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A review by bella613
The Shadow Wand by Laurie Forest
slow-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This was really frustrating.
I'm going to vent with lots of spoilers.
I want to keep going with this series and did not want to DNF so I stuck it out. But like the meh writing was fine in the other books because the fantasy draws you in and the world is fun to just escape to for a little while. I like the series more than other recent fantasies but this book didn't do it for me at allll
The political plot didn't move forward at all in this one and there wasn't really any new information, instead focusing on personal relationships and trying to learn how to fight a little. We spent a bit of time with Elloren's friends and brother, separately, who all had the same exact "displaced but horny but trying to grow into oneself" side-storyline. They were all more fun to hear about as a group and less interesting when split, especially having to meet a lot new characters who don't do anything very memorable.
Elloren herself went on a long tangent with her ally who for some reason she thinks is the only person who can protect her? And should be able to protect her better if she settles into a weird grief relationship with him? I don't get how we're supposed to like him just because he turns out to not be evil. Making her "fast" to him to avoid being stuck with a violent rapist is not as romantic as it's made out to be.
It felt like the growth Elloren previously displayed just took multiple steps back. She's more helpless and annoying than ever in this book.Elloren constantly repeats that she is so powerful but alas cannot access her power. Okay... why aren't you doing anything to learn to control it? Why are you resigned to avoidance? She is the definition of complacent and just sits with whatever gets put in front of her.
She hears a rumor that the love of her life is dead (from some rando) and just immediately moves on? And how is f*ing Lukas going to save her family? Because thats her justification for it. It wasn't sexy. I get that the priest wanted them to consummate but like really?
I don't particularly enjoy love triangles, or feel especially compelled by love-of-convenience or love-of-duty type tropes. And it was super obvious that our main man wasnt dead the whole time. So it felt like a huge waste of time that she spent with Lukas. Like they didn't actually teach her anything, they were just hiding out?
The whole book is just a repetitive "Oh no he's coming for us!" And no planning or communicating or rallying. They're all just doing their own thing and not collaborating like before. It was also just really long.
At the very end she finally goes to a place where she can "feel" her bf again. It was set up like a cliffhanger but I would be shocked if anyone didn't see that coming. I hope she feels guilty for abandoning him. I get that she thought he was dead but girl use your brain a little instead of your lady parts
I'm going to vent with lots of spoilers.
I want to keep going with this series and did not want to DNF so I stuck it out. But like the meh writing was fine in the other books because the fantasy draws you in and the world is fun to just escape to for a little while. I like the series more than other recent fantasies but this book didn't do it for me at allll
Elloren herself went on a long tangent with her ally who for some reason she thinks is the only person who can protect her? And should be able to protect her better if she settles into a weird grief relationship with him? I don't get how we're supposed to like him just because he turns out to not be evil. Making her "fast" to him to avoid being stuck with a violent rapist is not as romantic as it's made out to be.
It felt like the growth Elloren previously displayed just took multiple steps back. She's more helpless and annoying than ever in this book.
She hears a rumor that the love of her life is dead (from some rando) and just immediately moves on? And how is f*ing Lukas going to save her family? Because thats her justification for it. It wasn't sexy. I get that the priest wanted them to consummate but like really?
I don't particularly enjoy love triangles, or feel especially compelled by love-of-convenience or love-of-duty type tropes. And it was super obvious that our main man wasnt dead the whole time. So it felt like a huge waste of time that she spent with Lukas. Like they didn't actually teach her anything, they were just hiding out?
The whole book is just a repetitive "Oh no he's coming for us!" And no planning or communicating or rallying. They're all just doing their own thing and not collaborating like before. It was also just really long.