Scan barcode
emheld's review
4.0
The first two Vlad books are solid standalone almost-fantasy-PI mysteries. This one cranks it up by more fully examining the characters' motivations, upending convention with how the story proceeds in the third act, and further defining this world as living, storied and unique.
dunecello's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
ice119's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
chloefrizzle's review
1.0
This book is utterly terrible. It's both a shrine and a condemnation to toxic masculinity. It's unorganized and boring and depressing.
Our main character is stupid the whole book. He is angry at his wife (for teaching reading lessons to impoverished people), and makes everything worse at every turn. He refuses to talk to her, or hear her. Refuses to acknowledge his own feelings. Actively tries to murder his wife's friends and destroy what she believes in.
I kept thinking this book would get better and our main character would learn his lesson, but he doesn't. I can't tell if the book is trying to say, "See, solving all your problems with violence and refusing to deal with your emotions (toxic masculinity) is bad, because it breaks down your relationships." Or if the book is trying to say, "Actually toxic masculinity is totally okay, because the hero got what he wanted in the end and his wife was the one who needed to apologize."
I hate this book. It's so poorly done, on every front. I'm going to go read the next book now, because I liked the previous books and I'm hoping that this one is a fluke and not a foretelling.
Our main character is stupid the whole book. He is angry at his wife (for teaching reading lessons to impoverished people), and makes everything worse at every turn. He refuses to talk to her, or hear her. Refuses to acknowledge his own feelings. Actively tries to murder his wife's friends and destroy what she believes in.
I kept thinking this book would get better and our main character would learn his lesson, but he doesn't. I can't tell if the book is trying to say, "See, solving all your problems with violence and refusing to deal with your emotions (toxic masculinity) is bad, because it breaks down your relationships." Or if the book is trying to say, "Actually toxic masculinity is totally okay, because the hero got what he wanted in the end and his wife was the one who needed to apologize."
I hate this book. It's so poorly done, on every front. I'm going to go read the next book now, because I liked the previous books and I'm hoping that this one is a fluke and not a foretelling.
joannethefairy's review
1.0
This is the third Vlad Taltos book that I have read and the only one I haven’t liked. It was a DNF actually. As with all the books in this series that I have read I didn’t have a clue where this book was going - I find Steven Brust’s writing style to be a little incomprehensible to me. I usually like the journey though! This one didn’t seem to have a climactic event like the first two where I could get my bearings and surmise what was happening - and so I kind of floundered and stopped enjoying myself. The only thing I really got out of this book was the end of Vlad Taltos and Cawti’s relationship which was a bummer in and of itself. I needed something to balance that and make the book enjoyable but I never got it and so DNF’d.
I will probably grab the next 3 book omnibus as I do enjoy the writing style and am hoping I will become more proficient at figuring out what the heck is going on as I read more.
I will probably grab the next 3 book omnibus as I do enjoy the writing style and am hoping I will become more proficient at figuring out what the heck is going on as I read more.
ceskykure's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.25
avery_switch's review
dark
funny
tense
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
4.25
basbleu_dans_labiblioteque's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75