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abbytait 's review for:
Ship of Destiny
by Robin Hobb
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is pure magic. And this review is likely to read so dramatic but I truly believe that it’s a transcendent series and one that will be a classic in the genre for decades to come.
Hobb explores slavery in almost all of its forms. The idea and impacts of slavery, and the identity of being enslaved; but more so, the literal concept of ownership and what we call ‘mine’ - that it is to own another entity, to own oneself and one’s feelings, to be a slave to one’s past and pain. Each character goes through transformational pain - genuinely there were a few chapters I had to put the book down and walk away for a moment. Hobb also explores the lengths we go to in order to survive; to find our identity and place in the world, protect our families, redeem ourselves, reclaim power or find a sense of justice.
Due to Hobb’s masterful character work, across the series, I’ve hated characters, loved them, pitied them, feared them, been worried about them, cried over them and experienced the spectrum of emotions alongside them. And the crazy thing is I would experience many of these within a singular character arc.
This is a book for readers who love reading about very complicated and layered characters, ‘morally-grey’ people in morally grey situations and in dilemmas that pull at our sense of right and wrong, who may or may not find redemption, and who remind us that people are not 2D and have multitudes. There are unlikely heroes and situations where good people can do really bad things, and bad people have capacity to do really good things.
I fear for my heart as I look ahead to 10 more books in the Realm of the Elderlings, but I am equally fascinated and excited to unravel more of the mysterious in this world.
Hobb explores slavery in almost all of its forms. The idea and impacts of slavery, and the identity of being enslaved; but more so, the literal concept of ownership and what we call ‘mine’ - that it is to own another entity, to own oneself and one’s feelings, to be a slave to one’s past and pain. Each character goes through transformational pain - genuinely there were a few chapters I had to put the book down and walk away for a moment. Hobb also explores the lengths we go to in order to survive; to find our identity and place in the world, protect our families, redeem ourselves, reclaim power or find a sense of justice.
Due to Hobb’s masterful character work, across the series, I’ve hated characters, loved them, pitied them, feared them, been worried about them, cried over them and experienced the spectrum of emotions alongside them. And the crazy thing is I would experience many of these within a singular character arc.
This is a book for readers who love reading about very complicated and layered characters, ‘morally-grey’ people in morally grey situations and in dilemmas that pull at our sense of right and wrong, who may or may not find redemption, and who remind us that people are not 2D and have multitudes. There are unlikely heroes and situations where good people can do really bad things, and bad people have capacity to do really good things.
I fear for my heart as I look ahead to 10 more books in the Realm of the Elderlings, but I am equally fascinated and excited to unravel more of the mysterious in this world.