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A review by caitcoy
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
I don't understand how Nghi Vo manages to continually knock it out of the park with every single Singing Hills Cycle book for me, but Mammoths at the Gates just continues the trend. I love Cleric Chih with my whole heart and it was both emotional and heartwarming to see them return to the abbey. They're returning at not one of the best times, as their mentor has died and the mentor's family has come to claim the body, whether the abbey wants to relinquish it or not.
Nghi Vo really nailed the feeling of growing up and then coming home and all the joys and sorrows that brings and how difficult it can be to accept that while you've changed, so has everyone else while you've been away. And the meditations on grief were gripping and there were a lot of moments that I found myself nodding and marking down quotes. It was also very interesting to see more of a community of neixen instead of only sassy Almost Brilliant.
While I've loved every entry of the series so far, this might be my favorite. I really loved Into the Riverlands but the exploration of grief and growing up in Mammoths at the Gates plus the continued exploration of stories and memory just really had my heart throughout.
Nghi Vo really nailed the feeling of growing up and then coming home and all the joys and sorrows that brings and how difficult it can be to accept that while you've changed, so has everyone else while you've been away. And the meditations on grief were gripping and there were a lot of moments that I found myself nodding and marking down quotes. It was also very interesting to see more of a community of neixen instead of only sassy Almost Brilliant.
While I've loved every entry of the series so far, this might be my favorite. I really loved Into the Riverlands but the exploration of grief and growing up in Mammoths at the Gates plus the continued exploration of stories and memory just really had my heart throughout.