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thatlibrarynerd 's review for:
Of Silver and Shadow
by Jennifer Gruenke
I had a hard time rating this book, because there are some strong elements to it, but Goodreads ratings are about my opinion, not an objective analysis. It wasn't bad. But although there were pieces I really enjoyed, I did not overall enjoy this book.
Because I absolutely hated the main characters.
This isn't even "enemies to lovers". It's "enemies to enemies who fuck". Ren and Darek just hated each other because they wanted to, none of it felt authentic, and I just wanted to strangle constantly. They just existed to hate each other. What a treat to read, huh?
Adley was interesting, but did way too many horrific things to be let off without a true redemption arc. Going from "cold-blooded torturer and murderer who feels bad about it" to "cold-blooded torturer and murderer for the other team, only now it's okay because she's saving her girlfriend" is... not growth? I get that she was forced into it, I don't hate her, I just don't feel she was ever truly fleshed out.
Actually, none of them were. None of them had development outside of their role in the plot. Adley likes to read. Okay, and? She was never seen actually reading, we don't know what she reads, never see her take a side trip to the bookstore. She never bonds with anyone over it. Ren can't forgive herself. I mean... really? Because, yeah, that could've been the case. But it never felt like it. I never felt her self-loathing, never felt how good she felt getting socked hard in a pit fight to take the pain away. She cheats at cards, but I think we only saw that once.
Side characters like Holland, Riko, and Markus seemed to have held onto some good inside themselves. That's probably why they were side characters. Heaven forbid we get to read about somebody interesting!
For people who were driving the plot, they never really seemed to, not until the very end.
As for the plot... I mean... it was fine? We didn't really feel the king's bad leadership. Him being a sadistic piece of trash is enough, I suppose, but when both the king and crown prince are caricatures, and the heroes are major jerks, it's... hard to care.
There was a plot, though it was very poorly paced.
I don't know. I was really into it at the start and there were about 45 pages near the end as well, and it's not *bad*... but I didn't like it.
Because I absolutely hated the main characters.
This isn't even "enemies to lovers". It's "enemies to enemies who fuck". Ren and Darek just hated each other because they wanted to, none of it felt authentic, and I just wanted to strangle constantly. They just existed to hate each other. What a treat to read, huh?
Adley was interesting, but did way too many horrific things to be let off without a true redemption arc. Going from "cold-blooded torturer and murderer who feels bad about it" to "cold-blooded torturer and murderer for the other team, only now it's okay because she's saving her girlfriend" is... not growth? I get that she was forced into it, I don't hate her, I just don't feel she was ever truly fleshed out.
Actually, none of them were. None of them had development outside of their role in the plot. Adley likes to read. Okay, and? She was never seen actually reading, we don't know what she reads, never see her take a side trip to the bookstore. She never bonds with anyone over it. Ren can't forgive herself. I mean... really? Because, yeah, that could've been the case. But it never felt like it. I never felt her self-loathing, never felt how good she felt getting socked hard in a pit fight to take the pain away. She cheats at cards, but I think we only saw that once.
Side characters like Holland, Riko, and Markus seemed to have held onto some good inside themselves. That's probably why they were side characters. Heaven forbid we get to read about somebody interesting!
For people who were driving the plot, they never really seemed to, not until the very end.
As for the plot... I mean... it was fine? We didn't really feel the king's bad leadership. Him being a sadistic piece of trash is enough, I suppose, but when both the king and crown prince are caricatures, and the heroes are major jerks, it's... hard to care.
There was a plot, though it was very poorly paced.
I don't know. I was really into it at the start and there were about 45 pages near the end as well, and it's not *bad*... but I didn't like it.