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tyrshand's review against another edition
3.0
I was thoroughly disappointed by the end of this book. There was so much repetition, the heroine had this weird stalkerish attraction to a character (despite the fact that she's supposed to have her head screwed on very straight -- and she does most of the time), the resolution of the crush was a real left turn (not as far as the "triangle" but because he and his family suddenly went from warm to nasty with a nasty fiancee to boot), and the whole denouement hinged on an object she spent like two chapters deciding to destroy and DID destroy -- only to tell us later on that she would NEVER have destroyed it that way because she knew ALL ALONG that you couldn't do that. What?!
haniah's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
okay this was cute and lighthearted but I have some qualms. first, why were the characters so perfect?? literally have no faults and always knew the right answer and response to EVERYTHING. it got kinda boring. two, there were so many inconsistencies that it made it hard to follow. finally, why did it turn into a war book?? I was out here enjoying the country side and moors and all of sudden we're in the war. that is the easiest way to turn me off of a book and it felt so unnecessary to the plot. i would ready another lackey book, just not from this series i think.
soulfulsin's review against another edition
3.0
The plot was enough to keep me engaged, although not wholly dedicated to it. The characters were forgettable and the truly interesting part was the war and how it played into the story.
I don't put this down to faults of the author. I think I may just have outgrown Mercedes Lackey.
I don't put this down to faults of the author. I think I may just have outgrown Mercedes Lackey.
sjgaspari's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
sararg352's review
3.0
Light and fluffy. I caught many inconsistencies that made me wonder about the editor, but as always I enjoy her description of magic and the English setting. I just wish the men in the stories weren't quite so patronizing to the women. Yes, Susanne and Maya were strong in their own right, but there was a bit too much of "don't worry your pretty head, the men will take care of". I enjoyed the inclusion of Robin since his characterization didn't fit any of her normal stereotypes and he was unpredictable as Puck should be. I wish I could find a similar type of book with a bit more depth and complexity to the characters, without so much of the stereotypes being hammered at the reader and the endless narration of how the characters are feeling, rather than being allowed to see how things are from their actions and conversations.
vickybuka's review
3.0
Lackey's writing is engaging. The world she creates is detailed and consistent.
fadeintodawn's review
2.0
Like all of Lackey's Elemental Masters series, this was a fun and fast read. I'm not familiar with the original fairy tale, which made the plot unpredictable and fresh. The characters are appealing, and some old favorites turn up as well. Unfortunately, the new characters were less fleshed out than in the other novels. The pacing was a bit strange and uneven, as well, and I got very tired of a few phrases ("blunt Yorkshire stock"). The scenes set on the front lines of WWI were a good change from other books in the series, which have explored the tensions before the war and the after-effects, but avoided showing the conflict directly.