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A review by hollierosewood
Ravenous by MarcyKate Connolly
3.0
(Keep in mind I read this after Monstrous, so I'll be making connections between the books and including some details of Monstrous that would be considered spoilers.)
I'll start with the positives. I enjoy the writing. It's breezy enough to read, but still sophisticated, with the vocabulary very much fitting the fantasy genre as well as the unique world of the story (for example, I was amused by phrases like, "What in the realm?"). The plot was fast and full of twists and several different layers of conflict. I loved all the references to Monstrous, but I was especially impressed by how different the character Greta is from Kymera, sometimes to the point she's like her opposite. They're both brave and dutiful heroines, but Greta's more rash. They're both intelligent, but Kymera's is more contemplative and introspective. They both have strong character arcs, each seemingly learning a lesson the other already knows: Greta learns to trust others by seeking the good in people (such as the Belladomans and the frightened hybrids) and accepting others' help, while Kymera learns to trust herself, connecting memories as Rosabel with other dots in order to face the truth of her predicament and gain independence from her villainous "father." I relate more to Kymera personally, but Greta's fierce independence and emotional strength is admirable.
Ravenous is very plot-driven, which kept me reading. But I was much less emotionally engaged. This could partly be due to Greta's tougher personality, though she did have some vulnerable moments alone and with Dalen. Even so, I didn't find Greta and Dalen's relationship as touching as Kymera and Ren's. It makes sense: Greta is dead-set on saving Hans, but even without that focus, she rarely allows herself to get sentimental (I don't count the instances where she gets emotional about her parents, because that is a completely normal and expected reaction to that kind of trauma). While it takes a lot to affect Greta, Kymera, on the other hand, tends to ruminate on her feelings, big or small. Plus, she has an intimate relationship with Ren that stems farther back than Greta and Dalen's, even if her memories of it aren't crystal clear. Both relationships have hints of potential romance, but it's much more overt between Kymera and Ren. Which brings me to my next point...
One of the things I liked about Monstrous was that, for middle-grade fiction, it read more like Y/A. Besides the romantic aspect, the thing I think makes Monstrous better for a slightly older audience, even if predictable early on, is the proximity of the villain to the protagonist the entire time. Barnabas is a very smart and manipulative villain, and that mixed with his magic has Kymera convinced he's her father -- a loving, altruistic, well-intentioned one at that! He's evil, but being evil isn't the only motivation behind his terrible actions, as he also turns out to have quite the long history with Kymera/Rosabel's real and royal family. The threat of Barnabas on a psychological level makes Monstrous a more mature read. Ravenous better fits the middle-grade label. Compared to Barnabas, the villains in Ravenous aren't very scary at all, and in my opinion come off as flat. The witch, Vincali and even Ensel are all evil like Barnabas, but they lack deeper motivation. They're not psychologically scary; rather than being particularly cunning, they only seem to pose a physical threat, with Vincali leading an army and the witch -- the main villain but hardest of all to take seriously -- living in a house supported by chicken feet and feasting on children, much like the Sonzeeki. Despite having many conflicts throughout, the flatness (and in the witch's case, ludicrosity) of the villains in Ravenous lowered the stakes considerably. Ravenous fits its target audience, but given that it's a companion novel to Monstrous, I was expecting more of the same level of maturity.
I'll start with the positives. I enjoy the writing. It's breezy enough to read, but still sophisticated, with the vocabulary very much fitting the fantasy genre as well as the unique world of the story (for example, I was amused by phrases like, "What in the realm?"). The plot was fast and full of twists and several different layers of conflict. I loved all the references to Monstrous, but I was especially impressed by how different the character Greta is from Kymera, sometimes to the point she's like her opposite. They're both brave and dutiful heroines, but Greta's more rash. They're both intelligent, but Kymera's is more contemplative and introspective. They both have strong character arcs, each seemingly learning a lesson the other already knows: Greta learns to trust others by seeking the good in people (such as the Belladomans and the frightened hybrids) and accepting others' help, while Kymera learns to trust herself, connecting memories as Rosabel with other dots in order to face the truth of her predicament and gain independence from her villainous "father." I relate more to Kymera personally, but Greta's fierce independence and emotional strength is admirable.
Ravenous is very plot-driven, which kept me reading. But I was much less emotionally engaged. This could partly be due to Greta's tougher personality, though she did have some vulnerable moments alone and with Dalen. Even so, I didn't find Greta and Dalen's relationship as touching as Kymera and Ren's. It makes sense: Greta is dead-set on saving Hans, but even without that focus, she rarely allows herself to get sentimental (I don't count the instances where she gets emotional about her parents, because that is a completely normal and expected reaction to that kind of trauma). While it takes a lot to affect Greta, Kymera, on the other hand, tends to ruminate on her feelings, big or small. Plus, she has an intimate relationship with Ren that stems farther back than Greta and Dalen's, even if her memories of it aren't crystal clear. Both relationships have hints of potential romance, but it's much more overt between Kymera and Ren. Which brings me to my next point...
One of the things I liked about Monstrous was that, for middle-grade fiction, it read more like Y/A. Besides the romantic aspect, the thing I think makes Monstrous better for a slightly older audience, even if predictable early on, is the proximity of the villain to the protagonist the entire time. Barnabas is a very smart and manipulative villain, and that mixed with his magic has Kymera convinced he's her father -- a loving, altruistic, well-intentioned one at that! He's evil, but being evil isn't the only motivation behind his terrible actions, as he also turns out to have quite the long history with Kymera/Rosabel's real and royal family. The threat of Barnabas on a psychological level makes Monstrous a more mature read. Ravenous better fits the middle-grade label. Compared to Barnabas, the villains in Ravenous aren't very scary at all, and in my opinion come off as flat. The witch, Vincali and even Ensel are all evil like Barnabas, but they lack deeper motivation. They're not psychologically scary; rather than being particularly cunning, they only seem to pose a physical threat, with Vincali leading an army and the witch -- the main villain but hardest of all to take seriously -- living in a house supported by chicken feet and feasting on children, much like the Sonzeeki. Despite having many conflicts throughout, the flatness (and in the witch's case, ludicrosity) of the villains in Ravenous lowered the stakes considerably. Ravenous fits its target audience, but given that it's a companion novel to Monstrous, I was expecting more of the same level of maturity.