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solarchive 's review for:
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic
by Leigh Bardugo
I was not disappointed to read this book. In my opinion, the language used in this book is so much better than in Shadow and Bone. I love it since it shows Leigh Bardugo's growth along with her book. In general, the stories in this book do not base heavily on the world she created so anyone who wants to read it can go ahead and read without researching or having had to read the Grishaverse books. The original illustrations are beautiful and they made reading much more interesting.
Now to review each story. I will not go into details of the plots or give spoilers, EXCEPT the last story called When Water Sang Fire", so you have been warned.
- AYAMA AND THE THORN WOOD (4/5 stars): the book started out like the tale of Minotaur, but progressed like one hundred and one nights, and ended like a fairy tale. It serves as the folklore for the people of Grishaverse and I can actually see it.
- THE TOO-CLEVER FOX (4/5 stars): I like reading other universe's folklore (like the one from harry potter). this story has more folklore elements and different twists are introduced in very good flows. No need to know the grishaverse to understand these stories.
- THE WITCH OF DUVA (2/5 stars): I am so... confused. Okay so i fell asleep half way through the end of this story because it's cold outside and i was warm but... wtf? lmao what is the moral of this story? It has a plot, somewhat, but just because it has a twist doesn't mean it's a good one.
- LITTLE KNIFE (4/5 stars): This story is back on being so much like a children's tale, even mirror the grimm brothers in their writing and some literacy devices. It makes the story much more like one I've read as a child. Some involvements of Grishaverse in this one make it so interesting.
- THE SOLDIER PRINCE (5/5 stars): I AM SHOOKT. shookt to the core. Definitely the BEST story in this entire book, I don't even care for the last one skskaka. AN AMAZING retelling of the nutcracker. It found the hinge between reality and illusion and just threw the door wide open. I love it!
- WHEN WATER SANG FIRE (4/5 stars): What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck. This story itself can stand as a book. Wow. It's so refreshing to hear a Fjerda's tale and the reason the country became how it is now. I like it. A good call back to one character from Shadow and Bone too. So here comes the SPOILER part!!!!!!!!!! If you wanted a Darkling's story, here you have it. But I cannot change my opinion on Darklina and I think I never will. If anything, this story was set hundreds and thousands of years before Shadow and Bone and it shows how ancient the Darkling really is. Do you really want to ship him with Alina, who was 17 at the time of appearance? Hello???? In this story, the Darkling is not the villain, true, but he’s still one of the people that spoiled Ulla. His treatment to Ulla was no better than his treatment to Alina. He has always been power hungry, he wants people for their power and what they can do for him, not for what they are worth. The Darkling is a power villain, but he’s powerful if no one comes and apologizes for his action all the time, so quit it!
Overall, the book deserves its praises and I genuinely believe this is one of Leigh's best works. The language used in this book makes the story fairy tale-like and familiar to a person. Absolutely recommend.
Now to review each story. I will not go into details of the plots or give spoilers, EXCEPT the last story called When Water Sang Fire", so you have been warned.
- AYAMA AND THE THORN WOOD (4/5 stars): the book started out like the tale of Minotaur, but progressed like one hundred and one nights, and ended like a fairy tale. It serves as the folklore for the people of Grishaverse and I can actually see it.
- THE TOO-CLEVER FOX (4/5 stars): I like reading other universe's folklore (like the one from harry potter). this story has more folklore elements and different twists are introduced in very good flows. No need to know the grishaverse to understand these stories.
- THE WITCH OF DUVA (2/5 stars): I am so... confused. Okay so i fell asleep half way through the end of this story because it's cold outside and i was warm but... wtf? lmao what is the moral of this story? It has a plot, somewhat, but just because it has a twist doesn't mean it's a good one.
- LITTLE KNIFE (4/5 stars): This story is back on being so much like a children's tale, even mirror the grimm brothers in their writing and some literacy devices. It makes the story much more like one I've read as a child. Some involvements of Grishaverse in this one make it so interesting.
- THE SOLDIER PRINCE (5/5 stars): I AM SHOOKT. shookt to the core. Definitely the BEST story in this entire book, I don't even care for the last one skskaka. AN AMAZING retelling of the nutcracker. It found the hinge between reality and illusion and just threw the door wide open. I love it!
- WHEN WATER SANG FIRE (4/5 stars): What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck. This story itself can stand as a book. Wow. It's so refreshing to hear a Fjerda's tale and the reason the country became how it is now. I like it. A good call back to one character from Shadow and Bone too. So here comes the SPOILER part!!!!!!!!!! If you wanted a Darkling's story, here you have it. But I cannot change my opinion on Darklina and I think I never will. If anything, this story was set hundreds and thousands of years before Shadow and Bone and it shows how ancient the Darkling really is. Do you really want to ship him with Alina, who was 17 at the time of appearance? Hello???? In this story, the Darkling is not the villain, true, but he’s still one of the people that spoiled Ulla. His treatment to Ulla was no better than his treatment to Alina. He has always been power hungry, he wants people for their power and what they can do for him, not for what they are worth. The Darkling is a power villain, but he’s powerful if no one comes and apologizes for his action all the time, so quit it!
Overall, the book deserves its praises and I genuinely believe this is one of Leigh's best works. The language used in this book makes the story fairy tale-like and familiar to a person. Absolutely recommend.