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chamomiledaydreams 's review for:
Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality
by Roshani Chokshi
I am very attached to this series, and I love the emphasis placed on sibling dynamics. I was a little concerned at the beginning when I realized how much space was being devoted to getting to the final battle, rather than actually fighting it. I will admit, I was expecting something like "The Last Olympian," where most of the chapters focus on resolving the main conflict, rather than sending the protagonists on a circuitous quest. In this Aru Shah book, I constantly found myself wondering, "Will they be able to wrap up everything in a satisfying way?"
Still, I loved the side plots that peppered this novel, specifically how the three Pandava sisters were tested to get their weapons back. It was fun and exciting to have chapters scattered throughout from Brynne, Mini, and Kara's perspectives, and it left me on my toes whenever Aru was featured. (It was clear when Brynne was about to get Gogo back, and the same with Mini and her Death Danda. But any Aru chapter could've been her test, so as a reader, I felt just as alert and anxious as the main character, wondering how she would know when the pivotal moment was upon her.)
I also enjoyed Rudy's character. Although none of the romances in this novel were a big appeal for me (they were fine, just not the main event), having Rudy tag along was entertaining, and his jokes often made me smile. Comic relief characters, my beloved.
I'm glad that Sheela got such a big spotlight in this final installment. She and Nikita are the least prominent Pandava sisters, getting less narrative weight than Kara, it often feels like. But Sheela was given an important role, or rather she chose to play an important role, by visiting all of her sisters in their dreams, including Kara. Those chapters stood out to me, and while I feel like the ending was a little rushed (Kara's especially), it would not have had nearly as much of an emotional impact without those Sheela scenes.
To continue with the abruptness of the ending... It isn't as though the pacing sped up for the final chapters; in fact, most of the previous installments end similarly, with a single chapter leading into their next adventure. But for the finale, I was hoping to get more than one chapter wrapping things up, answering my questions, and maybe showing scenes from each of the major characters' perspectives. The ending wasn't bad by any means, and it's a sign of how meaningful these characters are to me that I wanted to see more of them as soon as I flipped over the final page.
I would recommend this series wholeheartedly to anyone who enjoys: middle grade novels; Percy Jackson-style stories; books that focus on sisters; and plots that alternate between lighthearted/humorous and heartbreaking/emotional. Even "joke" characters like Rudy have depth, and I'm constantly moved by seeing the insecurities of characters who seem like the most confident ones in their group. The series' humor is not diminished by these serious moments. Rather, they make every emotion more poignant for me, and they allow for analyses of how the characters use humor to cover up their insecurities: a two-for-one-deal granting both joy and angst.
Still, I loved the side plots that peppered this novel, specifically how the three Pandava sisters were tested to get their weapons back. It was fun and exciting to have chapters scattered throughout from Brynne, Mini, and Kara's perspectives, and it left me on my toes whenever Aru was featured. (It was clear when Brynne was about to get Gogo back, and the same with Mini and her Death Danda. But any Aru chapter could've been her test, so as a reader, I felt just as alert and anxious as the main character, wondering how she would know when the pivotal moment was upon her.)
I also enjoyed Rudy's character. Although none of the romances in this novel were a big appeal for me (they were fine, just not the main event), having Rudy tag along was entertaining, and his jokes often made me smile. Comic relief characters, my beloved.
I'm glad that Sheela got such a big spotlight in this final installment. She and Nikita are the least prominent Pandava sisters, getting less narrative weight than Kara, it often feels like. But Sheela was given an important role, or rather she chose to play an important role, by visiting all of her sisters in their dreams, including Kara. Those chapters stood out to me, and while I feel like the ending was a little rushed (Kara's especially), it would not have had nearly as much of an emotional impact without those Sheela scenes.
To continue with the abruptness of the ending... It isn't as though the pacing sped up for the final chapters; in fact, most of the previous installments end similarly, with a single chapter leading into their next adventure. But for the finale, I was hoping to get more than one chapter wrapping things up, answering my questions, and maybe showing scenes from each of the major characters' perspectives. The ending wasn't bad by any means, and it's a sign of how meaningful these characters are to me that I wanted to see more of them as soon as I flipped over the final page.
I would recommend this series wholeheartedly to anyone who enjoys: middle grade novels; Percy Jackson-style stories; books that focus on sisters; and plots that alternate between lighthearted/humorous and heartbreaking/emotional. Even "joke" characters like Rudy have depth, and I'm constantly moved by seeing the insecurities of characters who seem like the most confident ones in their group. The series' humor is not diminished by these serious moments. Rather, they make every emotion more poignant for me, and they allow for analyses of how the characters use humor to cover up their insecurities: a two-for-one-deal granting both joy and angst.