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3.07 AVERAGE
3.07 AVERAGE
I just ... didn’t like it.
Problem #1 - the illustrations DO NOT match the physical descriptions in the book. Nimue is described as one, fair, doll-like, a member of the fae ... but the illustrations show almost the opposite.
Problem #2 - everything feels disjointed. There is too much description, world building is just thrown in there, I never connected with any characters. This book lacks almost all emotional depth.
Problem #3 - I didn’t care how it ended. Without character development and emotionality, I didn’t really care who “won” in the end. The twists that were aim for gasps, were so predictable.
Overall, the story came from an interesting perspective, but it tried to do too much and the plodding pace thru their travels was just not interesting to read about. Pacing reminded me a lot of Outlander which I also really didn’t like.
It will probably make a good TV show and I’ll probably watch it. The concept was good, the presentation was lacking.
Problem #1 - the illustrations DO NOT match the physical descriptions in the book. Nimue is described as one, fair, doll-like, a member of the fae ... but the illustrations show almost the opposite.
Problem #2 - everything feels disjointed. There is too much description, world building is just thrown in there, I never connected with any characters. This book lacks almost all emotional depth.
Problem #3 - I didn’t care how it ended. Without character development and emotionality, I didn’t really care who “won” in the end. The twists that were aim for gasps, were so predictable.
Overall, the story came from an interesting perspective, but it tried to do too much and the plodding pace thru their travels was just not interesting to read about. Pacing reminded me a lot of Outlander which I also really didn’t like.
It will probably make a good TV show and I’ll probably watch it. The concept was good, the presentation was lacking.
I keep reading reviews that say the writing is simplistic; I think what people fail to realize is the book is young adult fiction. The writing is intended for that age group. That small factor aside I found the book very enjoyable (and the book and tv show if you’ve seen it we’re very true to one another, if you’ve seen it). I think the author did a great job of re-inventing The Lady of the Lake story and this will hopefully get more young people interested in Arthurian legend.
The book to show adaption from this one was on point. I binged the show and just HAD to read the book and I didn’t find a lot of differences, one major difference but it still worked out the same.
I would recommend this one if you’re in a genre slump and would like to get back into Fantasy.
I would have preferred a bit more on the Royals and also Merlin and Nimue getting to know each other but I don’t think either would have been realistic for this book.. just a want.
I would recommend this one if you’re in a genre slump and would like to get back into Fantasy.
I would have preferred a bit more on the Royals and also Merlin and Nimue getting to know each other but I don’t think either would have been realistic for this book.. just a want.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Throughout this book, I hated it. It felt so cliched in every way. The dialogue. The plot itself. What I disliked the most was Nimue. I understand she is only a teenager but wow was she immature and extremely frustrating. And don’t get me started on Morgan. I feel like all the male characters were written really well and were very interesting. And all the female characters were whiny and nonsensical. Which might make sense since the book was written by two men. But interestingly enough, when I finished the book, I’ve been thinking a lot about it and because it was left on a cliffhanger, I find myself wanting to know what happens next. I’m surprised by myself. The one redeemable aspect of this book was the descriptions. It was beautifully written.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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
I really enjoyed this book and all the differences it inhabited. The characters names you have all heard before but brought up in ways you would never had thought of before. Nimue is a great character to follow and I honestly just really felt terrible for her. Starting as an outcast in her own home only to be forced out by a fanatic of an enemy. However, she is strong willed and a very interesting character to see grow through her trials. I truly think this is a favorite I will look back on. I enjoyed Frank Miller’s artwork sprinkled throughout the book as well, sometimes in his well known black and white illustrations and then in some peak areas, they are shown with color, making them even more vibrant. I will say my two complaints are the cliffhanger ending and how quickly Father Carden was killed. I half expected there to be a really intense battle between Nimue and him, but it ended very fast. hopefully there will be a sequel to this book, I would definitely read it to fill in the blanks. I would absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys the tales of “King Arthur” and is wanting a fresh take on the story, or as a fun fantasy read!
adventurous
slow-paced
It’s quite rare for me to give a book such a low rating, I think I can count my one star reviews in the last year on one hand. But this book sadly left me no choice. The gorgeous cover and great title drew me in but that’s about all the enjoyment I found in this book, the cover and the title. The rest I really, REALLY struggled with. I did manage to finish it so there is that but I really had to force myself to push through. The story sounded so great but the writing fell totally flat for me. This was definitely a huge disappointment for me and a case of a cover buy gone horribly wrong.