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A review by theespressoedition
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
For everyone considering reading these books: READ THE BOOKS RATHER THAN LISTENING TO THE AUDIOBOOKS. I'm a huge audiobook lover. I really, really adore them and listen to more of them than I read physical books. For this series, it's an absolute necessity to read rather than listen. There are a few reasons why.
1) The audiobook has one narrator for several character POVs which gets really confusing. A few people have similar names when spoken (Zélie and Tzain) and there's very little indication of character changes in the audio. Reading this sequel in the physical format helped me understand the intricacies of the characters so much more. I actually enjoyed learning about them in this way.
2) There is so much information in the audiobook that it can be really hard to follow. Reading the sequel gave me the opportunity to skim incantations or breeze through political negotiations. I understood the gist without having to listen to a narrator slowly explain every minutia that didn't really interest me.
I had a super tough time with the first book because I listened to it. I read the sequel in less than 24 hours (only 2 sittings) because I was actually interested in what was happening. Now, I can't say I loved it, but I at least liked it. The characters are definitely all infuriating to me because they're all so focused on their own pain and their own problems that they can't see past them to what everyone around them is dealing with. That drives me nuts. I especially hate Inan for that. I would be shocked if he redeems himself at any point.
There was a particular death in this book that SHOOK ME. I actually cried. Like crocodile tears on my pages. That took me by surprise (not the death, but the tears). I actually anticipated the death, but I kept hoping it wouldn't happen and when it did, I was wrecked.
It'll be really interesting to see what happens in the next book!
1) The audiobook has one narrator for several character POVs which gets really confusing. A few people have similar names when spoken (Zélie and Tzain) and there's very little indication of character changes in the audio. Reading this sequel in the physical format helped me understand the intricacies of the characters so much more. I actually enjoyed learning about them in this way.
2) There is so much information in the audiobook that it can be really hard to follow. Reading the sequel gave me the opportunity to skim incantations or breeze through political negotiations. I understood the gist without having to listen to a narrator slowly explain every minutia that didn't really interest me.
I had a super tough time with the first book because I listened to it. I read the sequel in less than 24 hours (only 2 sittings) because I was actually interested in what was happening. Now, I can't say I loved it, but I at least liked it. The characters are definitely all infuriating to me because they're all so focused on their own pain and their own problems that they can't see past them to what everyone around them is dealing with. That drives me nuts. I especially hate Inan for that. I would be shocked if he redeems himself at any point.
There was a particular death in this book that SHOOK ME. I actually cried. Like crocodile tears on my pages. That took me by surprise (not the death, but the tears). I actually anticipated the death, but I kept hoping it wouldn't happen and when it did, I was wrecked.
It'll be really interesting to see what happens in the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death