Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Stone Key by Isobelle Carmody

3 reviews

katesio's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Book 5 of the Obernewtyn series done!
I listened to The Stone Key as an audio book across two weeks and enjoyed it. There's no hiding this is a huge, thick, long book but I found it wonderfully engaging.

There were several moments I felt shocked or felt a huge stab of pain for.
When Malik knew more of what happened to Rushton and the effects on Elspeth than anyone else - the hate in me rose so high. 
When we found out Ariel's null was Domick, that what heart-breaking. Please no. Not Domick! When the beforetime medical unit was not able to cure Domick, again this hurt so much.

The constant cold hateness of Rushton towards Elspeth. The cold comments. It was so toxic, I don't know how Elspeth managed being on the same boat as him.

When Rushton charged Elspeth in the labrynth beneath Ariel's house. Ariel even forced him to wear a demon-band so Elspeth could not reach his mind. This was painful. 

But when Rushton was himself and full of love in Sador - the warmth and enjoyment I felt. Can we please have more of this!


I think the Obernewtyn series so far has been fantastic. I have heard many people saying to read the first 4 books and stop there, but I think this is ridiculous. I found the Stone Key to be more engaging and wonderfully written than the fourth book, The Keeping Place. I would encourage those to keep reading, you are going to want answers to Domick and Rushton. 

I started re-reading the Obernewtyn series in late November 2023 and have thoroughly enjoyed it!
Onwards with book 6, The Sending.

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gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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? No

4.0

I cannot believe that this is already book five of the series. There is so much that is happening in this book I cannot wait to see it unfold over the next two books.

I am blown away with Isobelle Carmondy's ability to keep writing such long books that don't feel like they are constantly dragging on. The pacing is great and each book builds upon the secrets of the past and the current world. We are constantly introduced to faces old and new, that keep the world feeling alive.

I cannot wait to see what the next two books hold for this series.

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ros_lanta's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

5.0

The Stone Key is simply brilliant, by far the best book in the Obernewtyn Chronicles, and Carmody's writing is significantly improved from earlier books in the series. 

At 1,000 pages TSK is far longer than previous books in the series (so much so that the US editions divided the book into two). This isn't from unnecessary padding: numerous events happen which are key to the plot arcs of the series, and while there are slower, quieter parts of the book they are needed as balance to the many fast paced, action filled sections. 

Despite the plot heavy content, possibly the biggest strength of the book is characterisation. The main character Elspeth grows in multiple ways as a result of her experiences; she has come a long way from the Elspeth of book 1, an orphan child afraid to make connections with others. Other characters are also given more nuance than in previous books. There are some very emotional moments in the book, and the use of first person throughout the novel adds to their impact. 

In many ways the Obernewtyn Chronicles aged with the main character (and with those of us readers who discovered it as children). Not only do the books increase in length and plot complexity, they get darker and examine more adult issues, and this is very apparent here. While the books have always been set in a dystopia, with darker topics referenced, the earlier books could easily be read by preteens: I would not recommend that for TSK, which falls far more towards the older end of YA. Carmody generally handles these topics well. 

One thing I appreciate in the Obernewtyn novels (though some readers may not) is that Carmody does not feel the need to have her main character present at every single key event in the story. Sometimes things happen that are just related to her afterwards. Other times she is involved but is not the key instigator. I find this very realistic and there are certainly more than enough instances where she plays a central role. 

Overall I find this a gripping, satisfying novel; one that I have reread multiple times and will no doubt read again in the future. 

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