first_edition 's review for:

Nightbane by Alex Aster

DID NOT FINISH: 14%

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book is terrible! The characters are very underdeveloped—I was not able to connect to them, much less like them or care about their artificial motivations and struggles. The writing is bad, the world-building is baffling and poorly thought-out, and the plot is clumsy and hinges on retconning two entire conversations from the last book. There are many plot holes that are either left unexplained, conveniently erased, or completely ignored/forgotten. This book does not feel like a real world at all, much less one I would want to visit. It feels like a book written on a swift deadline. Unfortunately, it did not undergo enough editing before it was published because it reads like a rough draft. 

This book heavily focuses on this poorly executed love-triangle and creating as much exaggerated and unnecessary drama as possible between them, that it leaves little room for anything else, which only serves to be insignificant background noise to said trope. It is impossible to truly immerse myself in this entirely superficial story. I am woefully disappointed by this book—and the series itself.