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A review by lunelis
Crystal Crowned by Elise Kova
4.0
View my original 2016 review hereon the paperback edition
I expressed a level of melancholy last time, believing it uncertain if the author would ever return to this literary universe, but, knowing what I know now, it's quite clear that the sequel series was always in the plans, as there are simply too many instances written into the foundation here for them to have been unintentional connections to the larger connecting story arc. Also, a third series set in the world of Air Awakens is soon to be released so, the concerns in 2016 were quite unwarranted.
Crystal Caged, while an overall good read and good finale, wasn't my favorite. I think it's about neck and neck with Water's Wrath, though it has a much more appealing cover. I felt like a lot of the book was repetitive and that sections of the text could have been cut free without much loss to any of the character arcs or plots.
Also, the series does get more NA in feeling as it progresses, maturing with Vhalla, which I can appreciate. I think if you were put off by here in Air Awakens you'd like her more in Crystal Crowned (though at times I was still a bit put off her with reactions to some things; like, we've done this dance before, you shouldn't be acting like this, it's nothing new).
Not much else to say. While there are lots of sweet moments with Aldrick and Vhalla, they are often so tinged with them being angst-filled or something that I wasn't as into them as I had been prior. I'm satisfied with things as they stand.
Since the sequel series revisits this story line during their daughter's life about ~17 years later, I have been a bit hesitant to start it, as I worry it will retroactively affect who Vhalla and Aldrick are. I've seen it happen before where a sequel or spin-off featuring protagonists from an earlier series does a character assassination for tension or something, so I hope this is avoided when I pick up the next books, but, seeing as I have my hands on the entire Vortex Visions series, I will take the leap.
Stay tuned.
I expressed a level of melancholy last time, believing it uncertain if the author would ever return to this literary universe, but, knowing what I know now, it's quite clear that the sequel series was always in the plans, as there are simply too many instances written into the foundation here for them to have been unintentional connections to the larger connecting story arc. Also, a third series set in the world of Air Awakens is soon to be released so, the concerns in 2016 were quite unwarranted.
Crystal Caged, while an overall good read and good finale, wasn't my favorite. I think it's about neck and neck with Water's Wrath, though it has a much more appealing cover. I felt like a lot of the book was repetitive and that sections of the text could have been cut free without much loss to any of the character arcs or plots.
Also, the series does get more NA in feeling as it progresses, maturing with Vhalla, which I can appreciate. I think if you were put off by here in Air Awakens you'd like her more in Crystal Crowned (though at times I was still a bit put off her with reactions to some things; like, we've done this dance before, you shouldn't be acting like this, it's nothing new).
Not much else to say. While there are lots of sweet moments with Aldrick and Vhalla, they are often so tinged with them being angst-filled or something that I wasn't as into them as I had been prior. I'm satisfied with things as they stand.
Since the sequel series revisits this story line during their daughter's life about ~17 years later, I have been a bit hesitant to start it, as I worry it will retroactively affect who Vhalla and Aldrick are. I've seen it happen before where a sequel or spin-off featuring protagonists from an earlier series does a character assassination for tension or something, so I hope this is avoided when I pick up the next books, but, seeing as I have my hands on the entire Vortex Visions series, I will take the leap.
Stay tuned.