
Overall, the book is a little better than okay. I think older teens would be bored by it (the problems I have with it are the reason I switched to grown-up romance novels when I was sixteen) but younger teens might really enjoy the culmination of the romance more than this old woman did. And, in my opinion, a good romance is (almost) always worth a bad plot.
To start, I think this should have been two books.
I know that sounds crazy because hardly anything happens in the first half. But maybe if it had been two books, there would have been time to really explore the world Pierce built and watch some conflict come out of the geography. Not to mention there would have been time to explain what the heck was going on better.
This book has a number of things that either disappointed me or didn't work at all for me.
First, the plot. There really isn't one. So much is happening in so many different areas that, without lengthening the story, it's difficult to track. If this had been two books, I think more development in other areas would have improved.
The realms of the gods wasn't nearly as dangerous as it seemed, and they just kind of walk from place to place with only outside interference from a single antagonist now and then. Outside of the romance (more on that later) nothing really happens as she and Numair travel.
Next, Pierce really should have let go of Daine's point of view more often. I hoped she would when she briefly entered Numair's head at the beginning (and withheld the obvious information that he now knew he was in love with Daine). I hoped she would alternate between Numair, Daine, and some other third character so we could have a clear view of the battle in the mortal realms. This book really needed that for many reasons.
One of those reasons is the romance between Daine and Numair (more later) but also because stuffing that many events into one book means you can't focus on emotions and conflict as well. Though the dreams were useful, I kept feeling like the narrative was cold.
Also, because we weren't really in Daine's head either, she came across as stupid and immature more often than I liked.
The thing that burned me the most is that this shouldn't be a children's book, and yet that's how it's written. Rape is referenced at one point when Daine is in danger, and then it's like the author remembered she was writing a children's book so we never get closure on that fear. Everyone just kind of ignores it and goes about their business. Even Bella in Twilight was more shaken up than Daine, and no, I don't think that points to her being a stronger character.
Because this is supposedly a children's book, the issues between Daine and Numair are never resolved.
See, Numair is thirty by this point in the series, and Daine is sixteen. (Could be ick, but because Numair is a gentleman, it's not.) Now, it's made clear in a previous book that society in her culture expects her to start exploring her sexuality at this age and that she can get married if she chooses. And Daine does experiment some with kissing a few of the local boys. It's nice, but no big deal.
Because we don't see her changing from girl to woman, because we don't see her deep love for Numair clearly add the element of attraction, their romance loses a lot of the build-up that would make the moment when she discovers Numair wants her less of a disappointment. The kiss is described well, and his actions before and after it are fantastic, but afterward, I think she acts too much like a little kid who's found a new toy.
He even points out the difference in their ages, and his fear that one day she'll wake up to discover she's with an old man. This is a valid fear. Thankfully, we get to see her fear that he'll wake up one day and discover he married a baby.
Given the way she acts in this volume, that's an extremely valid fear.
However, none of that is resolved by the end except that she decides she loves him, too, and they get a happy ending.
If this had been split into two books, I wonder if the romance would have had the time it needed to transition adequately.
But then, this is a children's book.
It's still a joy to watch when they're together, though. And Numair is never weakened so that Daine can shine. They save each other, they help each other, and they work together so seamlessly that even one of the immortals comments on it.
Overall, the book is a little better than okay. I think older teens would be bored by it (the problems I have with it are the reason I switched to grown-up romance novels when I was sixteen) but younger teens might really enjoy the culmination of the romance more than this old woman did. And, in my opinion, a good romance is (almost) always worth a bad plot.
sylvatica's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-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
4.5
charm0nix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Misogyny and Sexual violence
charm0nix's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Misogyny
neaify's review against another edition
2.25
Manages to contain a romance so upsetting, it somehow makes the first three books retroactively worse than they were. I also don't really like how this book -- which is ostensibly the culmination of the Immortal Wars -- actually just depicts a random side quest two characters went on only to throw you back into the big conflict for the last chapter and expect you to care.
The .25 extra are for Rikash, whose character development paid off beautifully in this one.
The .25 extra are for Rikash, whose character development paid off beautifully in this one.
strmywthr3's review against another edition
3.0
not as good as her previous books. the earlier books in the series were much better.
evedream's review against another edition
2.0
Unsatisfying end to an otherwise enjoyable fantasy series. I don't really get why Pierce chose to let the majority of the battles (which all the other books have been leading up to) happen off screen.
Also Numair and Dain.... It isn't a secret that I love a good age gap romance. GOOD being an important word. 16 and 31 is just a bit too much even for a fantasy setting. Also I didn't enjoy that there was no apparent build up to the relationship at all. Numair is entirely platonic, almost parental for all the books and then in this one he is head over heels. I had the horrifying realisation that the reason that the book just springs the romance upon you is that they couldn't have started it in any earlier books since Dain would have been even younger. A 31 year old pining after a fourteen your old girl is even worse.
Also Numair and Dain.... It isn't a secret that I love a good age gap romance. GOOD being an important word. 16 and 31 is just a bit too much even for a fantasy setting. Also I didn't enjoy that there was no apparent build up to the relationship at all. Numair is entirely platonic, almost parental for all the books and then in this one he is head over heels. I had the horrifying realisation that the reason that the book just springs the romance upon you is that they couldn't have started it in any earlier books since Dain would have been even younger. A 31 year old pining after a fourteen your old girl is even worse.
downsdea's review against another edition
3.0
Hm, I didn’t connect with this installment. Why couldn’t Daine have been 13, 16, 19, 22 in these books, rather than 13, 14, 15, 16? I swear it would have made more sense. Actually I’m going to just amend my memories of this book- ah perfect, Daine grows into a young adult over the span of a decade in this series.
The journey through the realm of the gods did not interest me. And I feel like there should have been more foreshadowing of Chaos’s involvement in the central conflict of the series. It seemed to come out of nowhere and felt tacked-on.
I would’ve liked to know Daine as an adult, alas not in these books. Maybe in a later series??
Spoiler
Now the Numair business skeeves me much less.The journey through the realm of the gods did not interest me. And I feel like there should have been more foreshadowing of Chaos’s involvement in the central conflict of the series. It seemed to come out of nowhere and felt tacked-on.
I would’ve liked to know Daine as an adult, alas not in these books. Maybe in a later series??
rhrousu's review against another edition
4.0
Good ending to the series (that must be read in order, otherwise you will be totally lost). The relationship turn could have used a little more attention, but otherwise excellent. Highly recommended for fantasy readers ages 11-15.
maggie_grayson's review against another edition
5.0
There is probably not one person who doesn't love this book! A great ending to Pierce's quartet! You know when after a series you get this post-book depression? I totally got that after this series ended. I wanted to be Daine! I love that she and Numair finally got together. (kinda like Jane&Rochester with the age difference). and I'm glad Pierce put a little bit of them in her other series that are set in the realm of Tortall.