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A review by stjehanne
Earth's End by Elise Kova
1.0
I know my rating might seem a bit harsh - but I truly think this book is a failure at so many levels.
Let me start with the positive things first: I thought the plot was okay, suspenseful enough to make me finish the novel. The author's writing style really improved over the course of the series and I did enjoy the bits of lore and world-building I was given.
However, the narrative arc was a bit... rough. It followed the same steps over and over again: Romance, angst, combat, rinse and repeat. In its core, this could still be the foundation for an enjoyable experience but as always, Kova struggled with establishing her characters fully.
Most side characters had two main functions: failed love interests (Daniel) or plot devices (Baldair, most of the other nobles). They had little to no depths but at least they got some screen time. Fritz, the token gay character and Vhalla's best friend (?) rarely came up. It seems the author forgot about him as frequently as our protagonist did.
This raises the question: Why even have these characters? They were never fleshed out and could be summarised with a few words. How am I supposed to care about fictional people with no personality? What are they contributing to Vhalla's world?
Rant over. Let's talk about Vhalla herself. I faintly remember praising her development in my review of [b:Fire Falling|26047438|Fire Falling (Air Awakens, #2)|Elise Kova|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440388938l/26047438._SY75_.jpg|45977131] but in this one, her moral compass is basically spinning out of control. It makes for a very disconcerting reading experience, frequently giving me whiplash. She spends pages lamenting the fate of the Northerners, showing sympathy and respect towards their culture. But during the final battle,
Last but not least - let's talk about Earth's Ends view on alcohol dependency. This topic hits close to home since it runs in my family. Thus, I was utterly disgusted by Kova's portray of it. It very clearly provides a simple solution for it: love. Because if you love someone, you can just get over it, right? Love can cure addiction! Certainly, it does not. Trust me. No matter how much people love you, you will still find yourself lost and afraid without professional help. I do not condemn that the novel uses this topic as a motive. I just hate how it talks about it without sympathy or realism.
Let me be clear that I do not think that Kova is a bad writer, I actually think she's improving with each book and her work shows a great spark of creativity. I simply believe that Earth's End is not only flawed but severely underdeveloped.
Let me start with the positive things first: I thought the plot was okay, suspenseful enough to make me finish the novel. The author's writing style really improved over the course of the series and I did enjoy the bits of lore and world-building I was given.
However, the narrative arc was a bit... rough. It followed the same steps over and over again: Romance, angst, combat, rinse and repeat. In its core, this could still be the foundation for an enjoyable experience but as always, Kova struggled with establishing her characters fully.
Most side characters had two main functions: failed love interests (Daniel) or plot devices (Baldair, most of the other nobles). They had little to no depths but at least they got some screen time. Fritz, the token gay character and Vhalla's best friend (?) rarely came up. It seems the author forgot about him as frequently as our protagonist did.
This raises the question: Why even have these characters? They were never fleshed out and could be summarised with a few words. How am I supposed to care about fictional people with no personality? What are they contributing to Vhalla's world?
Rant over. Let's talk about Vhalla herself. I faintly remember praising her development in my review of [b:Fire Falling|26047438|Fire Falling (Air Awakens, #2)|Elise Kova|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440388938l/26047438._SY75_.jpg|45977131] but in this one, her moral compass is basically spinning out of control. It makes for a very disconcerting reading experience, frequently giving me whiplash. She spends pages lamenting the fate of the Northerners, showing sympathy and respect towards their culture. But during the final battle,
Spoiler
the prose suggests that she utterly enjoys massacring them. It's written in a very strange way that's obviously trying to show the strength of her and Aldrik's bond in battle. The emphasis on the gruesomeness of her kills makes this seem less romantic and plain murderous. It doesn't help that she quickly forgets about her pledge of making it up to the people of the North after the war.Last but not least - let's talk about Earth's Ends view on alcohol dependency. This topic hits close to home since it runs in my family. Thus, I was utterly disgusted by Kova's portray of it. It very clearly provides a simple solution for it: love. Because if you love someone, you can just get over it, right? Love can cure addiction! Certainly, it does not. Trust me. No matter how much people love you, you will still find yourself lost and afraid without professional help. I do not condemn that the novel uses this topic as a motive. I just hate how it talks about it without sympathy or realism.
Let me be clear that I do not think that Kova is a bad writer, I actually think she's improving with each book and her work shows a great spark of creativity. I simply believe that Earth's End is not only flawed but severely underdeveloped.