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lastsilversunset's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Child death and Death
Minor: Blood and Violence
ceilidhwilliams's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
YA protagonists often get criticised for being stupid, but Maddie is by far the dumbest protagonist I’ve ever read, this book would be 200 pages shorter if she had even on ounce of intelligence.
The last ~50 pages made this some what redeeming.
The last ~50 pages made this some what redeeming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Violence, Trafficking, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
scorpioness's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
My biggest problem with this book is the native erasure. The inn that Maddies (I’m assuming white)family is in charge of is in the mountains of Colorado… and they’ve been there since like the beginning of time… yeah not adding up, unless Maddie has some unmentioned native ancestors (but then everyone from fiordenkill and byrn are white?). This is one of the things that was frustrating about the book, in addition to maddies character at times. Not frustrating in a way where you’re invested in the story that much, but just frustrating because it’s slightly annoying. The dialogue between taya and Maddie felt kind of forced at times, and I feel like I wanted their romance to be developed just a little bit more? Idk I feel like there’s a way to make the romance second priority and also develop it well.
Overall though, I enjoyed the atmosphere of it and the plot was better than some other books I’ve read, but the foreshadowing was sloppy at times.
Overall though, I enjoyed the atmosphere of it and the plot was better than some other books I’ve read, but the foreshadowing was sloppy at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, and Self harm
Native erasure and slight grooming as well Self harm page- 150 Body horror page-170briannasbookshelf_'s review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Cross-posted on Goodreads.
This book was an easy read. I think the best part about it was the descriptions of each of the worlds and their magic systems. I wanted to learn more about each world and what their citizens were capable of, and unfortunately that is not where this book goes.
My biggest issue in this book was the insane amount of characters that get introduced and dragged on through the story but we never really learn anything about them. Graylin, Willow, the Fiorden princess whose name I don't remember, etc. I feel like this book would have been much more satisfying if it was 200 pages longer and we got to learn more about the other characters rather than hear Maddie talk about the same story over and over. I understand that her brother dying was an important part of her character arc, but it got extremely repetitive to read over and over in a book this short. In my opinion the best character is Taya. She is the reason I would read a sequel. I would read an entire series about her life and her journey finding Terran.
Another thing I found unsatisfying was the amount of plot lines in this book. It feels like every single character had a plot twist at some point and it felt like whiplash every time one was revealed (and when you put that together with my previous point of there being way too many characters that feel like they should be more important than they're made to be it gets overwhelming very quickly). Once again something that may have benefitted from the book being 500 pages rather than 305. There are so many plot lines that didn't get wrapped up, or were so hastily figured out (the little girl in the basement wtf that was a super annoying way to 'fix' that one), that I have no idea what the sequel will possibly be about. </spolier>
While I definitely have issues with the length of this book, it was still fun to read. I would not recommend this book if you don't want to commit to reading the sequel when it eventually comes out because there are so many questions left unanswered (I'll say it one more time, why is this book so short?!).
This book was an easy read. I think the best part about it was the descriptions of each of the worlds and their magic systems. I wanted to learn more about each world and what their citizens were capable of, and unfortunately that is not where this book goes.
Another thing I found unsatisfying was the amount of plot lines in this book. It feels like every single character had a plot twist at some point and it felt like whiplash every time one was revealed (and when you put that together with my previous point of there being way too many characters that feel like they should be more important than they're made to be it gets overwhelming very quickly). Once again something that may have benefitted from the book being 500 pages rather than 305. There are so many plot lines that didn't get wrapped up, or were so hastily figured out (the little girl in the basement wtf that was a super annoying way to 'fix' that one), that I have no idea what the sequel will possibly be about. </spolier>
While I definitely have issues with the length of this book, it was still fun to read. I would not recommend this book if you don't want to commit to reading the sequel when it eventually comes out because there are so many questions left unanswered (I'll say it one more time, why is this book so short?!).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Child death, and Confinement
ghosthermione's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a serendipitous find in the New Books section at the library the other day, and I am SO GLAD that I picked it! I got to admit, I mostly fell in love with the cover, and I was sceptical when I started reading it yesterday. But it's now past 3am and I've just devoured it.
The plot was complex enough that I could guess some, but not all, of what was actually happening. The heroine is clever and sympathetic, and her past trauma and reactions were very believable, without me being ever mad at her for it. In YA I too often feel like the protagonist makes mistakes on purpose because the narrative demands it, or because they need to be flawed for it to work. But Maddie made mistakes that made sense in context, weren't down to her age or her trauma (mostly) but to the information she had at the moment. Besides, it was a real page turner and I wanted to keep learning about these worlds and the complex mystery that Maddie had to solve to stay in control of the situation.
The story itself was moving, and interesting throughout, with diverse and well-rounded characters. I liked that the staff was a real part of the story, and the elite was frowned upon by the narration when they looked down on people. I want to see more of these characters, especially Taya! And the novel neatly ties the loose ends while still making me very strongly that I have to have the next one NOW! I absolutely recommend it!
The plot was complex enough that I could guess some, but not all, of what was actually happening. The heroine is clever and sympathetic, and her past trauma and reactions were very believable, without me being ever mad at her for it. In YA I too often feel like the protagonist makes mistakes on purpose because the narrative demands it, or because they need to be flawed for it to work. But Maddie made mistakes that made sense in context, weren't down to her age or her trauma (mostly) but to the information she had at the moment. Besides, it was a real page turner and I wanted to keep learning about these worlds and the complex mystery that Maddie had to solve to stay in control of the situation.
The story itself was moving, and interesting throughout, with diverse and well-rounded characters. I liked that the staff was a real part of the story, and the elite was frowned upon by the narration when they looked down on people. I want to see more of these characters, especially Taya! And the novel neatly ties the loose ends while still making me very strongly that I have to have the next one NOW! I absolutely recommend it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Confinement, Child death, and Child abuse
Minor: Bullying
The MC's backstory involves her witnessing
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