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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
4.75 stars (for the duology)
The tone of this feels v different from the first book, but it's clear that it's a thing of character growth. The tone is a lot heavier, I feel, and I think this book also had a bit of an older audience tone because it was less of a teenager reconciling with family and belonging and more of someone trying to lead and fit into a community that she suddenly found, and figuring out the politics of that.
I've been really loving this type of fantasy where there is genuine love and resistance to tyranny. There's a bit in there that says how mercy is like stubbornness, in that you need to know when to wield it. I think I'm going to be thinking about that quote for years to come.
The tone of this feels v different from the first book, but it's clear that it's a thing of character growth. The tone is a lot heavier, I feel, and I think this book also had a bit of an older audience tone because it was less of a teenager reconciling with family and belonging and more of someone trying to lead and fit into a community that she suddenly found, and figuring out the politics of that.
I've been really loving this type of fantasy where there is genuine love and resistance to tyranny. There's a bit in there that says how mercy is like stubbornness, in that you need to know when to wield it. I think I'm going to be thinking about that quote for years to come.
Very good sequel to the first book. Lots of twists and turns and really kept you engaged. Quite the adventure. 4.75
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As with the first in this duology, 'Ashes of Gold' is so good, it's nearly impossible to set down. Admittedly, I should've re-read 'Wings of Ebony' before starting on this one, as there were important points I'd forgotten, so this definitely isn't a stand-alone book, but both are well worth the read.
The characters in this book are fantastic! Rue coming into her own is a sometimes painful (literally and figuratively) experience, but so believable. She's both strong and yet fallible. Likewise, most other characters we meet are multidimensional. Other than the Chancellor, most of the characters are neither fully good nor fully evil; they're complex.
I love how brilliantly J. Elle has woven a fictional story together that so clearly illustrates real issues of racism and classism faced today. As a white woman who considers myself an ally, Bri's mess-ups in that regard were very relatable. (Again, sometimes painfully so!)
All in all, I'd highly recommend this book!
The characters in this book are fantastic! Rue coming into her own is a sometimes painful (literally and figuratively) experience, but so believable. She's both strong and yet fallible. Likewise, most other characters we meet are multidimensional. Other than the Chancellor, most of the characters are neither fully good nor fully evil; they're complex.
I love how brilliantly J. Elle has woven a fictional story together that so clearly illustrates real issues of racism and classism faced today. As a white woman who considers myself an ally, Bri's mess-ups in that regard were very relatable. (Again, sometimes painfully so!)
All in all, I'd highly recommend this book!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-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:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I enjoyed Wings of Ebony more than Ashes of Gold. Some parts of this book felt drawn out longer than necessary and others felt rushed. I also didn't quite believe the motivations of some characters' actions, but I still enjoyed the book. I loved the unique take on magic in this world and the mix of technology, potions, and magic that we got to see.
medium-paced
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for a review copy of this novel.
I loved the first book, Wings of Ebony, so reading the conclusion to J. Elle’s duology was high on my must read list for the year.
I definitely wasn’t disappointed in this second book. It’s filled with magic, heartache, love, and social justice. It’s a satisfying read and everything comes to a great conclusion. I love the character of Rue and following her journey of learning about her ancestors and taking back what was stolen from them. And Bri was a great character for white women like me to follow as an example of how to best be an ally.
Highly recommend picking up the first book if you haven’t read it yet, and then checking this one out when it comes out later this year.
I loved the first book, Wings of Ebony, so reading the conclusion to J. Elle’s duology was high on my must read list for the year.
I definitely wasn’t disappointed in this second book. It’s filled with magic, heartache, love, and social justice. It’s a satisfying read and everything comes to a great conclusion. I love the character of Rue and following her journey of learning about her ancestors and taking back what was stolen from them. And Bri was a great character for white women like me to follow as an example of how to best be an ally.
Highly recommend picking up the first book if you haven’t read it yet, and then checking this one out when it comes out later this year.