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A review by emthatwonders
Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Things I didn't like:
They were annoying. I don't mind some banter but they are children having a hard time communicating. Aren't they supposed to be adults? They are too toxic for one another. He likes her but berates her and she refuses to soften to him even though she wants to.
I wanted Violet to grow and change, but the book ended with her being the same. She just accepted that the prince liked her.
I am not sure I like that the prophecy was right in the end. Like the whole book was laid out in the first chapter, why not change the ending? Break the prophecy? Violet could have become a good guy instead of this bad person that decided she didn't want to be bad immediately after she made a mistake.
Also I ended the book not knowing if they actually liked one another. I'm pretty sure if someone I loved stabbed me and turned me into a beast. I would hate them. He is forever bound to her because he needs her blood to stay human. That's not very romantic it just feels like a leash or a chain binding them through obligation because violet caused it and she will always have to fix it.
The tropes of all the fairy tail stories is a little annoying and makes this very much a young adult book.
Things I did like:
The writing was good. the world was vast. The magic was cool. I would definitely love to give this writer another try. She just needs to make some more likable characters. Maybe Gina should try writing a adult fantasy book next time cause I see potential in the spiciness.
All in all it was ok. Teen me would have loved it but adult me finds it all just a little too annoying.
Percentage updates:
3.0% "hmm... a sassy liar main character. I like her"
6.0% "I'm confused why we have to talk about women having a periods. It honestly had no important significance to anything that just happened"
7.0% "a cinderella masquerade interesting"
27.0% "I am not sure I like I can see how much they like each other this early on in the book"
28.0% ""Can't be the same girl..." because that other girl is you stupid!"
28.0% "Once again why does it matter she's on her period?"
35.0% "really, cinderella??? could we have made it a little different"
35.0% "oh wait I get the blood thing now. Well I think I do..."
36.0% "Whoa! Damn! Ok. Get it!"
64.0% "Girl! Stop shoving him away! You need him"
68.0% "He's a little annoying. I do not like he knows how pretty he is and he uses it even on Violet"
69.0% "I need her to be honest with him. Please just tell him the truth. This is all leading to the 3rd act break up and I hate that"
70.0% "*facepalm* This is so embarrassing"
76.0% "This witch was using you. I could have told you that"
80.0% "Woah woah woah! This is a young adult book???? This may not be graphic but this would make preteen me clutch my pears"
81.0% "mic drop. I knew it"
82.0% "This feels like a whole ploy to get her to turn on the king"
86.0% "I knew she should have been telling him the truth."
89.0% "so let close ranks: we have Cinderella, sleeping beauty, Rapunzle, and Beauty and the beast. I am tried of these references..."
92.0% "They say ruin too much in this book"
They were annoying. I don't mind some banter but they are children having a hard time communicating. Aren't they supposed to be adults? They are too toxic for one another. He likes her but berates her and she refuses to soften to him even though she wants to.
I wanted Violet to grow and change, but the book ended with her being the same. She just accepted that the prince liked her.
I am not sure I like that the prophecy was right in the end. Like the whole book was laid out in the first chapter, why not change the ending? Break the prophecy? Violet could have become a good guy instead of this bad person that decided she didn't want to be bad immediately after she made a mistake.
Also I ended the book not knowing if they actually liked one another. I'm pretty sure if someone I loved stabbed me and turned me into a beast. I would hate them. He is forever bound to her because he needs her blood to stay human. That's not very romantic it just feels like a leash or a chain binding them through obligation because violet caused it and she will always have to fix it.
The tropes of all the fairy tail stories is a little annoying and makes this very much a young adult book.
Things I did like:
The writing was good. the world was vast. The magic was cool. I would definitely love to give this writer another try. She just needs to make some more likable characters. Maybe Gina should try writing a adult fantasy book next time cause I see potential in the spiciness.
All in all it was ok. Teen me would have loved it but adult me finds it all just a little too annoying.
Percentage updates:
3.0% "hmm... a sassy liar main character. I like her"
6.0% "I'm confused why we have to talk about women having a periods. It honestly had no important significance to anything that just happened"
7.0% "a cinderella masquerade interesting"
27.0% "I am not sure I like I can see how much they like each other this early on in the book"
28.0% ""Can't be the same girl..." because that other girl is you stupid!"
28.0% "Once again why does it matter she's on her period?"
35.0% "really, cinderella??? could we have made it a little different"
35.0% "oh wait I get the blood thing now. Well I think I do..."
36.0% "Whoa! Damn! Ok. Get it!"
64.0% "Girl! Stop shoving him away! You need him"
68.0% "He's a little annoying. I do not like he knows how pretty he is and he uses it even on Violet"
69.0% "I need her to be honest with him. Please just tell him the truth. This is all leading to the 3rd act break up and I hate that"
70.0% "*facepalm* This is so embarrassing"
76.0% "This witch was using you. I could have told you that"
80.0% "Woah woah woah! This is a young adult book???? This may not be graphic but this would make preteen me clutch my pears"
81.0% "mic drop. I knew it"
82.0% "This feels like a whole ploy to get her to turn on the king"
86.0% "I knew she should have been telling him the truth."
89.0% "so let close ranks: we have Cinderella, sleeping beauty, Rapunzle, and Beauty and the beast. I am tried of these references..."
92.0% "They say ruin too much in this book"