A review by getwarmer
Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore

4.0

i will be completely honest i was slightly disappointed in this. i knew from reading the blurb that it was about a new continent but i was still expecting it to include more stuff from the past 3 books. i adore the first 3 and to me it felt like the ending of Bitterblue set up to expand more into what was already existing, not to jump off in another direction. i understand that there was a HUGE gap between Bitterblue and Winterkeep but im just sorta like. man. dang. it also in the weirdest way felt way more like it was trying to follow the trends of what is currently big with fantasy but that could just be me.

apart from that though, i did still enjoy this. i found myself wishing for previous characters at some points but i can still say theres not any major characters i have a disliking for at all which is huge for me. Lovisa is strange in a good way and i want her to be in lesbians with Nev so bad. jsyk. all returning characters were good too i esp like how Giddon has become way more human and tolerable over the course of the series lmao. Bitterblue still weird girl #1 and Hava coming into her own was super nice too.

Torla is sort of a whatever location for me. Weird technology nations dont do anything for me really but i dont hate it either. i will admit im not super crazy about the politics of the country but it is what it is and theres more going on than that.

im not really sure what else to say. i think really my biggest take away from this was that i liked Winterkeep as a book, but maybe not necessarily as a Graceling book? it still explores the themes of overcoming abuse and such that the others do, but i just. prefer the world and explained lore from the previous books more is all. its still weirdgirl series #1 forever tho