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A review by larkais
Spin of Fate by A.A. Vora
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There was a lot of thought put into the story's worldbuilding that apparently it needed to be dumbed down. I think it was to a huge detriment because the characters fell flat for me. I was also caught off guard with the number of anachronisms or off-feeling, including swears, that the latter half of the book has. How do these people know that atoms exist and soul spins are calculable??
I was engaged at the beginning but did not like the switch to Aranel's perspective. Aina took a back seat despite seemingly her mother's story feeling like a strong and emotional driving point. Why was it not developed further ahhhhhh
I wish this was more of a standalone or a duology, there was so much padding, I was fading away between 20-50%. It's a nice debut but it should not have been written with a trilogy in mind, it made it all the weaker trying to feel out the information to include.
The fact that the acknowledgements included IB HL Chemistry makes a lot of sense to me. The spin of souls feels like it was directly inspired by electron spins. When electrons are excited by a beam of light, they can "ascend" to a higher energy level state, when they fall, it leads to a release of energy. It is also possible to change the direction an electron spins with magnets and bombardment. The spin of souls that go to higher or lower energy states depending on what they do with the environment is the "Toranic Law from the novel". Aina being able to change her own soul spin while everyone else hasn't figured it out yet is a cute way to do it. Fun fact, you get magnetic fields when the element doesn't have enough electrons to fill their orbital shells.
While the dynamics did feel similar to Naruto with a trio that trains together, I don't think books should get title comps with TV shows, or at least not how they are being used to advertise this book. It just gives away the plot too fast rather than "vibes" when its a book title. The reference to ATLA is tangential and only because the characters can use chiterons to manipulate the environment. Its always egregious when they compare books to Fullmetal Alchemist. I want to take it away from them until it can be used right.Fullmetal Alchemst in a book comp is an immediate spoiler that there is a "greater power" in the government that is actually evil because they aim to change the world or put themselves as the one central power. Idealistic but unsuccessful 100% of the time. What about alchemy, equal exchanges, being content without having any powers by the end?? Righting colonialist wrongs with violence, sacrificing body parts and accidentally building monsters trying to revive your mother/ get your brother's body back.
I was engaged at the beginning but did not like the switch to Aranel's perspective. Aina took a back seat despite seemingly her mother's story feeling like a strong and emotional driving point. Why was it not developed further ahhhhhh
I wish this was more of a standalone or a duology, there was so much padding, I was fading away between 20-50%. It's a nice debut but it should not have been written with a trilogy in mind, it made it all the weaker trying to feel out the information to include.
The fact that the acknowledgements included IB HL Chemistry makes a lot of sense to me. The spin of souls feels like it was directly inspired by electron spins. When electrons are excited by a beam of light, they can "ascend" to a higher energy level state, when they fall, it leads to a release of energy. It is also possible to change the direction an electron spins with magnets and bombardment. The spin of souls that go to higher or lower energy states depending on what they do with the environment is the "Toranic Law from the novel". Aina being able to change her own soul spin while everyone else hasn't figured it out yet is a cute way to do it. Fun fact, you get magnetic fields when the element doesn't have enough electrons to fill their orbital shells.
While the dynamics did feel similar to Naruto with a trio that trains together, I don't think books should get title comps with TV shows, or at least not how they are being used to advertise this book. It just gives away the plot too fast rather than "vibes" when its a book title. The reference to ATLA is tangential and only because the characters can use chiterons to manipulate the environment. Its always egregious when they compare books to Fullmetal Alchemist. I want to take it away from them until it can be used right.