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A review by daniobsessivelyreads
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
Non-Spoiler Review-
I wish this book was split into two or more books. There were so many POVs in this book that I wouldn't say that it was confusing, because it was transitioned well, but there was just too much going on.
Two of the side-POVs didn't even need to be included in this book. I would assume that they will come into play in future books, but for this book it was just extra drama that didn't fit with the main story line.
Outside of that, this book was full of action, magic, and overpowered people. The people were so overpowered that they just magically knew how to do stuff without any training or direction, they just did it. I found this very frustrating. Compared to her other series, this book had very little, if any, training for the main characters.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it was by no means perfect. In fact, the things that bothered me it seems have bothered other readers. So, I know I'm not the only one.
Spoilers Ahead!!
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Okay, so, Ithan and Tharion's plotlines were completely overwritten. Ithan should have been prime from the beginning. He should have bothered with the mystic at all. I know he wanted to save her. All well and good, but he should have realized she was NOT going to be a good Prime. HE was and always should have been the prime, so all the drama with Sabine and the Mystic and him helping Jesiba was UNNECESSARY.
Tharion's POV was just as useless. In the first two books, I found his POV refreshing and lighthearted. In this book, I just found him annoying, because he was running from all of his problems at every opportunity. Then making spur of the moment decisions to marry a woman HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW! I was annoying.
Bryce, I love her, but she had no magical training outside of what Cormac taught her about winnowing. She somehow just magically knows how to open portals to Prythian, the Northern Rift, and to the Nothing without any direction or training. She also magically knows how to accept Theia's light into her body AND WHERE TO FIND IT WHEN IT'S BEEN HIDDEN FOR 15,000 YEARS.
While I loved the crossover between the series, it wasn't necessary for the plotline. Jesiba and Prince Aidas had ALL of the knowledge that she gathered about Theia and her two daughters. The only information she gathered in Prythian was where Theia's daughter went and what she did with her life. Then she got the part of Theia's power that was left there. Then she killed one of the Astarion. So...semi-useful, but not really useful as a side-journey.
I did love the time we spent with Nesta and Azriel. Plus, I found the ancient caves to be super intriguing. Why Rhys never investigated under his torture chamber? I don't know, but I'll leave that alone. Bryce was rude and annoying to Nesta and Azriel, but I'll let that go, because they were keeping her prisoner more or less.
The end of this book annoyed me. Bryce died. Just like Rhys and Feyre...she came back to life. So, it completely takes away from the sacrifice she makes. I did really enjoy the fact that Jesiba really did care about Bryce and sacrificed herself...
Then the winged horses appeared out of no where??!! Bryce didn't even do anything and they appeared? This just seemed fan-servicey right at the end.
I 100% agree with @listeningwithbritt 's review of this book on TikTok. For my reread of SJM-Verse. See my content on my instagram @daniobsessivelyreads
I wish this book was split into two or more books. There were so many POVs in this book that I wouldn't say that it was confusing, because it was transitioned well, but there was just too much going on.
Two of the side-POVs didn't even need to be included in this book. I would assume that they will come into play in future books, but for this book it was just extra drama that didn't fit with the main story line.
Outside of that, this book was full of action, magic, and overpowered people. The people were so overpowered that they just magically knew how to do stuff without any training or direction, they just did it. I found this very frustrating. Compared to her other series, this book had very little, if any, training for the main characters.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it was by no means perfect. In fact, the things that bothered me it seems have bothered other readers. So, I know I'm not the only one.
Spoilers Ahead!!
*
*
*
**
***
*****
******
*****
***
**
*
*
*
*
*
Okay, so, Ithan and Tharion's plotlines were completely overwritten. Ithan should have been prime from the beginning. He should have bothered with the mystic at all. I know he wanted to save her. All well and good, but he should have realized she was NOT going to be a good Prime. HE was and always should have been the prime, so all the drama with Sabine and the Mystic and him helping Jesiba was UNNECESSARY.
Tharion's POV was just as useless. In the first two books, I found his POV refreshing and lighthearted. In this book, I just found him annoying, because he was running from all of his problems at every opportunity. Then making spur of the moment decisions to marry a woman HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW! I was annoying.
Bryce, I love her, but she had no magical training outside of what Cormac taught her about winnowing. She somehow just magically knows how to open portals to Prythian, the Northern Rift, and to the Nothing without any direction or training. She also magically knows how to accept Theia's light into her body AND WHERE TO FIND IT WHEN IT'S BEEN HIDDEN FOR 15,000 YEARS.
While I loved the crossover between the series, it wasn't necessary for the plotline. Jesiba and Prince Aidas had ALL of the knowledge that she gathered about Theia and her two daughters. The only information she gathered in Prythian was where Theia's daughter went and what she did with her life. Then she got the part of Theia's power that was left there. Then she killed one of the Astarion. So...semi-useful, but not really useful as a side-journey.
I did love the time we spent with Nesta and Azriel. Plus, I found the ancient caves to be super intriguing. Why Rhys never investigated under his torture chamber? I don't know, but I'll leave that alone. Bryce was rude and annoying to Nesta and Azriel, but I'll let that go, because they were keeping her prisoner more or less.
The end of this book annoyed me. Bryce died. Just like Rhys and Feyre...she came back to life. So, it completely takes away from the sacrifice she makes. I did really enjoy the fact that Jesiba really did care about Bryce and sacrificed herself...
Then the winged horses appeared out of no where??!! Bryce didn't even do anything and they appeared? This just seemed fan-servicey right at the end.
I 100% agree with @listeningwithbritt 's review of this book on TikTok. For my reread of SJM-Verse. See my content on my instagram @daniobsessivelyreads