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aconstellationoftomes 's review for:
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
by Maggie Stiefvater
I can understand the love for this series, but unfortunately, my initial enchantment is slipping away.
I appreciate the imaginative, strange, dreamlike, eerie, and mysterious aspects and atmosphere. The exploration of concepts, themes and symbolism is fascinating. The writing style complements the narrative, and while the metaphors may verge on the peculiar, it aligns seamlessly with the overall story. The allure of the atmosphere and aesthetic of Blue Lily, Lily Blue speak to my soul.
However, when it comes to the plot, not much seems to be happening. The narrative's weakness and the slow pacing contribute to a sense of stagnation which only dissolves in the final quarter of the book. I don't get the reasoning behind important plot points because they lack motivation and reasoning. The mystique is intriguing, but the lack of clarity on character motivations and the overall direction of the story leaves me befuddled.
My interest in the characters has also dwindled. The characters are intriguing, quirky and unique, but because they are so 'out there' they don't come across as realistic and the character development is lacking. With that said, Adam has the most compelling character arc and internal struggles in this series and his link to Cabeswater is fascinating. The friendship dynamics between Adam and Gansey stand out as the most nuanced. The antagonists are usually quirky and out there, but they come across as caricatures. Blue is the least interesting character and while I like that she stands up for herself, the teenage angst is a bit much. While I like the idea of Blue and Gansey's relationship, the angst between them is manufactured and their relationship has very little going for it.
Blue Lily, Lily Blue is magical and charming, but I'm not enchanted. The writing is pretty, the atmosphere and concepts are intriguing and the premise holds promise, yet I struggle to find a solid anchor for my engagement.
I appreciate the imaginative, strange, dreamlike, eerie, and mysterious aspects and atmosphere. The exploration of concepts, themes and symbolism is fascinating. The writing style complements the narrative, and while the metaphors may verge on the peculiar, it aligns seamlessly with the overall story. The allure of the atmosphere and aesthetic of Blue Lily, Lily Blue speak to my soul.
However, when it comes to the plot, not much seems to be happening. The narrative's weakness and the slow pacing contribute to a sense of stagnation which only dissolves in the final quarter of the book. I don't get the reasoning behind important plot points
Spoiler
such as Maura's choice to disappear into the cave or why a sleeper even needs to be awokenMy interest in the characters has also dwindled. The characters are intriguing, quirky and unique, but because they are so 'out there' they don't come across as realistic and the character development is lacking. With that said, Adam has the most compelling character arc and internal struggles in this series and his link to Cabeswater is fascinating. The friendship dynamics between Adam and Gansey stand out as the most nuanced. The antagonists are usually quirky and out there, but they come across as caricatures. Blue is the least interesting character and while I like that she stands up for herself, the teenage angst is a bit much. While I like the idea of Blue and Gansey's relationship, the angst between them is manufactured and their relationship has very little going for it.
Blue Lily, Lily Blue is magical and charming, but I'm not enchanted. The writing is pretty, the atmosphere and concepts are intriguing and the premise holds promise, yet I struggle to find a solid anchor for my engagement.