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A review by annettebooksofhopeanddreams
The Thirteenth Floor by Trudy Skies
4.0
When people ask me if I do cover buys I always say no. I never buy a book only because it has a pretty cover. However, when a book has both a pretty cover, an interesting summary AND an entire website with an intriguing world to explore it's impossible NOT to get the book. And then the urge to read the book strikes when I'm staying with my parents for the holidays and the paperback is at home. So, thank you so much Trudie Skies for helping this girl out!
The world building in this book is phenomenal. I personally would advice everyone to subscribe to Skies' newsletter to get the handbook and to read it before diving into this book. Reading the handbook first helped me to get familiar with all the names, species and the mythology. Therefore I didn't feel too overwhelmed when starting the book, especially because it throws us right into the action. And don't worry. The handbook contains absolutely no spoilers.
Even though Skies clearly spent a lot of time on the world building it never felt like the world building took over the entire story. In every possible way the world served the characters, although their journey had some impact on the world and vice versa. And although there were quite a few characters to get to know, apart from the two point of view characters, Skies made them so distinct and unique that it was quite easy to tell them apart.
With an epic fantasy like this the emotions of the story are quite often forgotten. It's one of the reasons (historical) epic fantasy and I usually don't really have a click. Skies proves with this book that epic fantasy and raw emotions can go together, though. The book contained quite a few really emotional scenes and at times the pain and worries and sorrows of the characters really jumped from the page.
After the spectacular finale It's quite clear that the story has only just begon. I can't wait to read what will happen next!
The world building in this book is phenomenal. I personally would advice everyone to subscribe to Skies' newsletter to get the handbook and to read it before diving into this book. Reading the handbook first helped me to get familiar with all the names, species and the mythology. Therefore I didn't feel too overwhelmed when starting the book, especially because it throws us right into the action. And don't worry. The handbook contains absolutely no spoilers.
Even though Skies clearly spent a lot of time on the world building it never felt like the world building took over the entire story. In every possible way the world served the characters, although their journey had some impact on the world and vice versa. And although there were quite a few characters to get to know, apart from the two point of view characters, Skies made them so distinct and unique that it was quite easy to tell them apart.
With an epic fantasy like this the emotions of the story are quite often forgotten. It's one of the reasons (historical) epic fantasy and I usually don't really have a click. Skies proves with this book that epic fantasy and raw emotions can go together, though. The book contained quite a few really emotional scenes and at times the pain and worries and sorrows of the characters really jumped from the page.
After the spectacular finale It's quite clear that the story has only just begon. I can't wait to read what will happen next!