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percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
F.T. Lukens has done it again! After falling in love with the author's previous works, I knew I would love Spell Bound and I was right. The characters were great, the humor was on point, and the setting was so much fun. Lukens is really a master of creating these almost silly plots and set-ups, with interweaving seriousness that creates this lovely balance of tones.
The beginning was a little rough, but I find that's a bit of a habit for Lukens. They like to establish most of the lore and setting within the first couple of pages, which can get overwhelming and be a bit awkward to read, but once you're past that it's smooth sailing from there into a fantastic story. I will say, this is partially why this isn't a 5-star for me. The other half is that I think had I not picked up the book knowing I would enjoy it and ignored the summary for the most part, I would've found the inside flap misleading. Most of the book consists of building the characters' relationships, which I really enjoyed. But that means that the main conflict isn't addressed until about the last 4th of the novel, which is not how I understood it from the summary. So to anyone interested, I would just keep that in mind.
As for the relationships, they were FANTASTIC. I really loved exploring not just the dynamic between the two apprentices, Rook and Sun, but also Rook and his mentor Antonia, Sun and their mentor Fable, and even the strange rivalry/camaraderie between Antonia and Fable. The interactions were interesting and funny, and really are the shining gem of this book.
To end this, while So This is Ever After is still my favorite, Spell Bound and In Deeper Waters get to fight for second place. And if you like one of Lukens' books, I guarantee you will like the others.
The beginning was a little rough, but I find that's a bit of a habit for Lukens. They like to establish most of the lore and setting within the first couple of pages, which can get overwhelming and be a bit awkward to read, but once you're past that it's smooth sailing from there into a fantastic story. I will say, this is partially why this isn't a 5-star for me. The other half is that I think had I not picked up the book knowing I would enjoy it and ignored the summary for the most part, I would've found the inside flap misleading. Most of the book consists of building the characters' relationships, which I really enjoyed. But that means that the main conflict isn't addressed until about the last 4th of the novel, which is not how I understood it from the summary. So to anyone interested, I would just keep that in mind.
As for the relationships, they were FANTASTIC. I really loved exploring not just the dynamic between the two apprentices, Rook and Sun, but also Rook and his mentor Antonia, Sun and their mentor Fable, and even the strange rivalry/camaraderie between Antonia and Fable. The interactions were interesting and funny, and really are the shining gem of this book.
To end this, while So This is Ever After is still my favorite, Spell Bound and In Deeper Waters get to fight for second place. And if you like one of Lukens' books, I guarantee you will like the others.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Death and Suicide
mackef's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Abandonment
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