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A review by jujelly
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
3.0
[3.5]
i'm a little conflicted.
the things i so thoroughly enjoyed in the first two books became a little too overdone?
i'm very well aware that galadriel is very overpowered, and so long it's not happening in a way where there are no redeeming quality points or sacrifice regarding that, i usually don't mind. here as well, i've liked and found that to be not an issue at all. the lack of conflict el had regarding her powers manifested itself in a lot of conflict regarding staying true to her morals.
but everything happened a little too smoothly here again, despite me being aware that there are a lot of issues regarding the origin of orion and the enclaves, the way things unfolded with the bangkok enclaves, and the way liu was saved and the first golden enclave was done - it just doesn't feel realistic to me.
there wasn't a consequence drop for anything really, and it irritates me. i assume the same way it irritates galadriel that these people keep on going without any punishment. but what can you do, the world is lke that.
on another quick note - i understand why orion was as low developed as he, well, was, and i actually don't mind that, but what i do mind is the way orion vs el has been pushed at for the second half of the book, and as much as i don't want it to be true - orion should not have lived.
he should have died.
of course, i didn't WANT him to die, and i really hoped there would be a way out, but not in the way it was done. it felt a little cheapskate, but i guess the way the dominus of shanghai had replaced the innermost feeling of a maw-mouth with his own longing, so did el and everybody else with orion. still. he shouldn't have survived it.
magic is a tricky thing, though.
i get it. i don't necessarily like it, but i get it.
otherwise, i enjoyed the book, i did. it didn't grip me the way the others did, but in a way it still stayed true to galadriel and her world, and the utter justice and good she was chasing.
also:
liesel? really?
i'm a little conflicted.
the things i so thoroughly enjoyed in the first two books became a little too overdone?
i'm very well aware that galadriel is very overpowered, and so long it's not happening in a way where there are no redeeming quality points or sacrifice regarding that, i usually don't mind. here as well, i've liked and found that to be not an issue at all. the lack of conflict el had regarding her powers manifested itself in a lot of conflict regarding staying true to her morals.
but everything happened a little too smoothly here again, despite me being aware that there are a lot of issues regarding the origin of orion and the enclaves, the way things unfolded with the bangkok enclaves, and the way liu was saved and the first golden enclave was done - it just doesn't feel realistic to me.
there wasn't a consequence drop for anything really, and it irritates me. i assume the same way it irritates galadriel that these people keep on going without any punishment. but what can you do, the world is lke that.
on another quick note - i understand why orion was as low developed as he, well, was, and i actually don't mind that, but what i do mind is the way orion vs el has been pushed at for the second half of the book, and as much as i don't want it to be true - orion should not have lived.
he should have died.
of course, i didn't WANT him to die, and i really hoped there would be a way out, but not in the way it was done. it felt a little cheapskate, but i guess the way the dominus of shanghai had replaced the innermost feeling of a maw-mouth with his own longing, so did el and everybody else with orion. still. he shouldn't have survived it.
magic is a tricky thing, though.
i get it. i don't necessarily like it, but i get it.
otherwise, i enjoyed the book, i did. it didn't grip me the way the others did, but in a way it still stayed true to galadriel and her world, and the utter justice and good she was chasing.
also:
liesel? really?