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A review by theespressoedition
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Reading this series has been such an experience for me. As someone who grew up with such intense love for YA fantasy, moving into adult fantasy has been a little bit of a struggle. While yes, I find myself relating with the characters a bit more because I'm in their age group, it seems like adult fantasy, as a whole, takes a much slower pace to focus on world-building. I'll admit that I prefer quicker paces and more focus on character development, but I'm learning to appreciate this genre more and more, and the All Souls books are really helping with that!
Because this was a sequel, it followed the same progression as a lot of fantasy sequels and slowed down a lot to introduce you to the world in which the characters are living. I found myself zoning out a few times, but I think that a lot of that had to do with the fact that I'm not the biggest fan of historical references (which is why I tend to stay away from historical fiction) and so the true immersion into the 16th century was a bit uninteresting to me, personally.
That being said, I did, however, really enjoy how so many of the characters were real people. Maybe it's not exactly what they were like in reality, but it made the story more fun because it gave me the chance to imagine what they could've been like in those circumstances. There were a few really interesting references to well-known individuals that made my mind continue to ponder long after I finished the book (ex: Annie and who she actually was!)
One of the things this series has done is stick in my brain. Just like when I finished the first book, I've found myself revisiting the plot of the sequel to consider certain things and how they could play into the future of the story. Even though I might not have been 100% immersed in every single part while I was actively reading, it won't leave my mind now that I've completed it. This alone makes me all the more excited to dive into The Book of Life.
I can't wait to see what happens next!
Because this was a sequel, it followed the same progression as a lot of fantasy sequels and slowed down a lot to introduce you to the world in which the characters are living. I found myself zoning out a few times, but I think that a lot of that had to do with the fact that I'm not the biggest fan of historical references (which is why I tend to stay away from historical fiction) and so the true immersion into the 16th century was a bit uninteresting to me, personally.
That being said, I did, however, really enjoy how so many of the characters were real people. Maybe it's not exactly what they were like in reality, but it made the story more fun because it gave me the chance to imagine what they could've been like in those circumstances. There were a few really interesting references to well-known individuals that made my mind continue to ponder long after I finished the book (ex: Annie and who she actually was!)
One of the things this series has done is stick in my brain. Just like when I finished the first book, I've found myself revisiting the plot of the sequel to consider certain things and how they could play into the future of the story. Even though I might not have been 100% immersed in every single part while I was actively reading, it won't leave my mind now that I've completed it. This alone makes me all the more excited to dive into The Book of Life.
I can't wait to see what happens next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Torture, Violence, and Child abuse