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A review by r_j_setser
The Blizzard's Secrets by DJanée
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This short story fits into the "winter fantasy" category very well! The setting is frigid and full of secrets and I think it lives up to its title well.
My reasons for giving it 3.5 stars out of 5 is because I was pulled into the story and left wanting. A lot of readers are calling it a "cliff hanger", but this story was just left unfinished. I love a good cliff-hanger and I read a LOT of them, but this was an incomplete story with no plot resolution. It ended in the middle of scene with no actual ending. With it being a short story (89 pages), there really needed to be some kind of resolution to give the reader a sense of accomplishment... if this is meant to be a standalone short story. If it's a prequel to a novel that's already out (where the plot is resolved in the main book), I would be more accepting of this kind of freeze-ending (see what I did there?). But from my quick investigation, I can't seem to find a companion novel so there's no way to even continue the story at this time of this review, nor could I find any mention of a series coming in the future.
That being said, if the story would've lasted another couple of pages (honestly, just long enough to hear the main character's speech) and had a satisfying ending, I would've given this 5 stars. For only 89 pages, so much happened and it was paced out well. I loved the setting and suspense pulling me on. Daia is a very spunky, naïve, and brash character that makes her loveable in a unique way.
Overall, I'm going to live with the wonder of what Daia said in her speech for possibly the rest of my life.
My reasons for giving it 3.5 stars out of 5 is because I was pulled into the story and left wanting. A lot of readers are calling it a "cliff hanger", but this story was just left unfinished. I love a good cliff-hanger and I read a LOT of them, but this was an incomplete story with no plot resolution. It ended in the middle of scene with no actual ending. With it being a short story (89 pages), there really needed to be some kind of resolution to give the reader a sense of accomplishment... if this is meant to be a standalone short story. If it's a prequel to a novel that's already out (where the plot is resolved in the main book), I would be more accepting of this kind of freeze-ending (see what I did there?). But from my quick investigation, I can't seem to find a companion novel so there's no way to even continue the story at this time of this review, nor could I find any mention of a series coming in the future.
That being said, if the story would've lasted another couple of pages (honestly, just long enough to hear the main character's speech) and had a satisfying ending, I would've given this 5 stars. For only 89 pages, so much happened and it was paced out well. I loved the setting and suspense pulling me on. Daia is a very spunky, naïve, and brash character that makes her loveable in a unique way.
Overall, I'm going to live with the wonder of what Daia said in her speech for possibly the rest of my life.