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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The hunger games but make it magic with a magic system different from anything I’ve read before. A great multi-POV read with morally gray characters.
The cliffhanger. WHY. I feel like I’m being cut off mid story. I know there is a second book but I feel like Book 1 & 2 of the series should’ve just been combined.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lost me at the end.
Too ambitious and read like the author was just throwing everything in they could think of.
Overall, the obstacles faced were overcome too easily or rather on first try
Too ambitious and read like the author was just throwing everything in they could think of.
Overall, the obstacles faced were overcome too easily or rather on first try
challenging
dark
fast-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
adventurous
dark
i rarely read good YA nowadays, but this was an exception.
this book swallowed me whole.
the characters were all written very well and all very believable. none of them are redeemable, but you can understand them, how they feel, why they act. the setup before the actual tournament was written very well, the backstory was a great lesson in show, not tell.
the last part of the book was probably the weakest, the character development felt a bit rushed towards the end, but overall a very chilling tale, way darker than the usual YA. can't wait for the second book.
this book swallowed me whole.
the characters were all written very well and all very believable. none of them are redeemable, but you can understand them, how they feel, why they act. the setup before the actual tournament was written very well, the backstory was a great lesson in show, not tell.
the last part of the book was probably the weakest, the character development felt a bit rushed towards the end, but overall a very chilling tale, way darker than the usual YA. can't wait for the second book.
The story is very intriguing and the characters are all active players in pushing the plot along. I like how each chapter is told from a different main character's perspective. It allows readers to see and understand their motivations that correlates to their actions. I think we tend to forget that villians or "them" are humans too with their own wants ,needs and desires. It was easy to see and connect each villians' actions with their thoughts and experiences. Excited to read the sequel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Over on Kirkus there is an excellent spoiler free review "bloody tournament will determine whose family controls the only high magick in the world.
Until someone spilled the city of Ilvernath’s dark secret in the anonymously authored book A Tradition of Tragedy, the world thought that the high magick was gone. Instead, seven families are locked into a curse tournament, providing a child every 20 years to fight for exclusive control over it. Rotating third-person narration follows monstrous favorite Alistair (of the sinister and most winningest Lowe family), paparazzi darling and talented spellmaker Isobel (of the Macaslan family, who are viewed as distasteful vultures), brains-and-brawn underdog Gavin (of the Grieve family, a lost cause that’s never produced a winner), and born-for-heroism Briony (of the respected Thorburn family). Prior to the tournament’s starting, exquisite worldbuilding shines as the characters navigate family stories and outsiders trying to influence the tournament and deal with the spellmakers and cursemakers who equip the champions. One cursemaker in particular puts ideas in the aspiring champions’ heads about whether the tournament’s curse can be changed—or broken. The competitors teeter wildly between heroism and villainy, especially once the tournament starts and their preconceived ideas of themselves and each other are challenged in lethal combat. Of the seven champions, Finley has dark skin and curly black hair, while the rest are pale; among background characters there’s ethnic diversity and casual queer inclusion".
I don't recommend starting this first book in the duology unless you have "All of Our Demise" to hand as the end of this book is very cliffhangery.
Until someone spilled the city of Ilvernath’s dark secret in the anonymously authored book A Tradition of Tragedy, the world thought that the high magick was gone. Instead, seven families are locked into a curse tournament, providing a child every 20 years to fight for exclusive control over it. Rotating third-person narration follows monstrous favorite Alistair (of the sinister and most winningest Lowe family), paparazzi darling and talented spellmaker Isobel (of the Macaslan family, who are viewed as distasteful vultures), brains-and-brawn underdog Gavin (of the Grieve family, a lost cause that’s never produced a winner), and born-for-heroism Briony (of the respected Thorburn family). Prior to the tournament’s starting, exquisite worldbuilding shines as the characters navigate family stories and outsiders trying to influence the tournament and deal with the spellmakers and cursemakers who equip the champions. One cursemaker in particular puts ideas in the aspiring champions’ heads about whether the tournament’s curse can be changed—or broken. The competitors teeter wildly between heroism and villainy, especially once the tournament starts and their preconceived ideas of themselves and each other are challenged in lethal combat. Of the seven champions, Finley has dark skin and curly black hair, while the rest are pale; among background characters there’s ethnic diversity and casual queer inclusion".
I don't recommend starting this first book in the duology unless you have "All of Our Demise" to hand as the end of this book is very cliffhangery.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes