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A review by thisnursereads
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
3.25-3.5
Oof rating this was difficult. I read all three Crescent City books in about a month and a half, on/off and now that I finished #3, I deeply miss these characters I have grown to know in these past 2,400 pages but that isn't enough for me to love CC3.
I will say it again and again, SJM writes characters that could live in my head rent free. CC3 brings with it the same loveable group of characters, with stronger individual storylines that intertwine throughout the book. With so many characters, the plot moves a lot quicker than book 1 & 2 which I enjoyed overall. It was so fun to bounce around their heads! But the movement of the storyline often comes at the detriment of action and/or explanation.
CC3 wears the crown for "Tell me" not "Show me." Large chunks of information were explained verbatim, when I wish flashbacks were utilized instead. This made certain chapters feel heavy and boring, when in reality, the material was quite interesting. (view spoiler) The travel throughout the land and timeline of events doesn't seem realistic and neglecting that was a huge issue I have with the book. I could go on and on, which is clearly a sign that I just didn't love it.
P.S
There should have been more messenger otters in this book. That may have made up for the inconsistent timeline and plot holes.
TLDR: I have a lot of issues overall with the plot and storyline, which is clearly a sign that I just didn't love it.
Oof rating this was difficult. I read all three Crescent City books in about a month and a half, on/off and now that I finished #3, I deeply miss these characters I have grown to know in these past 2,400 pages but that isn't enough for me to love CC3.
I will say it again and again, SJM writes characters that could live in my head rent free. CC3 brings with it the same loveable group of characters, with stronger individual storylines that intertwine throughout the book. With so many characters, the plot moves a lot quicker than book 1 & 2 which I enjoyed overall. It was so fun to bounce around their heads! But the movement of the storyline often comes at the detriment of action and/or explanation.
CC3 wears the crown for "Tell me" not "Show me." Large chunks of information were explained verbatim, when I wish flashbacks were utilized instead. This made certain chapters feel heavy and boring, when in reality, the material was quite interesting. (view spoiler) The travel throughout the land and timeline of events doesn't seem realistic and neglecting that was a huge issue I have with the book. I could go on and on, which is clearly a sign that I just didn't love it.
P.S
There should have been more messenger otters in this book. That may have made up for the inconsistent timeline and plot holes.
TLDR: I have a lot of issues overall with the plot and storyline, which is clearly a sign that I just didn't love it.