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A review by heykellyjensen
The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell
3.0
Mitchell can write. It's pretty without being flowery and meaningless. The descriptions, the world, the setting, and the characters all work so well.
I'm a fan of the blending of historical fiction with magic, and I appreciate how Zora is a broken character. She's struggling with her past and it impacts her being able to move forward in a realistic manner. Things AREN'T easy to overcome, and Zora doesn't magically become right again in a new setting. But she gets what she deserves in the end, and the ending made me REALLY excited about the third book in this series because it'll take place in one of my favorite places.
That said, I felt like the plot kind of dragged, particularly in the second half of the book. A lot of big things happen, but I never quite felt like they mattered nor that they advanced the characters or story much. I wanted a little more investment in them for true impact.
You can read this one without reading The Vespertine, but you'll get a lot more out of this one if you have read it and are familiar with Zora's story and background. The magical elements will make a lot more sense, too.
I'm a fan of the blending of historical fiction with magic, and I appreciate how Zora is a broken character. She's struggling with her past and it impacts her being able to move forward in a realistic manner. Things AREN'T easy to overcome, and Zora doesn't magically become right again in a new setting. But she gets what she deserves in the end, and the ending made me REALLY excited about the third book in this series because it'll take place in one of my favorite places.
That said, I felt like the plot kind of dragged, particularly in the second half of the book. A lot of big things happen, but I never quite felt like they mattered nor that they advanced the characters or story much. I wanted a little more investment in them for true impact.
You can read this one without reading The Vespertine, but you'll get a lot more out of this one if you have read it and are familiar with Zora's story and background. The magical elements will make a lot more sense, too.