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tanyaivy 's review for:
The Last Soldier of Nava
by Yejin Suh
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the arc of this book.
The Last Soldier of Nava started off strong. However, I felt that it lost its way in the middle and end and became muddled.
Perhaps the issue was trying to do much in one book (as opposed to a duology). It's an ambitious story with a twisty plot and interesting concepts. However, I desperately wanted more development of the characters and their objectives/motivations, especially the villains; the book's themes and messages; and the mythology. My overall takeaway from the book was that it was confusing. I'm sure the author knew why everyone was doing what they were doing, but I didn't. (And not in an intriguing let's-solve-this-mystery way.)
I do want to stress that the beginning of this book is fantastic. It's clear that the author can produce amazing writing; I thought I was settling into a 4.5-5 star read. The descriptions, tension, atmosphere, setting up of stakes, initial introductions to the characters: I was hooked.
But, I would not consider the beginning to be representative of the entire book (so bear that in mind if you're checking out an ebook free sample).
Anyway, this book fell flat for me, but since reading is subjective:
You might like this book if you enjoy:
Stylised/mystical fight scenes, fantasy set outside of Europe, intriguing fantasy/mythological creatures, protagonists living a double life/hiding who they are, romance that's technically enemies-to-lovers but feels more like school-rivals-to-friends-to-lovers. (While the love interest annoyed me in her mean-girl stage, it ended up being a very sweet YA romance.)
I would avoid this book if any of the following is a deal-breaker:
Endings that don't resolve everything, undeveloped antagonists, confusing messages, confusing plots, or unclear magic systems/mythology.
The Last Soldier of Nava started off strong. However, I felt that it lost its way in the middle and end and became muddled.
Perhaps the issue was trying to do much in one book (as opposed to a duology). It's an ambitious story with a twisty plot and interesting concepts. However, I desperately wanted more development of the characters and their objectives/motivations, especially the villains; the book's themes and messages; and the mythology. My overall takeaway from the book was that it was confusing. I'm sure the author knew why everyone was doing what they were doing, but I didn't. (And not in an intriguing let's-solve-this-mystery way.)
I do want to stress that the beginning of this book is fantastic. It's clear that the author can produce amazing writing; I thought I was settling into a 4.5-5 star read. The descriptions, tension, atmosphere, setting up of stakes, initial introductions to the characters: I was hooked.
But, I would not consider the beginning to be representative of the entire book (so bear that in mind if you're checking out an ebook free sample).
Anyway, this book fell flat for me, but since reading is subjective:
You might like this book if you enjoy:
Stylised/mystical fight scenes, fantasy set outside of Europe, intriguing fantasy/mythological creatures, protagonists living a double life/hiding who they are, romance that's technically enemies-to-lovers but feels more like school-rivals-to-friends-to-lovers. (While the love interest annoyed me in her mean-girl stage, it ended up being a very sweet YA romance.)
I would avoid this book if any of the following is a deal-breaker:
Endings that don't resolve everything, undeveloped antagonists, confusing messages, confusing plots, or unclear magic systems/mythology.