A review by novelty_reads
The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

When I first started reading this book, I genuinely thought it would become my new favourite.

It started with the prologue. I was immersed in the story from the first page. I loved the writing style, Mer's backstory and her awesome ability to manipulate water.

The book follows Mer, a water diviner who was previously taken into the Prince's care and forced to poison the Prince's enemies. Constantly on the run, wanting freedom, she reunites with her old handler wondering if she'd like to get revenge on the Prince and take him down.

To me, this book started great. I was hooked from the start and I was very curious to see how the book would go, and where. It did slow a bit in the middle, that's where it started to lose me, until the end where a lot of action occurred. I did expect some plot twists and betrayals early on though, so they didn't take me by surprise as much. Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing how the story would unfold.

Overall, I enjoyed the pace of the book, the writing style (which was very descriptive and atmospheric) and I liked the characters too, specifically Mer, Fane and Ifanna. Despite not having read The Bone Houses, I really liked the epilogue too. 

ACTUAL RATING: 3.9 STARS





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