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A review by gretchenplz
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I want to give this book one star for Nesta and one star for Azriel, but I don't know if I have it in me.
This was an absolute crock of shit.
What in the alien Avengers bullshit was that?! I can't stop imagining the Aesteri as those aliens from Indiana Jones 4.
What was more ridiculous: the magic language bean, the cure being discovered in ~60 minutes, or Hunt's flaccid dick being too big for underwear?
Everything about this book comes across as juvenile — "Alphahole," "Light it up," "Level up," and "Through love, all things are possible" literally made me cringe every time.
SJM was clearly not ready to delve into adult high fantasy, and her lack of care and effort throughout the writing process shows. Did she even want to continue this series? It seems like she wrote the first book and then realized, "Oh, shit. I actually have to continue." Did no editor see this, either for plot/character continuity or for typos? Could no one offer her a ghostwriter?
2400 pages in the series, and I don't give a single shit about any of the characters. There's nothing keeping me attached to this series. How do you make your own FMC THAT unlikeable? Like... advocating for genocide one second then flipping the next chapter? THE FUCK?! No empathy for her mate and his trauma after he's been tortured for days on end? Plus, she's, what? A big glowstick that everyone wants to fuck? SO. LAME.
Please do not let anyone like Bryce "rescue" and take over the rule of my world. Sure, the intergalactic alien parasites are defeated, but not the entire infrastructure of the planet is destroyed with absolutely no plan forward. Also, all hierarchies are now destroyed! There definitely won't be anarchy, chaos, or civil war now!
So many characters and details were introduced that meant absolutely nothing in the end. The absolutely lamest use of a crossover of all time.
A laughable effort. What a waste of time.
I'm beginning to think SJM herself is a fraud. TOG was a plagiarized mess. CC was a sham. ACOTAR, for it's many flaws, at least made me care about the characters, the plot, and the world.
This was an absolute crock of shit.
What in the alien Avengers bullshit was that?! I can't stop imagining the Aesteri as those aliens from Indiana Jones 4.
What was more ridiculous: the magic language bean, the cure being discovered in ~60 minutes, or Hunt's flaccid dick being too big for underwear?
Everything about this book comes across as juvenile — "Alphahole," "Light it up," "Level up," and "Through love, all things are possible" literally made me cringe every time.
SJM was clearly not ready to delve into adult high fantasy, and her lack of care and effort throughout the writing process shows. Did she even want to continue this series? It seems like she wrote the first book and then realized, "Oh, shit. I actually have to continue." Did no editor see this, either for plot/character continuity or for typos? Could no one offer her a ghostwriter?
2400 pages in the series, and I don't give a single shit about any of the characters. There's nothing keeping me attached to this series. How do you make your own FMC THAT unlikeable? Like... advocating for genocide one second then flipping the next chapter? THE FUCK?! No empathy for her mate and his trauma after he's been tortured for days on end? Plus, she's, what? A big glowstick that everyone wants to fuck? SO. LAME.
Please do not let anyone like Bryce "rescue" and take over the rule of my world. Sure, the intergalactic alien parasites are defeated, but not the entire infrastructure of the planet is destroyed with absolutely no plan forward. Also, all hierarchies are now destroyed! There definitely won't be anarchy, chaos, or civil war now!
So many characters and details were introduced that meant absolutely nothing in the end. The absolutely lamest use of a crossover of all time.
A laughable effort. What a waste of time.
I'm beginning to think SJM herself is a fraud. TOG was a plagiarized mess. CC was a sham. ACOTAR, for it's many flaws, at least made me care about the characters, the plot, and the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture