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A review by paradoxically
Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
4.0
The beginning of Cold Magic was both slow and felt rather cumbersome, and while I did not precisely struggle to read it, I was more than ambivalent about it. There are reasons for this. The world building has to begin and the author balances a delicate line between too much detail and exposition and not enough (well, like all fantasy novels). I wouldn't say that it was clumsily done, but it was a little heavy. I found myself at turns confused and then enlightened and then confused once more, but once all of the preliminary setting is laid out, then the book really hits its stride and I found myself enjoying it.
I found that Cat, the main character, was someone I liked very much. She's a little impulsive and hotheaded, but she does her best to try to temper it without smothering herself. She makes mistakes, but she tries her best in just about impossible conditions, and she does it without going 'woe is me' all of the time. She's a strong character.
But who really interested me (I can't say 'liked', since I like Cat better [I pretty much always like main characters best], but he is fascinating in his own right) was Andevai. What was best about him was the slow progression of his character, that as time went on he became more... not fleshed out, exactly (because that would mean that he was poorly characterized in the beginning), but more familiar to the reader, and so we understood more of what is going on in his mind. You read the book and you understand more about him and it's very skillfully done that you don't get whiplash from 'cold arrogant jerk' to, well, still a cold, arrogant jerk, but someone with more depth to him. It was fascinating seeing him evolve, and learning more about him as Cat learns more about him.
The plot is skillfully done. It races along the pages and you find yourself tense when Cat is, and relaxed when she is (though, yes, that doesn't happen as often as she'd like, heh). The character Rory is great, I feel compelled to give him a great giant squeeze of a hug, and I love the addition that he made. What is perhaps one of the best bits is Cat's relationship with her cousin Beatrice, and how strong it is. They love each other and would do whatever they can to protect each other, and it's a relationship that does not flounder, but only grows stronger.
Overall, a very strong book and I look forward to reading the next.
I found that Cat, the main character, was someone I liked very much. She's a little impulsive and hotheaded, but she does her best to try to temper it without smothering herself. She makes mistakes, but she tries her best in just about impossible conditions, and she does it without going 'woe is me' all of the time. She's a strong character.
But who really interested me (I can't say 'liked', since I like Cat better [I pretty much always like main characters best], but he is fascinating in his own right) was Andevai. What was best about him was the slow progression of his character, that as time went on he became more... not fleshed out, exactly (because that would mean that he was poorly characterized in the beginning), but more familiar to the reader, and so we understood more of what is going on in his mind. You read the book and you understand more about him and it's very skillfully done that you don't get whiplash from 'cold arrogant jerk' to, well, still a cold, arrogant jerk, but someone with more depth to him. It was fascinating seeing him evolve, and learning more about him as Cat learns more about him.
The plot is skillfully done. It races along the pages and you find yourself tense when Cat is, and relaxed when she is (though, yes, that doesn't happen as often as she'd like, heh). The character Rory is great, I feel compelled to give him a great giant squeeze of a hug, and I love the addition that he made. What is perhaps one of the best bits is Cat's relationship with her cousin Beatrice, and how strong it is. They love each other and would do whatever they can to protect each other, and it's a relationship that does not flounder, but only grows stronger.
Overall, a very strong book and I look forward to reading the next.