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A review by relizabeth
Phoenix Flame by Sara Holland
2.0
One of the worst feelings one can feel while reading a book is apathy, especially when it is apparent the author is attempting to evoke feelings of suspense or sympathy. Unfortunately, I felt this way towards Phoenix Flame.
Phoenix Flame isn’t what I would consider a “bad” book. It gets the job done, and wasn’t terribly rushed as many series conclusions are, in spite of its short length. The problem with this book’s storyline, however, was that it was too straightforward, coming with the expense of the omission of previously important plot points and addition of convenient new ones (namely, the titular Phoenix Flame, the inclusion of which was out of place).
For instance, one of the biggest things Havenfall leaves hanging is Marcus’s condition. He’s been healed through Graylin’s magic, but he’s not quite the same, even to the point of him not being “fully human”. Marcus receives minimal page time in Phoenix Flame, and his condition is mentioned once in passing. There is not a lot of closure in general, save for the imminent conflicts at hand.
The plot itself is lackluster; we get a glimpse of Fjordenkill, but not even that lends a spark to the book. This could be because I wasn’t exactly a fan of the first book, but the story felt simple and failed to hold my attention. The developments we witness provide a small sense of resolution, but it isn’t much.
Character personalities were ultimately lacking. Maddie feels like a blank slate, despite pages upon pages focused upon her internal dialogue and thoughts. The villain—The Silver Prince—had as much motivation as he had page time (which is, to say, very little) and was altogether unconvincing. At least in Havenfall he could be seen playing both sides, and while obviously hiding some ulterior motive, appeared as though he might have had more depth. This was simply not the case. Taya, Marcus, Brekken...all cardboard cutouts, at least in this installment.
Duologies are tricky things. Occasionally a story is just right for just two books, especially if they are longer books with more subject matter to build off of. Suffice to say, this series does not fall under this category. I believe Havenfall could have worked well as a standalone, if only a few things were tweaked. Phoenix Flame was not exactly worth it, if only for an obligatory and rudimentary closure.
Havenfall : ⭐⭐⭐
Phoenix Flame: ⭐⭐
Phoenix Flame isn’t what I would consider a “bad” book. It gets the job done, and wasn’t terribly rushed as many series conclusions are, in spite of its short length. The problem with this book’s storyline, however, was that it was too straightforward, coming with the expense of the omission of previously important plot points and addition of convenient new ones (namely, the titular Phoenix Flame, the inclusion of which was out of place).
For instance, one of the biggest things Havenfall leaves hanging is Marcus’s condition. He’s been healed through Graylin’s magic, but he’s not quite the same, even to the point of him not being “fully human”. Marcus receives minimal page time in Phoenix Flame, and his condition is mentioned once in passing.
Spoiler
The outcome of Brekken’s trial is also left unresolved, and whether Maddie has made peace with him. Nothing else was said about the man Maddie’s mom had a past with either.The plot itself is lackluster; we get a glimpse of Fjordenkill, but not even that lends a spark to the book. This could be because I wasn’t exactly a fan of the first book, but the story felt simple and failed to hold my attention. The developments we witness provide a small sense of resolution, but it isn’t much.
Character personalities were ultimately lacking. Maddie feels like a blank slate, despite pages upon pages focused upon her internal dialogue and thoughts. The villain—The Silver Prince—had as much motivation as he had page time (which is, to say, very little) and was altogether unconvincing. At least in Havenfall he could be seen playing both sides, and while obviously hiding some ulterior motive, appeared as though he might have had more depth. This was simply not the case. Taya, Marcus, Brekken...all cardboard cutouts, at least in this installment.
Duologies are tricky things. Occasionally a story is just right for just two books, especially if they are longer books with more subject matter to build off of. Suffice to say, this series does not fall under this category. I believe Havenfall could have worked well as a standalone, if only a few things were tweaked. Phoenix Flame was not exactly worth it, if only for an obligatory and rudimentary closure.
Havenfall : ⭐⭐⭐
Phoenix Flame: ⭐⭐