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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
This is such a good series. Rachel Hawkins created not only a world but a culture of magic that was believable, fun, and entrancing. One of my favorite parts about this series, too, is the humor that goes along with it. You can tell that Hawkins doesn't take things too seriously and likes to have fun when she writes which makes it all the more enjoyable. Sometimes humorous writing is almost too light and there is not any depth, but Hawkins plays this balancing act really well.
This final installment in the Hex Hall series (I'm assuming it's the final installment, but don't quote me on that) is decent. When compared to the other two it isn't so great. As far as plot goes it feels rushed and surface-level where the other two were a little more complex and exciting. I hate to say it but Hawkins dropped the ball. Somewhat. What it lacks in plot development it makes up for in funny quips from the characters. Those are always entertaining and it seems that both Sophie and Archer are extra funny in this book. All these plot points that she spends a long time building up end up being no big deal. It just seems very blase. Hello, they go to the Underworld aka Hell. Yeah, Sophie gets nervous. Yeah, she gets claustrophobic. Yeah they see some scary scenes. And that is it. The scene in the cellar where they discover what Lara is hiding is very noncommittal also. The discoveries, twists, and plot points in the story seem so casual and easily overcome that it's hard to take them seriously. All the buildup doesn't add up to what you get.
Before I get haters who absolutely adored this book and want to send me death threats for even considering negative things about it, I would like to add that I did not re-read the other two before I read this one. Some of my time was spent trying to recall what had happened. My opinion may change once I've read all of them at once. This is one series that I would re-read and that says a lot for it because I never re-read. I actually re-read Hex Hall but didn't have time to re-read Demon Glass.
With that little addendum, I do have to add that the final installment should be able to stand by itself. It seems to be the ongoing trend that, in these trilogies, the last one always seems rushed and not quite as impacting as the beginning. The Hunger Games is a fantastic trilogy but Katniss' character is significantly weaker, more whiny, and passive in the final book. Breaking Dawn in Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series is a sad ending to a creative and beautiful love story. I was hoping Hawkins would break the mold but it seems she succumbed to the pressure and didn't really give it her all.
My final point is about love triangles. If you're going to have a love triangle, carry it through. The love triangle between Sophie and Cal, and Sophie and Archer is good. Hawkins spent, from what I remember, a good bit of time getting the reader to like Cal in the second book and there was definite chemistry between the characters. The answer just seemed too simple and I wasn't a fan of the ending to that whole scenario. It just seemed like a copout. Read it and you will see what I'm talking about. If you disagree with me feel free to comment. If you agree, you can comment too.
All in all, it is still a good series. I would recommend it for anyone wanting a light read and likes a good bit of magic in their books with a sense of intrigue.
So, here's the deal: I love this series, so I was really anticipating this, the third book in the Hex Hall series. The thing is, I didn't really feel the love this time around. I'm still trying to figure out what changed. It's the same Sophie we've come to know and love. She's as sarcastic and amiable as ever. I'd like to say it's the addition of new characters to the mix, but they're all right too. I think my biggest problem was actually in the plot. Not that it was dull, in fact, quite the contrary. There was actually too much going on and not enough development at any point. The story picks up right where Demonglass left off and hits the ground running. First, Sophie's at one location and has some Big Revelations. Then she's whisked off to a changed Hex Hall where more Revelations are to be had. Then she's somewhere else to prepare for a fight, but winds up going somewhere where the reader might presume more time would be spent, but ends up being a rather brief experience (with more Revelations). There's so much back and forth and it all feels as though it was written just to reveal bits of Sophie's past in an action-driven manner. I guess it just didn't really work for me this time.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. Really good finisher. I know there is another book to this series but this ends on a content note.
Enjoyed this book very much, love the characters, but the final battle was a bit anticlimactic. Though I have to say, I felt rather emotional while reading the last scene.
This was the perfect ending to this trilogy. It was action packed and had some plot twists I didn't see coming. I fell in love with Torin. I think he was such an interesting character and I would have loved to get to know him a little bit better. As for the main characters, they developed quite a bit, especially Sophie. I felt like she became so much stronger in this one. Just like the first two, it was a very quick and fun read. I would definitely recommend this series to teenagers, since I think I would have loved it when I was younger.
Wow, I'm sad that the series is now over it was so amazing. I loved the characters, the world and everything. But that's okay because I'm really content with this ending!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Enjoyed most of the book. Only things I didn't like: Sophie did the dumbest things sometimes, and I did not like Cal's death. The book answers some big questions. There are still many questions unanswered, however. But, overall, not bad.