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A review by signebrum
Whisper of War and Storms by C.L. Mecca
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Whisper of War and Storms is a new portal romantasy, setting out as a book with vibes similar to those of Fourth Wing or A Court of Thorns and Roses, with a fresh, original take on the genre.
Before i get into a detailed review, I will say I hate giving low ratings to books, because I know how much work lies in not just the writing, but also the publishing process.
However, in giving an honest review I have to be, well, honest. And the matter of fact is that this book was extremely poorly written.
But let me point out the good things first.
I really like the premise of this book. The idea is original, and with so many similar romantasy storylines out there, a portal romantasy like this feels like a fresh take. I think Elydor is an interesting world, and I like the idea of it and the magic system as well as the political intrigues.
In fact, I really like the overall idea of the book, and that’s the reason I requested it to start with.
A good idea alone, however, doesn’t make a good book. The writing is just as important - if not more. So let’s delve into the writing style, shall we?
Overall, the writing style of this book is sloppy. It is telling and the language is extremely passive, to the point where the book gets confusing time and time again, despite the fact that nothing is left for the reader to reflect upon themself.
Descriptions are minimal and it is difficult to get an idea of what is happening in the scenes, as most actions aren’t described. Time and time again Kael or Mev will say something and we’ll hear the other’s thoughts pointing out the exact thing every reader should be able to pick up between the lines. Sometimes the characters will be in the middle of a conversation and suddenly a character will think and ponder about something completely unrelated and then they’re on a horse.
I did like the fact, that the characters needed to relieve themselves from time to time. We don’t see that much in books. Though, if I’m being honest, maybe this book reached the ‘too much’ mark for mentioning pee-breaks.
In general, the book reads like a messy first draft, which is sad, because a thorough round of edits to make the writing more active and more showing, and this story would really be something up there!
The potential is there, but the writing style drags it down to a point where I really struggled to get through the book.
Overall 1/5. If you want to compare your book to bestsellers such as Fourth Wing or ACOTAR, you should have a product that can handle that comparison. And given the writing style in this book, that’s not the case here.
With that out of the way, I’ll say this. The idea is there. The world is there. The characters are there. I hope the author realizes that, and then takes the time to practice and improve her writing, because an idea as good as this one deserves a book worthy of it.
Whisper of War and Storms is a new portal romantasy, setting out as a book with vibes similar to those of Fourth Wing or A Court of Thorns and Roses, with a fresh, original take on the genre.
Before i get into a detailed review, I will say I hate giving low ratings to books, because I know how much work lies in not just the writing, but also the publishing process.
However, in giving an honest review I have to be, well, honest. And the matter of fact is that this book was extremely poorly written.
But let me point out the good things first.
I really like the premise of this book. The idea is original, and with so many similar romantasy storylines out there, a portal romantasy like this feels like a fresh take. I think Elydor is an interesting world, and I like the idea of it and the magic system as well as the political intrigues.
In fact, I really like the overall idea of the book, and that’s the reason I requested it to start with.
A good idea alone, however, doesn’t make a good book. The writing is just as important - if not more. So let’s delve into the writing style, shall we?
Overall, the writing style of this book is sloppy. It is telling and the language is extremely passive, to the point where the book gets confusing time and time again, despite the fact that nothing is left for the reader to reflect upon themself.
Descriptions are minimal and it is difficult to get an idea of what is happening in the scenes, as most actions aren’t described. Time and time again Kael or Mev will say something and we’ll hear the other’s thoughts pointing out the exact thing every reader should be able to pick up between the lines. Sometimes the characters will be in the middle of a conversation and suddenly a character will think and ponder about something completely unrelated and then they’re on a horse.
I did like the fact, that the characters needed to relieve themselves from time to time. We don’t see that much in books. Though, if I’m being honest, maybe this book reached the ‘too much’ mark for mentioning pee-breaks.
In general, the book reads like a messy first draft, which is sad, because a thorough round of edits to make the writing more active and more showing, and this story would really be something up there!
The potential is there, but the writing style drags it down to a point where I really struggled to get through the book.
Overall 1/5. If you want to compare your book to bestsellers such as Fourth Wing or ACOTAR, you should have a product that can handle that comparison. And given the writing style in this book, that’s not the case here.
With that out of the way, I’ll say this. The idea is there. The world is there. The characters are there. I hope the author realizes that, and then takes the time to practice and improve her writing, because an idea as good as this one deserves a book worthy of it.