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Reviews tagging 'Death'
Cirque Du Freak #10: The Lake of Souls: Book 10 in the Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan
7 reviews
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
don’t get attached to anyone don’t get attached to anyone don’t get attached to anyone don’t get attached to anyone don’t get attached to anyone don’t get attached to anyone don’t get attached to anyone
i doomed myself by forgetting that
fucking cried like it was my job
imma avoid the big reveal and things to say i started crying almost immediately once i started reading this that moment when darren processed his grief with the help of his friends that got me so bad
okay now.. harkat’s identity reveal. i don’t have much to say that i haven’t already on the other book platforms butkurda… may you be triumphant, even in death. i love you very much, my lovely pacifist vampire. no matter what shape you may take. rest well.
i doomed myself by forgetting that
fucking cried like it was my job
imma avoid the big reveal and things to say i started crying almost immediately once i started reading this that moment when darren processed his grief with the help of his friends that got me so bad
okay now.. harkat’s identity reveal. i don’t have much to say that i haven’t already on the other book platforms but
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I didn't see any clues leading to the answer of Harkat's true identity, which was a bit frustrating when the twist was revealed. But I guess it all made more sense when Mr. Tiny explained the situation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Cannibalism
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lake of Souls is the first of Darren's books since the third that feels like a standalone volume, taking a break from the war to fling Darren and Harkat into a high fantasy setting. Focusing on the bond between the two makes for one of the better volumes and provides a different kind of adventure for characters we know very well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
THE LAKE OF SOULS follows Harkat and Darren in a very weird place on Mr. Tiny's direction, doing cryptic steps in order so that Harkat can find out who he was before he was a Little Person (a stitched-together creature made by Mr. Tiny from a soul that wanted a second chance). Once they reach the Lake of Souls, Harkat must retrieve his old soul and find out who he was before he died. Partway through they meet a very strange ex-pirate named Spits who (the book won't let you forget) really wants to drink alcohol. I wasn't enjoying how much he took over the narrative, but it has a great payoff so it works out overall.
This is the tenth book in the series and the first book of the final trilogy. It wraps up the long-teased question of Harkat's original identity, a mystery which has lingered since early in the series. While the need to answer the question is old, the way the do it is so strange of a quest that I do count it as a new storyline. While I knew they needed it answered, I wasn't expecting "shoved through a portal and told to figure it out or die" as the start of a quest. They get slightly more information, but it's nearly that cryptic and definitely that threatening at the time.
It introduces and resolves the backstory of a strange person they meet on their journey, as well as their best guess at what that strange place actually is. It's not the final book, and specifically teases that the final battle with the Vampaneze Lord will be some time in the future.
Darren is still the narrator, and he feels more like an adult in terms of what he knows, but his narrative style still feels like a teenager. Since this hits a sweet spot on his reactions feeling appropriate to the target audience while also not shying away from the horror in certain events.
Even though this is the start of a new arc in the series, it's the final arc which will wrap up everything they've been building towards. It's answer time, and if you hop right in without having sat with questions it won't be nearly as satisfying. Also, Darren is trying to figure out how to grieve for someone he lost in the previous book, and it won't have nearly the emotional impact it's meant to for someone who hasn't at least read as far back as the sixth book. For the big mystery of Harkat's identity, you really ought to go back to the fourth book where Harkat's first major journey with Darren takes place.
This is the tenth book in the series and the first book of the final trilogy. It wraps up the long-teased question of Harkat's original identity, a mystery which has lingered since early in the series. While the need to answer the question is old, the way the do it is so strange of a quest that I do count it as a new storyline. While I knew they needed it answered, I wasn't expecting "shoved through a portal and told to figure it out or die" as the start of a quest. They get slightly more information, but it's nearly that cryptic and definitely that threatening at the time.
It introduces and resolves the backstory of a strange person they meet on their journey, as well as their best guess at what that strange place actually is. It's not the final book, and specifically teases that the final battle with the Vampaneze Lord will be some time in the future.
Darren is still the narrator, and he feels more like an adult in terms of what he knows, but his narrative style still feels like a teenager. Since this hits a sweet spot on his reactions feeling appropriate to the target audience while also not shying away from the horror in certain events.
Even though this is the start of a new arc in the series, it's the final arc which will wrap up everything they've been building towards. It's answer time, and if you hop right in without having sat with questions it won't be nearly as satisfying. Also, Darren is trying to figure out how to grieve for someone he lost in the previous book, and it won't have nearly the emotional impact it's meant to for someone who hasn't at least read as far back as the sixth book. For the big mystery of Harkat's identity, you really ought to go back to the fourth book where Harkat's first major journey with Darren takes place.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Grief, Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Gore, Violence, Vomit, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Infertility
adventurous
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
Wow. Didn’t expect Harkat to be Kurda like at all. But I knew he was a dude so. Idk it’s kinda confusing. Especially the fact that he was dead and Harkat was there before he died just weird. Definitely unexpected. And the world they went into. Like that was the future of what? The vampires? Or earth? Like what would happen if they lost the war? Creepy man just plan creepy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury