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A review by shanaqui
Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Magic Binds would be an impossible read without all the previous books building up the story, laying the groundwork for the relationships, and painting the world Kate works in. When you think about the progression from Magic Bites to this, it's pretty staggering -- the whole scope has changed, the stakes are huge, and there are so many characters of all kinds to love and hate.
I think one of the best things about this book is the nuance it brings to the relationship between Kate and her family. From her heritage being almost completely hidden in the first book to the reveal of what she's been raised to do to her claim on Atlanta to this... I won't say too much, but there's a surprisingly moving scene with someone who you don't expect to have a quiet moment with. Actually, a couple of moving scenes with very unexpected people, honestly. And some very interesting developments with Christopher...
The ending feels a little cut off at the knees; the book accelerates toward the ending and then, of course, stops. And the next book doesn't pick straight up from there or something -- it's quite the anticlimax. It feels like there was too much ending to do in one book, so then it just kind of abandons ship.
It gets harder with each book to do reviews without spoilers, and this is not a book where anyone could jump in, pick it up alone, and understand what's going on. I highly recommend the series, but don't start here!
I think one of the best things about this book is the nuance it brings to the relationship between Kate and her family. From her heritage being almost completely hidden in the first book to the reveal of what she's been raised to do to her claim on Atlanta to this... I won't say too much, but there's a surprisingly moving scene with someone who you don't expect to have a quiet moment with. Actually, a couple of moving scenes with very unexpected people, honestly. And some very interesting developments with Christopher...
The ending feels a little cut off at the knees; the book accelerates toward the ending and then, of course, stops. And the next book doesn't pick straight up from there or something -- it's quite the anticlimax. It feels like there was too much ending to do in one book, so then it just kind of abandons ship.
It gets harder with each book to do reviews without spoilers, and this is not a book where anyone could jump in, pick it up alone, and understand what's going on. I highly recommend the series, but don't start here!