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A review by literaryweaponry
Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I picked this book up on a whim. I was feeling a little sick, a little burnt out, and decided to spend my day off curled up in my most comfortable chair with my crabby cat reading. So, I walked to my shelves and just grabbed the first book that caught my eye.
When I tugged this one off the shelf I really wasn't too sure what it was about other than it had been pitched as a ya gothic fantasy which, honestly, was enough of a sell for me. With my fluffy grey cat beside me, I got comfy and started to read.
This book pulled me in right away.
Sometimes a person is in the mood for dense, complex books with a heavy story and complex themes. Sometimes you are in the mood for simple, fast paced fantasy. This one falls in the latter category and it does it well. Very quickly you start to care about the main characters, Leta and her little brother. They are orphans who were taken in by someone who does not treat them well and Leta protects her little brother fiercely. You might say a little too fiercely.
But when a dark stranger appears and demands Leta's brother go with him for some magical reason, Leta demands to go with them. Away from the abusive house, they find themselves swept up in a bid to save the world. Obviously, there are some bumps along the way and nothing ever goes to plan (or it would be a really short book) and you get to witness a lot of character growth. I think that is one of my favorite things in books, watching as the character grow and learn and either become better people or devolve into villains.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and flew through it in a single day. I can't remember the last time I did that when I wasn't reading a novella. If you enjoy ya fantasy with some slightly sinister undertones and a few sips of romance then I would recommend this book. It did what I expect from a ya fantasy and did it well while giving it that looming, dark vibe to make it more gothic.
When I tugged this one off the shelf I really wasn't too sure what it was about other than it had been pitched as a ya gothic fantasy which, honestly, was enough of a sell for me. With my fluffy grey cat beside me, I got comfy and started to read.
This book pulled me in right away.
Sometimes a person is in the mood for dense, complex books with a heavy story and complex themes. Sometimes you are in the mood for simple, fast paced fantasy. This one falls in the latter category and it does it well. Very quickly you start to care about the main characters, Leta and her little brother. They are orphans who were taken in by someone who does not treat them well and Leta protects her little brother fiercely. You might say a little too fiercely.
But when a dark stranger appears and demands Leta's brother go with him for some magical reason, Leta demands to go with them. Away from the abusive house, they find themselves swept up in a bid to save the world. Obviously, there are some bumps along the way and nothing ever goes to plan (or it would be a really short book) and you get to witness a lot of character growth. I think that is one of my favorite things in books, watching as the character grow and learn and either become better people or devolve into villains.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and flew through it in a single day. I can't remember the last time I did that when I wasn't reading a novella. If you enjoy ya fantasy with some slightly sinister undertones and a few sips of romance then I would recommend this book. It did what I expect from a ya fantasy and did it well while giving it that looming, dark vibe to make it more gothic.