A review by ashlightgrayson
Under the Oak Tree : Season 2 (1) by Kim Suji

dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This installment does a lot of establish where the characters and events of the world are post almost 3 years of Maxi leaving Anatol to join the mage tower. It is clear that her magical abilities have grown since her time there. However, she still struggles to feel like she belongs among her peers even in the mage tower. I appreciated that despite the character development Maxi has undergone, there are still semblances of her insecurities. Leaving her home for an extended time is not a cure all for her problems, which is realistic. 

Maxi is slowly reunited with the knights, and eventually Riftan. Not surprisingly, Riftan's initial reception is cold. Riftan struggling to express what he's actually feeling to Maxi. This of course, in turn, causes Maxi a lot of unnecessary distress and anxiety. This creates a lot of tension between them because they both clearly love each other but still have trouble communicating. My favorite part of the book was probably when we finally see Maxi lose her temper and stand up for herself. It was very refreshing, because Maxi from a few a years ago would not have had the gumption to stand up for herself. I'm looking forward to the next book because I want Maxi and Riftan to reconcile. However, I think this level of conflict between them is necessary for character growth for both of them. Still, a very solid foundation for the next book.
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