A review by quasinaut
Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy find themselves in a fraught political situation that turns into a devastating war. I loved spending time with these characters and getting their individual perspectives. Plus, we were introduced to some delightful supporting characters (Parahan, Luvo, and Jimut, to name a few).

There were definitely elements that didn't get fully fleshed out, or that I thought would play a bigger part than they did, or that resolved too quickly. It felt like maybe Tamora Pierce struggled with figuring out whether she was writing for kids, teens, or adults -- or perhaps there just needed to be tighter editing for consistency. 

All in all, some of my favorite character interactions and world building, with some issues around pacing and tone. 
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