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emberise's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
2.5
I have a bone to pick with the publishers because nowhere on the cover of this book does it say that it's a sequel. Nowhere. I've triple checked. So I got it out of the library and then spent 500 pages trying to catch up.
By the end I was quite into it, but - probably because I'd not read book 1 - I just didn't have the knowledge or understanding to connect. There's no time in this book to sit with the character relationships. In fact the main characters spend 80% of the book separated. Which is a pity because a great deal of both the plot and the emotion of the book relies on those relationships and I hadn't really had a chance to see them in action.
Mostly the plot plunges from one major event to the next, offering up 3? climaxes so that by the time I reached the third I was a little immune to the tension because we'd done it all before. Maybe if I'd read book 1 it would have felt less anticlimactic. I don't know.
By the end I was quite into it, but - probably because I'd not read book 1 - I just didn't have the knowledge or understanding to connect. There's no time in this book to sit with the character relationships. In fact the main characters spend 80% of the book separated. Which is a pity because a great deal of both the plot and the emotion of the book relies on those relationships and I hadn't really had a chance to see them in action.
Mostly the plot plunges from one major event to the next, offering up 3? climaxes so that by the time I reached the third I was a little immune to the tension because we'd done it all before. Maybe if I'd read book 1 it would have felt less anticlimactic. I don't know.
pagesandgloom's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
cassa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
I'm glad I went into it knowing nothing. Oof! Painful as hell!
The main vill in became one of my favorite of all time- what an infuriating bitch.
The last bit of action plus the resolution ended up so messy, though. It doesn't detract enough for me to not 5 star, but I wish the climax had been more satisfying after All That.
It felt like Cherentisse died for no reason while Belthandros was spared for no reason? You know he's gonna immediately go plot and manipulate some teenagers again. Kill him!
Skips/important things happening in the background is a recurrent device in both books but especially this one, and while I understand most of them, some during the second half felt unfulfilled, and I wish we could've seen it happen.
I would've read it as two longer books, Thousand Eyes and Iriskaval. 🤷♂️
The main vill in became one of my favorite of all time- what an infuriating bitch.
The last bit of action plus the resolution ended up so messy, though. It doesn't detract enough for me to not 5 star, but I wish the climax had been more satisfying after All That.
Skips/important things happening in the background is a recurrent device in both books but especially this one, and while I understand most of them, some during the second half felt unfulfilled, and I wish we could've seen it happen.
I would've read it as two longer books, Thousand Eyes and Iriskaval. 🤷♂️
mebius's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
2000rebecca2000's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
calces's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
jowithtwoiis's review against another edition
4.0
Nothing about this wrap was typical and I really enjoyed that.
caspian_the_pauper's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
keyolea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
2.0
I loved the first quarter of this book. I was excited to see where the characters were going to go in their new life as adventurers, and how they would interact with the rise of the old gods.
Then there was a 15 year time jump that killed the whole story for me.
Jumping 15 years into the future destroyed any affinity I had for the characters. What was Shuthmili doing the whole time? the author even has her wonder the same thing when Tsereg gets the god empress to take off the mantle. Her love for Csorwe is not enough for me to hand wave away 15 YEARS of war crimes as the hand of the god empress while all she achieves towards getting Csorwe back is releasing Sethennai. The most powerful mage of a generation makes a life altering bargain with a goddess and this does NOTHING towards her goal.
As far as I can tell, the only reason for this time jump is so Tsereg can be the last chosen bride. why? we don't need them in the story at all. 15 years also makes it totally unbelievable that Csorwe wakes up totally fine. What happened to divine forces destroying mortal bodies? Scrap the time jump or reduce it. Let Oranna manifest as the Unspoken instead of just shoving another powerful woman aside to be a sacrificial mother. Let Shuthmili's bargain with Zinandour actually play a role in bringing back Csorwe, or taking down Sethennai. /spoiler>
Then there was a 15 year time jump that killed the whole story for me.
As far as I can tell, the only reason for this time jump is so Tsereg can be the last chosen bride. why? we don't need them in the story at all. 15 years also makes it totally unbelievable that Csorwe wakes up totally fine. What happened to divine forces destroying mortal bodies? Scrap the time jump or reduce it. Let Oranna manifest as the Unspoken instead of just shoving another powerful woman aside to be a sacrificial mother. Let Shuthmili's bargain with Zinandour actually play a role in bringing back Csorwe, or taking down Sethennai. /spoiler>