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burnerkindle 's review for:
While the Dark Remains
by Joanna Ruth Meyer
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed While the Dark Remains more than I thought I would. It definitely started off slow but the dual timelines wove together and converged in time for a plot twist that had me thinking about all the clues I missed along the way.
Setting and World-building
While the Dark Remains takes place during Winter Dark, a three-month period when the sun doesn't rise. This setting created the most claustrophobic atmosphere (in a good way!). The political tension from the forced proximity between characters and the feeling of time running out was so much fun to follow and really believable.
The world is straightforward and there's not much world-building. I wish we had gotten more backstory about the magic and gods system in the beginning, but overall, it was easy to follow.
Characters
Brynja's development throughout the story focuses on internal growth, which I really appreciated. A lot of fantasy books have growth arcs for FMCs that center on physical strength, but sometimes the most powerful growth is learning to trust yourself, your decisions, and your beliefs. I can't wait to see where she goes in the next book!
There were a lot of emotionally charged interactions between characters that showed the lingering trauma and unresolved blame between them. Some of these scenes hurt to read but they brought up thought-provoking questions about culpability, guilt, and varying levels of victimhood that I haven't stopped thinking about since I finished the book.
Romance
To be honest, I was expecting the romance to be a bigger part of the plot but I don't mind that it took a backseat to the rest of the plot. It was super slow burn and there was no spice, but because the romantic development ties to character growth, there was plenty of emotional intensity.
Ending
The ending doesn't leave off on some crazy cliffhanger. It felt more like an unfinished story, which has me definitely looking forward to the sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley & 47North for the ARC in exchange for the honest review!
Setting and World-building
While the Dark Remains takes place during Winter Dark, a three-month period when the sun doesn't rise. This setting created the most claustrophobic atmosphere (in a good way!). The political tension from the forced proximity between characters and the feeling of time running out was so much fun to follow and really believable.
The world is straightforward and there's not much world-building. I wish we had gotten more backstory about the magic and gods system in the beginning, but overall, it was easy to follow.
Characters
Brynja's development throughout the story focuses on internal growth, which I really appreciated. A lot of fantasy books have growth arcs for FMCs that center on physical strength, but sometimes the most powerful growth is learning to trust yourself, your decisions, and your beliefs. I can't wait to see where she goes in the next book!
There were a lot of emotionally charged interactions between characters that showed the lingering trauma and unresolved blame between them. Some of these scenes hurt to read but they brought up thought-provoking questions about culpability, guilt, and varying levels of victimhood that I haven't stopped thinking about since I finished the book.
Romance
To be honest, I was expecting the romance to be a bigger part of the plot but I don't mind that it took a backseat to the rest of the plot. It was super slow burn and there was no spice, but because the romantic development ties to character growth, there was plenty of emotional intensity.
Ending
The ending doesn't leave off on some crazy cliffhanger. It felt more like an unfinished story, which has me definitely looking forward to the sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley & 47North for the ARC in exchange for the honest review!