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A review by intostarlight
The Thorns Remain by J.J.A. Harwood
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was an overall pleasant read, perfect for those who love descriptive language, folklore, magic and fantasy. Instead of the more recent tendencies to romanticise the Fae, this Fae-based story leans into more traditional folklore, with sometimes sinister and morally ambiguous Fae which I really enjoyed.
I initially devoured this book, as Harwood's writing style is generally easy to read, and easy to follow. Later on some parts came through as very repetitive and slow, I think they could have been condensed in less pages and the pace of the plot could have been handled better. For the most part, however, Hardwood's world building is beautiful, detailed, and well worth the read.
Sadly I did not connect with Moira Jean as the main character. I think part of this is I found it hard to place the ages of the main, young group - sometimes the language felt like the group were young teens, and other times like the group were in their mid twenties.
All in all, this book was never going to be my favorite read, but I did find it to be generally satisfying, if a bit of a slog at times.
I initially devoured this book, as Harwood's writing style is generally easy to read, and easy to follow. Later on some parts came through as very repetitive and slow, I think they could have been condensed in less pages and the pace of the plot could have been handled better. For the most part, however, Hardwood's world building is beautiful, detailed, and well worth the read.
Sadly I did not connect with Moira Jean as the main character. I think part of this is I found it hard to place the ages of the main, young group - sometimes the language felt like the group were young teens, and other times like the group were in their mid twenties.
All in all, this book was never going to be my favorite read, but I did find it to be generally satisfying, if a bit of a slog at times.