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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Maybe 3 stars. The plot and world building had more potential than the uninspired dialogue and interchangeable, underdeveloped characters.
adventurous
dark
tense
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:
Yes
It's hard to say much about this since, despite my positive feelings towards it, the story didn't leave that much of an impression on me. I'm very excited to check out the sequels.
Biggest Positive: The worldbuilding
Biggest Negative: The pacing
Biggest Positive: The worldbuilding
Biggest Negative: The pacing
This was about 3.25 or 3.5 stars for me, I think. There are some great things to appreciate, but I spent a lot of my reading time being vaguely irritated with the characters.
The setting is wonderful. In the land of Renthia, the spirits of the natural world are drawn to both creation and destruction. The queen of each country binds to the spirits to obedience and to do no harm, but they're always struggling to break free and kill humans if they can. The ground is dangerous, so most people live in treetop villages. I love a dangerous forest, so this setup was great and I was prepared to get on board.
I might not have finished this if it didn't hit a square for my reading challenge, in large part because the early chapters are just awkwardly written, with people over-explaining their motives in speeches or slow internal monologues. The story also did a lot of things that I normally like, but didn't really execute them that well. Magic school that's about dodging and controlling evil spirits? [b:A Deadly Education|50548197|A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)|Naomi Novik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596909044l/50548197._SY75_.jpg|75543174] grabbed me on that score. Dark forest full of spirits and danger, with a power struggle over how and when to use magic? [b:The Jasmine Throne|50523477|The Jasmine Throne (Burning Kingdoms, #1)|Tasha Suri|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603885729l/50523477._SY75_.jpg|75502430] absolutely nailed that. A gruff mentor figure coaching an under-appreciated but ambitious young person? It's done to death and Ven also has the disadvantage of being a jerk whose angst just drags when it should be compelling.
I would be more willing to continue the series if there were more (or any) strong personalities on the cast. Daleina is supposed to be stubborn and admirable-- and she is, for a brief period around the halfway point of the book (). On either side of that, she's tediously virtuous and sort of agrees with everyone telling her that she's not good or strong enough to train, or to try to be queen. I appreciated her flexible approach to magic, but something about her fell flat. The rest of the cast is worse, and in a week I'm not going to remember anyone but Merecot, the powerful mean girl/ ally who starts to become interesting before . I couldn't bring myself to care about any of these people, even at emotional moments, and the love interest's personality is dull verging on nonexistent.
I wanted to like this, and am rounding down because many of the little details irritated me more than making me want to learn more about the world. The language is too modern in places (snark, team player), especially when the author is trying to inject some humor, and it really broke my immersion. There are some gems here (the spirit was particularly good), but I don't think I'm continuing the series.
The setting is wonderful. In the land of Renthia, the spirits of the natural world are drawn to both creation and destruction. The queen of each country binds to the spirits to obedience and to do no harm, but they're always struggling to break free and kill humans if they can. The ground is dangerous, so most people live in treetop villages. I love a dangerous forest, so this setup was great and I was prepared to get on board.
I might not have finished this if it didn't hit a square for my reading challenge, in large part because the early chapters are just awkwardly written, with people over-explaining their motives in speeches or slow internal monologues. The story also did a lot of things that I normally like, but didn't really execute them that well. Magic school that's about dodging and controlling evil spirits? [b:A Deadly Education|50548197|A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)|Naomi Novik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596909044l/50548197._SY75_.jpg|75543174] grabbed me on that score. Dark forest full of spirits and danger, with a power struggle over how and when to use magic? [b:The Jasmine Throne|50523477|The Jasmine Throne (Burning Kingdoms, #1)|Tasha Suri|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603885729l/50523477._SY75_.jpg|75502430] absolutely nailed that. A gruff mentor figure coaching an under-appreciated but ambitious young person? It's done to death and Ven also has the disadvantage of being a jerk whose angst just drags when it should be compelling.
I would be more willing to continue the series if there were more (or any) strong personalities on the cast. Daleina is supposed to be stubborn and admirable-- and she is, for a brief period around the halfway point of the book (
Spoiler
when she's blind and still training: the Daredevil sequence is the best part of the whole damn storySpoiler
there's a time jump and she gets an absolutely atrocious, unsubtle scene highlighting her Bad Ethics before she's ushered out of the main narrativeI wanted to like this, and am rounding down because many of the little details irritated me more than making me want to learn more about the world. The language is too modern in places (snark, team player), especially when the author is trying to inject some humor, and it really broke my immersion. There are some gems here (the
Spoiler
earth kraken
The magic system and the setting were really cool but I spent a solid 80% of Queen of Blood incredibly bored. Daleina was an incredibly dull lead character and the plot was predictable. I very much would’ve preferred a story focused on Queen Fara, Ven, or one that followed Merecot after she left the academy. I was particularly disappointed in this because I found Sarah Beth Durst’s The Bone Maker to be so creative and unique. The setting measured up but unfortunately, nothing else did.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
tense
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:
Yes
fast-paced
Solid storytelling in an original world with characters that feel real!
Wild spirits that wants to kill all humans are controlled by a queen made through a pact with the same spirits. But something is letting spirits go out of control anyway. Girls that show an affinity in controlling spirits are taught, tried and tested to become heirs to the Queen, so a new one may be chosen when the time comes. We follow one such young girl of meagre potential, and a disgraced Champion, one of those who chose the heirs-to-be, as spirits cause hurt around the land.
Wild spirits that wants to kill all humans are controlled by a queen made through a pact with the same spirits. But something is letting spirits go out of control anyway. Girls that show an affinity in controlling spirits are taught, tried and tested to become heirs to the Queen, so a new one may be chosen when the time comes. We follow one such young girl of meagre potential, and a disgraced Champion, one of those who chose the heirs-to-be, as spirits cause hurt around the land.
A little girl sees her village be destroyed by creatures but these spirits shouldn't have attacked like this. The queen is someone who has control over these and her champions are responsible for training girls who will one day become the Queen.
Daleina joins the trials without any intention to become more than someone who can protect her people.
She's determined and knows what she wants when she wants. I liked all the chapters in the "academy." I wanted to like what comes next with Ven, but the story kept focusing on parts I didn't care for. Also, the characters' motivations didn't grab me.
Perhaps this is the type of series that has to be binged. I will update this review if I ever finish all books.
Daleina joins the trials without any intention to become more than someone who can protect her people.
She's determined and knows what she wants when she wants. I liked all the chapters in the "academy." I wanted to like what comes next with Ven, but the story kept focusing on parts I didn't care for. Also, the characters' motivations didn't grab me.
Perhaps this is the type of series that has to be binged. I will update this review if I ever finish all books.