A review by careinthelibrary
The Riddle by Alison Croggon

3.0

I'm compelled to keep reading this series as I like elements of the setting and worldbuilding but the plot itself holds me back. I find Croggon's writing slow and plodding with a lot of unnecessary side plots and conflicts. It was obvious from the start that Cadvan was not dead (rule of thumb: if you don't *see* a character die, chances are, they didn't), but the pretending he was dragged on for hundreds of pages. That was a slog. I did like the introduction of Darrin, the Pillanel (excuse my spelling, I'm going off the audiobooks) and the Winter King to this cast of characters, but again it seemed she lingers too long in every location and that this holds back the pacing and the plot from making it exciting and interesting. Yet despite all these pacing and plot flaws, I am intrigued. I want to read the next one! The worldbuilding, the bard schools, the Light and the Dark, they compel me to keep reading.