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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I enjoyed the new setting and most of the new characters. Lovisa got on my nerves more than once and the gratuitous seduction/sex she kept engaging in was annoying after awhile. Giddon and Hava were great, as were the blue foxes and the silbercows and the Keepers.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me a while to get used to the point of view shifts and to keep track of the characters since I was listening to an audiobook version of Winterkeep. I did love the parts with Adventure Fox, The Keeper, and the silbercows. Those creatures added depth to the story and entertainment. My favorite character is Lovisa Cavenda. She has the most character development, and I'm proud of what she achieves throughout the novel. It was nice seeing Bitterblue, Hava, and Giddon again. I loved the interactions between those characters. Overall, I enjoyed the plot and mysteries of this novel, and I will be reading the next one, Seasparrow.
Back to the world of Bitterblue and Graceling...in this novel, which could actually stand alone quite well, young Bitterblue is a powerful queen on her way to visit another kingdom. This is the kind of thing that usually ends poorly for royalty in the Graceling world, and sure enough, Bitterblue falls off her boat and is lost to her companions.
The vital diplomatic mission between quaint Monsea and the newly-discovered, democratic, industrialized continent of Torla must go on, however, and familiar characters from Bitterblue's past are obliged to keep up their end with the leaders of Winterkeep while investigating both the disappearance of two diplomats as well as the shady dealings in regard to one of Monsea's valuable natural resources.
Meanwhile, of course, Bitterblue is not dead, but becomes embroiled in a complicated political plot. 16-year-old Louvsa, the surly daughter of the president of Wintersea, somewhat reluctantly rescues Bitterblue and the two flight across the country.
The story is engaging, the world-building charmed me –– how interesting to have an author address issues like industrial pollution and the exploitation of the proletariat in a fantasy novel! –– and while I didn't love the repetitive insights several of the characters had (in parallel!) about the nature of consensual sex, I was glad to get back to this world.
As with all fans, I am greedy for more, please.
The vital diplomatic mission between quaint Monsea and the newly-discovered, democratic, industrialized continent of Torla must go on, however, and familiar characters from Bitterblue's past are obliged to keep up their end with the leaders of Winterkeep while investigating both the disappearance of two diplomats as well as the shady dealings in regard to one of Monsea's valuable natural resources.
Meanwhile, of course, Bitterblue is not dead, but becomes embroiled in a complicated political plot. 16-year-old Louvsa, the surly daughter of the president of Wintersea, somewhat reluctantly rescues Bitterblue and the two flight across the country.
The story is engaging, the world-building charmed me –– how interesting to have an author address issues like industrial pollution and the exploitation of the proletariat in a fantasy novel! –– and while I didn't love the repetitive insights several of the characters had (in parallel!) about the nature of consensual sex, I was glad to get back to this world.
As with all fans, I am greedy for more, please.
Does rather jump in with little attempt at recapping the previous books, making the first 50 pages less enjoyable than they might have been if I remembered them.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes