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A review by readingrobin
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Listen, if there's one trope that gets my attention more than any other, it's a magical circus. Circuses just fit so well within the fantasy genre that the vibes both give off just mesh so well. Combine that with the Phantom of the Opera-esque story and, voila, a book I gladly run to pick up.
While the pacing of this book can be a bit slow at times, and the "will they, won't they" romance gets dragged out for a little too long, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were all engaging, Aaros being my favorite since I also love a good thief with a heart of gold and a lovable scamp attitude, and I was rooting for Kallia every step of the way. I really appreciated the Angeles kept Aaros and Kallia as platonic friends rather than going down the love triangle route. Love to see people of the opposite gender actually able to be good friends and respect each other without the expectation of an eventual romance getting in the way. Waters all my crops.
I would have liked to get a better sense of how magic works in this world. It's explanations felt a little paper thin, but maybe there will be a deeper dive into it in the next book.
While the pacing of this book can be a bit slow at times, and the "will they, won't they" romance gets dragged out for a little too long, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were all engaging, Aaros being my favorite since I also love a good thief with a heart of gold and a lovable scamp attitude, and I was rooting for Kallia every step of the way. I really appreciated the Angeles kept Aaros and Kallia as platonic friends rather than going down the love triangle route. Love to see people of the opposite gender actually able to be good friends and respect each other without the expectation of an eventual romance getting in the way. Waters all my crops.
I would have liked to get a better sense of how magic works in this world. It's explanations felt a little paper thin, but maybe there will be a deeper dive into it in the next book.