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A review by booksandbarbara
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-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? No
4.25
This was nice! It was good! It was great!
But I'm having conflicting feelings about it.
Let's start off with what bugged me. The pacing started off real slow, then when it came to big battles and stuff, which were great don't get me wrong, absolutely loved, but they felt rushed, and sometimes rather lackluster, and I think that's because, for me, a lot of the characters came across as probably too overpowered, so stakes didn't feel as high or tense, and so I had this sense of disappointment whilst also loving it at the same time. I found a few parts quite cringe, too.
Characters were great, some new additions which mixed in beautifully, and we got to know more about our existing cast, which really intrigued me. Watching them all grow was amazing. Ruhn and Lidia's arcs we're my favourite aspect though, I was definately invested in that! IYKYK!
I loved the concepts explored here, exploring themes of the past, present, and future, and on such a cosmic scale, too! The whole history of everything and all the positibilities it opens up made for a really fascinating read.
I loved the worlds we explored, all the locations, and the depth in which I could truly let my imagination run free with them all.
All in all, there was heartbreak, hard times, and a few shocking twists and turns that I honestly didn't see coming. I cried a little too, I know, shocker!
The ending left me feeling hopeful and happy and content, which is always a mega bonus. Especially that little chapter after the episologue, that was super cute!
But I'm having conflicting feelings about it.
Let's start off with what bugged me. The pacing started off real slow, then when it came to big battles and stuff, which were great don't get me wrong, absolutely loved, but they felt rushed, and sometimes rather lackluster, and I think that's because, for me, a lot of the characters came across as probably too overpowered, so stakes didn't feel as high or tense, and so I had this sense of disappointment whilst also loving it at the same time. I found a few parts quite cringe, too.
Characters were great, some new additions which mixed in beautifully, and we got to know more about our existing cast, which really intrigued me. Watching them all grow was amazing. Ruhn and Lidia's arcs we're my favourite aspect though, I was definately invested in that! IYKYK!
I loved the concepts explored here, exploring themes of the past, present, and future, and on such a cosmic scale, too! The whole history of everything and all the positibilities it opens up made for a really fascinating read.
I loved the worlds we explored, all the locations, and the depth in which I could truly let my imagination run free with them all.
All in all, there was heartbreak, hard times, and a few shocking twists and turns that I honestly didn't see coming. I cried a little too, I know, shocker!
The ending left me feeling hopeful and happy and content, which is always a mega bonus. Especially that little chapter after the episologue, that was super cute!