Reviews - Iron & Embers | The StoryGraph

1.11k reviews for:

Iron & Embers

Helen Scheuerer

4.17 AVERAGE

mueller83's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mousehouse6's review against another edition

4.75

medium-paced

katewilde's review

4.5

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

realm_of_books's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

shaun_trinh's review against another edition

2.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Torj is BORING, boring ,boring, boring, so incredibly stale and boring, and repetitive, and BORING. I hate the way this man walks, talks, moves, exists in the fictional plate. He irks me. I cannot stand him.

Every time he touched the page I let out a sigh because what is the point or reason for htis to be a duel POV book. The story was genuinely interesting at almost all points where he is not involved. Truthfully this book would have been better as a high fantasy and not a romantasy book because why is the 'romance' part of the story the weakest part. There is no chemistry just forced and unwanted chemistry being shoved down my throat. Manifesting in the first 250 pages as various scenes of them getting forced into close proximity to each other. As in there were like 10 scenes of this happening within the first half of the book. I don't care for their backstory. I don't care for their relationship. Wren's realtionships with quite literally EVERY other character is far more interesting then anything between her and Torj. Honestly if this was a high fantasy book and Zavier was the B or C plot romantic interest I think that would have been MUCH MUCH MUCHHHH better.

The way this man does his job, the way he talks and thinks, the way and reasons he gets angry all set me off. The way he gets in Wren's (and my enjoyments) way is awful. He single handedly undercut amost of an over 500 page book.

That's not all those because WHAT is the false advertisement that got me interested in this book. The synopsis of my edition of the book heavily implied that the tension of this story was that Wren (a poisoner/alechemist) assassinated Torj's (warrior guy)'s Charge and THAT's what the dynamic between them would be about. But NO. They dont give a FUCK. Literally. WIthin the first 20 pages is just mentioned that Wren killed him and they just laughed it off. WHAT WHAT WHAT. WHAT WAS THE REASON WHY THIS DETAIL WAS SO HEAVILY EMPHASIZED IN THE SYNOPSIS OF MY EDITION? Instead of Torj being forced to be Wren's guard despite her murdering his captain (which was a really cool dynamic), THEN TENSION IS LITERALLY JUST FROM OCCUPATIONAL DISAGREEMENT AND EDGING. And that's not an exaggeration.

Lastly for the gauntlet being built up for 400 pages it lasted for like what, 20 pages?

Anyways I did enjoy the broad premise and Wren as a character.

nerdynaturopath's review against another edition

4.5

medium-paced

Such a fun book! I looooove Helen's writing! The pining, the tension, the spice!!! I adored being back in the Thezmar world and especially loved the alchemy and herbs!!! So great!!