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A review by yuzujam
The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
3.0
Disclaimer: Although I have read many books, I am not used to reviewing books and apologize if my review is inelegant and rambling. However, I will try my best having been given a Advanced Reader's Edition.
When I received an e-mail from Goodreads notifying me of my luck for having won this book, I was ecstatic. I had not imagined winning any of the giveaways, and I was happy.
A few weeks after the e-mail, my book arrived. My sister looked at the summary on the back and scoffed, a girl? a prince? falling in love? Granted, she is not into romance... Regardless, I left the book on my table for some time before beginning. I had read the summary and knew what it was going to be about but somehow still felt less inclined. But! I did want to read it and so started.
Now then, I wish that I had read the book in one-reading rather than over several days (though less than a week). I mention this because today when I picked it back up, I found myself into it more than the previous days. And who knows whether that was due to the quality of the book or due to other variables that may have risen because of me reading it in multiple sittings (variables such as my mood, the weather, my desire to read, etc).
Keeping that in mind, I would like to say that the beginning was difficult for me to get into. Small things kept bothering me. What was with the first page? Why did the author use rather simple and unimaginative words like "the Great?" Enough times that I had to ask myself what age group the intended audience was... younger than young adult? How young was young adult? Anyhow, now that I have finished the book, I guess that the word choice was fine.
In addition to the small details, there were quite a few things going on that kept me frowning and trying to make sense of things. Events that I now see were pretty informative and important. However, it was confusing because I think that there had not been enough world-building (when I say world-building, it is both the creating of the world as well as the execution in describing it. The world she is creating is fascinating and wonderful, but the way she does it with words was somewhat lacking for me at the beginning). The author may have been using those scenes in the world-building, but for me it was too much. Really, the pieces of information for the foundation such as that this takes place in a Harry Potter like world where there are mages and non-mages, what the Crucible is (seriously, we suddenly get introduced to the prince who's in the Crucible, so confusing!), etc. was taking too long to be strongly placed (or at least seep into my brain).
I finally got the hang of things around the middle of the story where I soon began to be engrossed by the Inquisition and all events that followed. So I had read the first half over 2-3 days, and then finished the rest in about three hours today after lunch. Which is one reason why I thought that what was preventing me from getting into the book was my challenge in figuring out the world.
For some reason that reminds me of other things that bothered me about the book. The two protagonists are both good looking and are attracted to each other from basically the beginning. Also, one's a prince and the other is a powerful mage... Somewhat fairy-tale/cliche-like. I wish there had been more depth. Not that they weren't fascinating people! They were (I enjoyed the prince's act), but...
That then leads me to how I thought that the world was not built as well as it could have been, with greater coverage of its history, lands, culture, etc. Just enough for the book to work. Yes, that did bother me. There was so much potential! The world in the author's mind must be pretty incredible, but it's not described enough. The characters could also be further developed, hopefully in the next book. I understand world-building can be tedious to both the author and reader, but it's really important! I think the most well-thought place might have been the Crucible, which is not even the real world (in the book)!
However, I think that this is a good book. I would really like to read the sequel but am not dying for it to come out. Now that I figured out the setting, I am going back and rereading, at least up until the Inquisition.
Thank you Goodreads and Harper for this book. It was a interesting read, and I really enjoyed the latter half. I will reevaluate the first half when I reread it. Although I complained a little about a-girl-and-a-prince story, how the focus might be on the relationship more than the story... it was cute. I really liked the sleeping beauty concept that was carried throughout the book, that was well done. The potential for the story is great, and I look forward to the second book.
Recommended for young adults into worlds with mages and non-mages as well as the four elements as powers. --090313
When I received an e-mail from Goodreads notifying me of my luck for having won this book, I was ecstatic. I had not imagined winning any of the giveaways, and I was happy.
A few weeks after the e-mail, my book arrived. My sister looked at the summary on the back and scoffed, a girl? a prince? falling in love? Granted, she is not into romance... Regardless, I left the book on my table for some time before beginning. I had read the summary and knew what it was going to be about but somehow still felt less inclined. But! I did want to read it and so started.
Now then, I wish that I had read the book in one-reading rather than over several days (though less than a week). I mention this because today when I picked it back up, I found myself into it more than the previous days. And who knows whether that was due to the quality of the book or due to other variables that may have risen because of me reading it in multiple sittings (variables such as my mood, the weather, my desire to read, etc).
Keeping that in mind, I would like to say that the beginning was difficult for me to get into. Small things kept bothering me. What was with the first page? Why did the author use rather simple and unimaginative words like "the Great?" Enough times that I had to ask myself what age group the intended audience was... younger than young adult? How young was young adult? Anyhow, now that I have finished the book, I guess that the word choice was fine.
In addition to the small details, there were quite a few things going on that kept me frowning and trying to make sense of things. Events that I now see were pretty informative and important. However, it was confusing because I think that there had not been enough world-building (when I say world-building, it is both the creating of the world as well as the execution in describing it. The world she is creating is fascinating and wonderful, but the way she does it with words was somewhat lacking for me at the beginning). The author may have been using those scenes in the world-building, but for me it was too much. Really, the pieces of information for the foundation such as that this takes place in a Harry Potter like world where there are mages and non-mages, what the Crucible is (seriously, we suddenly get introduced to the prince who's in the Crucible, so confusing!), etc. was taking too long to be strongly placed (or at least seep into my brain).
I finally got the hang of things around the middle of the story where I soon began to be engrossed by the Inquisition and all events that followed. So I had read the first half over 2-3 days, and then finished the rest in about three hours today after lunch. Which is one reason why I thought that what was preventing me from getting into the book was my challenge in figuring out the world.
For some reason that reminds me of other things that bothered me about the book. The two protagonists are both good looking and are attracted to each other from basically the beginning. Also, one's a prince and the other is a powerful mage... Somewhat fairy-tale/cliche-like. I wish there had been more depth. Not that they weren't fascinating people! They were (I enjoyed the prince's act), but...
That then leads me to how I thought that the world was not built as well as it could have been, with greater coverage of its history, lands, culture, etc. Just enough for the book to work. Yes, that did bother me. There was so much potential! The world in the author's mind must be pretty incredible, but it's not described enough. The characters could also be further developed, hopefully in the next book. I understand world-building can be tedious to both the author and reader, but it's really important! I think the most well-thought place might have been the Crucible, which is not even the real world (in the book)!
However, I think that this is a good book. I would really like to read the sequel but am not dying for it to come out. Now that I figured out the setting, I am going back and rereading, at least up until the Inquisition.
Thank you Goodreads and Harper for this book. It was a interesting read, and I really enjoyed the latter half. I will reevaluate the first half when I reread it. Although I complained a little about a-girl-and-a-prince story, how the focus might be on the relationship more than the story... it was cute. I really liked the sleeping beauty concept that was carried throughout the book, that was well done. The potential for the story is great, and I look forward to the second book.
Recommended for young adults into worlds with mages and non-mages as well as the four elements as powers. --090313