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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
This last entry in the Magisterium series surprised me. Yes, it's far from perfect, but it was fun. There were no secrets between the friends, Jasper was helping out by choice, Aaron being in Call's head was hysterical and on point, and the road trip was a good time, albeit way too short. Tamara and Call's relationship felt much more genuine instead of forced. I liked how Alistair stepped up and actually helped his kid and got back into the mage world. I really loved how they sorted out Alex in the end, although I can certainly see how it might turn people off. That's the good stuff. There's quite a few things that could have been much better. The book felt rushed and was way too short. The elementals agreed to help much too quickly- there should have been trials or some sort of quest to get them to help instead of just the group showing up and asking. That would have padded the book and made it feel more important, like they needed this elemental to agree to assist them but they've got to get this item first, and they've got to do it fast or else. There was zero urgency in the book. Oh, Alex is back and he wants a tower and the kids? Ok, cool, we've got loads of time (*eyeroll*). Speaking of the "villain", could he have been acting more like a child having a tantrum? He wasn't the least bit menacing and was actually more funny than scary- "I want a tower and my girlfriend and my enemies so I can kill them!!" (really, guy?) The adults were worse than useless, ridiculously trusting of Call, and willing to give Alex and Call anything to just make the whole thing go away. The ending was way too tidy and convenient. That being said, it was a satisfying ending. I really do hope Black and Clare continue the story of the friends at the Collegium, now that their relationships are at a point where they are actually interesting, and they are at an age where I'm intrigued to read about them myself (I've been reading this series to my son so far). Interesting conclusion, cool twist, and I had a good time.
wow. wow. wow. wow. wow. for this being a middle grade level series it surpassed ALLLLL my hopes and dreams. like dang. hope they write a sequel series!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After reading the entire series for a third time, this is what I think. While better than Harry Potter in terms of character development and theme exploration, it could use more work in the world-building department. It doesn't feel like a fully-fleshed out world, but instead that details are added whenever the plot calls upon them. There are also large inconsistences throughout the series, such as Havoc's eyes being gold in one book then green in another, the timeline of when Constantine started wearing his mask, and Call doing all the driving in the second book instead of Aaron (this book says that Aaron did all the driving). I also feel like the addition of Magnus as the real big bad was unnecessary since it was already established that Constantine was evil far before Jericho died. It just felt like deus sex machina. That being said, I love this series and they remain some of my favorite books. The tension between the good and evil within ourselves was excellently done, and I love all the macabre details of splitting and sharing souls. And them going through the gold gate, the gate of being a good person, just the chef's kiss. 10/10 would read again, 10/10 would recommend to others.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Having stuck with this series through its entirety, I can say that The Golden Tower, unlike its two predecessors, didn't leave me completely disappointed.
Black and Clare manage to wrap up some of the storylines that have been prevalent since The Iron Trial. Admittedly, I did think that the ending was a letdown, what with the potential for forced chemistry. Nonetheless, Black and Clare have brought a satisfying end to a series that I've loved.
Black and Clare manage to wrap up some of the storylines that have been prevalent since The Iron Trial. Admittedly, I did think that the ending was a letdown, what with the potential for forced chemistry. Nonetheless, Black and Clare have brought a satisfying end to a series that I've loved.
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes