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711 reviews
Honorbound by Avery Carter
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gwynhafahr val Dieth was always destined to be a Hero, that much she knows. And yet, life at the Academy is not exactly how she envisioned it: she struggles to fit in with the other Heroes-in-training, her rankings are consistently low, and above all she is desperately homesick. To make matters worse, her best friend from back home never replied to any of her letters, with no explanation whatsoever.
So Gwyn is incredibly surprised when a delegation from her home comes to visit the Academy with Izzy accompanying them. Could this be their chance to mend their relationship, or will a dark secret tear everything apart?
Set in the same world as Carter's previous book, Spellbound, Honorbound is the perfect follow-up, even though it works truly well also as a standalone. The Academy is a fascinating setting without being so overly complicated that readers risk getting lost in it, making this a great book for readers approaching fantasy novels. The characters are charming and well-developed, especially the main character Gwyn. Her efforts to fit in delicately convey a meaningful reflection on belonging, and her struggles with insecurity, loneliness, friendship and love are very relatable, especially for a younger audience.
The book is described as a dark cozy academia fantasy and, while that may sound somewhat confusing at first, it is an accurate description. The stakes are moderately high, yet there is a pervasive coziness throughout the narrative and it is impossible not to become invested in the characters' struggles. For fans of the previous book, there are some very welcome returns but having read it is not a prerequisite in order to enjoy Honorbound.
Despite some small issues with pacing, with the last third or so of the book feeling slightly too rushed, this is a truly pleasant reading experience. Readers looking for an adventure that does not require excessive commitment on a cold winter evening (but that is nonetheless highly rewarding) will certainly find it here.
This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
I received an e-arc of this book for free via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
So Gwyn is incredibly surprised when a delegation from her home comes to visit the Academy with Izzy accompanying them. Could this be their chance to mend their relationship, or will a dark secret tear everything apart?
Set in the same world as Carter's previous book, Spellbound, Honorbound is the perfect follow-up, even though it works truly well also as a standalone. The Academy is a fascinating setting without being so overly complicated that readers risk getting lost in it, making this a great book for readers approaching fantasy novels. The characters are charming and well-developed, especially the main character Gwyn. Her efforts to fit in delicately convey a meaningful reflection on belonging, and her struggles with insecurity, loneliness, friendship and love are very relatable, especially for a younger audience.
The book is described as a dark cozy academia fantasy and, while that may sound somewhat confusing at first, it is an accurate description. The stakes are moderately high, yet there is a pervasive coziness throughout the narrative and it is impossible not to become invested in the characters' struggles. For fans of the previous book, there are some very welcome returns but having read it is not a prerequisite in order to enjoy Honorbound.
Despite some small issues with pacing, with the last third or so of the book feeling slightly too rushed, this is a truly pleasant reading experience. Readers looking for an adventure that does not require excessive commitment on a cold winter evening (but that is nonetheless highly rewarding) will certainly find it here.
This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
I received an e-arc of this book for free via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
The Immigrant Queen by Peter Taylor-Gooby
In this context, Aspasia is a truly fascinating figure: a foreigner with a past as a sex-worker who became the only woman in Socrates's circle, debating with the wisest men of the time and composing dialogues much like Plato's (which were sadly lost). She also became the lover-then-wife of Pericles, the city's most formidable statesman at the time, frequently counselling him on political strategy. She was ambitious, highly intelligent and capable - and mostly erased from history.
I appreciated the fact that Aspasia's story was told through the eyes of her slave, Limander, who is an educated bard taken captive when the Athenian army attacked his hometown. Limander is a keen observer with access to rooms others wouldn't normally be allowed in, who reports back on the conversations that are had behind closed doors. He is favoured by his mistress, yet he is keenly aware of the living conditions of his fellow slaves and the inhumanity of it all, highlighting the contrast between the way Athenians think of themselves and how they behave towards all those groups they consider to be inferior. The relationships he builds with the other slaves in Aspasia's household are deep and meaningful, their solidarity built out of necessity and the desire to keep hold of their humanity.
Overall though this was an engaging read, and I was interested in seeing the parallelisms that could be drawn between populist rhetoric in the past and nowadays - perhaps with a bit of sadness that not much seems to have changed at all.
I received an e-arc of this book as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I rarely pass by an opportunity to read a female-centred retelling or historical fiction, so when I heard about The Immigrant Queen featuring Aspasia, I knew I had to read it.
Athens clearly comes across as a city of contradictions: it is widely regarded as "the cradle of democracy" thanks to the fact that citizens could vote on public matters in the Assembly, yet "citizens" were a very limited category made up exclusively of free men - a minority of the city's inhabitants. Women and foreigners had virtually no rights, and slavery was widely accepted.
Of course. I understand the rules for women in Athens: always keep your eyes cast down, as if ashamed", her voice strengthened as she spoke, "always you must walk behind, as if you needed guidance; always be veiled, as if you carried the plague; never have an opinion, as if you were a child.
In this context, Aspasia is a truly fascinating figure: a foreigner with a past as a sex-worker who became the only woman in Socrates's circle, debating with the wisest men of the time and composing dialogues much like Plato's (which were sadly lost). She also became the lover-then-wife of Pericles, the city's most formidable statesman at the time, frequently counselling him on political strategy. She was ambitious, highly intelligent and capable - and mostly erased from history.
The goddess offered Achilles the choice: a short life but glorious, remembered in song and story, or to plough the fields in a forgotten kingdom and grow old by the fire. He chose glory. Why should a woman not choose glory too? Not to be remembered for the man who chose her and the children she bore but for the deeds she did.
I appreciated the fact that Aspasia's story was told through the eyes of her slave, Limander, who is an educated bard taken captive when the Athenian army attacked his hometown. Limander is a keen observer with access to rooms others wouldn't normally be allowed in, who reports back on the conversations that are had behind closed doors. He is favoured by his mistress, yet he is keenly aware of the living conditions of his fellow slaves and the inhumanity of it all, highlighting the contrast between the way Athenians think of themselves and how they behave towards all those groups they consider to be inferior. The relationships he builds with the other slaves in Aspasia's household are deep and meaningful, their solidarity built out of necessity and the desire to keep hold of their humanity.
In Limander's outings in the city on errands for Aspasia or secretly meeting his noble-born lover, we readers are offered a snapshot of what life in Athens must have looked like, amid great cultural ferment in theatres, politics and philosophy, and devastating social inequalities and iniquities. It is clear the author did an amazing amount of research to fully recreate the atmosphere and make ancient Athens come alive (despite a couple of anachronisms in dialogue, which I hope will be fixed in the final version of the text - such as a character saying "OK"), and it really shines through.
What I was perhaps less taken with was the character of Aspasia herself. As the story is told from Limander's POV, we are never privy to her innermost thoughts and feelings, only to what she chooses to share with those around her. Despite some powerful quotes on the role of women in society, Aspasia is still predominantly portrayed in connection with Pericles and her relationship with him. For instance, there is only one scene by my count in which she converses with Socrates by herself, sharing with him passages of the dialogue she is writing on outlanders and citizens. This honestly disappointed me and felt like a missed opportunity to tell a woman's story without having her portrayed only in relation to the famous man in her life. I did appreciate the scenes in which Pericles counsels with Aspasia on his political strategy, and that was precisely what I would have liked to see more of.
They remember so many great men - Aegeus, Theseus, Solon, Draco, Cleisthenes, Themistocles, Aeschylus, Miltiades and all the others. Why should they not one day remember a woman?
Overall though this was an engaging read, and I was interested in seeing the parallelisms that could be drawn between populist rhetoric in the past and nowadays - perhaps with a bit of sadness that not much seems to have changed at all.
I received an e-arc of this book as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Recently I've been finding it hard to be completely drawn in by a book, fully losing myself in the world and deeply caring about its characters. I'm not sure whether that's due to this particular period of time in which life feels too full or if I've been unlucky in mostly picking up books that left me lukewarm, but I was almost resigned to it happening again. And then I met Kavithri.
Let me start by saying this is absolutely not a book to pick up if you have a hard time with explicit violence as there is a lot of it here. Although it is essential to the story and none of it feels gratuitous, it was hard for me to stomach a few scenes and I definitely had a difficult time with certain passages in the final third. I'll leave some more detailed content warnings under the spoiler tag below if you wish to check them out.
With that out of the way, I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I went into it knowing very little - having mostly only read the blurb when I applied for the blog tour and, as often happens, promptly forgotten about it. I was really glad for that though because it allowed me to be surprised multiple times as I was reading and slowly getting to know the characters and the world they inhabit.
The world of Kavithri is a brutal, South-Asian inspired fantasy with a dash of dystopia, which I would personally class somewhere between grimdark and epic. The world is complex yet clearly drawn, with information being slowly conveyed in different ways without ever descending into long infodumps. The magic system is particularly intriguingeven though it took me a while to wrap my head around it, but I won't go into any more detail as this slow discovery was an essential part of my enjoyment of this book.
I loved how the author managed to build up towards the explosive ending, carefully balancing worldbuilding, character growth and plot with very satisfying results. I was completely glued to the pages, finding it really hard to put this down. Honestly, I was quite surprised that this was a debut as it shows some really impressive writing skills and maturity - if this is the first, I can't wait to see what this author does next!
Kavithri is an amazing main character: her resilience and resistance in the face of adversity is truly admirable, determined as she is to achieve her goals through sweat, tears and blood if needed (quite literally) in spite of everything life keeps throwing at her. For Kavithri is not only poor, she is a Taemu - the lowest of the low in this world's caste system - and for that she is reviled and abused at every turn. The treatment of the Taemu in general is brutal, as they have been consistently dehumanised and used as scapegoats in a very deliberate way by those in power who seek to maintain systems of oppression in place.
This is where the book shines particularly for me, as it addresses some very timely themes revolving around inequality, oppression and the legacy of colonialism. Despite everything, Kavi keeps going and she tries desperately to hold onto her values as she does so, to keep the flame of kindness and empathy alive. Yet, there is also space for rightful rage, challenging these systems that annihilate people with no real reason if not the accumulation of power. Even in the most desperate of times, there is hope to be found in community and solidarity and - at the very least - in freely choosing to live and die on one's own terms for what one believes in. The road to breaking free of social conditioning is long and arduous, and cannot be travelled alone.
Aside from the sometimes excessively explicit violence (which is entirely personal sensitivity), the only other thing I would say is that I would have appreciated having a glossary as there were a lot of unfamiliar terms which I sometimes struggled to keep straight in my mind - not a huge deal, but it would have been helpful!
This is a truly powerful read and one of the best fantasy novels I have read in quite a while. I suspect that Kavithri and the rest of these colourful, complicated, contradictory characters will stay with me for a while yet, and I look forward to seeing how their stories will progress in the next book in the series.
I received a review copy of this book for free from the publisher via as part of the blog tour organised by TheWriteReads. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
I received a review copy of this book for free from the publisher via as part of the blog tour organised by TheWriteReads. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Genocide, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Classism
Minor: Suicide
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I hadn't planned on reading this when it first came out, as I'm generally skeptical about prequels. Then, after a Hunger Games re-read this year as part of a reading challenge, I got curious and thought to check this out - thanks in no small part to the fact that Santino Fontana narrated the audiobook. I was pleasantly surprised.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes isn't a fantastic book, but it is entertaining and introspective, and just generally much better than I expected it to be. It was really interesting to follow Snow's point of view in his youth, to see how he might grow up to become the ruthless president we all love to hate. One thing that actually had surprised me on my HG re-read was how I remembered him being so much more present than he truly was, a sure sign of a memorable villain who permeated the trilogy without actually appearing for very long at all. So, it was fascinating for me to spend more time with him.
Coriolanus Snow isn't likeable - at all - and as a character isn't terribly complex either, driven as he is solely by a desire to succeed and restore his family's former glory, power and - above all - money. He is extremely self-centred makes some terrible choices; following his reasonings is truly unpleasant but I liked that this isn't an attempt at rehabilitation. At no point in the book is it suggested that we should somehow excuse his behaviour: the best we readers can hope to do is to understand it, but there is no salvation in sight.
I was particularly worried about the romance, but again I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is little space for doubt in the relationship between Snow and Lucy Gray: what he claims to be love is only further desire for power, a wish to control and possess a free spirit.
As with the original trilogy, none of the themes touched upon here are particularly subtle - and this extremely toxic behaviour is no exception - but as this is essentially aimed at a younger audience I won't count it against the book. It was also much more introspective than I anticipated, with several reflections veering more towards philosophical musings on human nature and social contracts. Again, not particularly deep and sometimes slightly too on-the-nose (I fully expected certain characters to start quoting The Leviathan at some point) but still a pleasant addition to the universe. I can fully see why some readers who loved the original trilogy might have been disappointed by this one, as the action is very limited and the time spent in the arena was - for me at least - probably the most boring part.
The secondary characters are fairly weak here. As far as Capitol inhabitants go, there are just too many characters who seem to have no distinctive traits whatsoever. By the halfway mark I still couldn't tell the difference between the different mentors - nor the tributes to be honest. The ones who do get some more space for development are fairly stereotypical and one-dimensional, archetypes more than fully fledged characters in their own right. Lucy Gray and Sejanus particularly could have benefited from further development, and I was sorry not to see them gain some of the complexity their characters could have had.
There are multiple elements connecting back to the original trilogy which serve to further understanding (I particularly enjoyed unveiling hints to the origins of Snow's instant hatred of Katniss) or add context to the world, although at times they seemed just a tad too many - fan-service more than real development. The world also isn't particularly built upon in this book, so I expect that if anyone were to approach this universe starting here they would probably have trouble orienting themselves.
Where the book really had issues for me though was in the pacing, which feels all over the place. It started strong, then slowed down considerably, then rushed back at the end... I basically had whiplash. There were also too many repetitions, which really didn't help and made the narrative drag a lot. As far as the audio narration goes, I enjoyed Santino Fontana's interpretation, but really can't understand why they had him recite the song lyrics instead of actually singing them. Having the lyrics just there interrupted the flow and was - again - deeply repetitive most of the time, while having the actual music would have really helped to lend them more emotion, as it had in the HG audios narrated by Tatiana Maslany. I'm truly baffled as to why one would hire a singer to narrate a book featuring multiple songs and not make him sing... Anyway, that's just my opinion!
Overall, this was better than I expected it to be but still had a lot of issues. I am still glad I read it though, and I will look forward to reading the next book when it releases!
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes isn't a fantastic book, but it is entertaining and introspective, and just generally much better than I expected it to be. It was really interesting to follow Snow's point of view in his youth, to see how he might grow up to become the ruthless president we all love to hate. One thing that actually had surprised me on my HG re-read was how I remembered him being so much more present than he truly was, a sure sign of a memorable villain who permeated the trilogy without actually appearing for very long at all. So, it was fascinating for me to spend more time with him.
Coriolanus Snow isn't likeable - at all - and as a character isn't terribly complex either, driven as he is solely by a desire to succeed and restore his family's former glory, power and - above all - money. He is extremely self-centred makes some terrible choices; following his reasonings is truly unpleasant but I liked that this isn't an attempt at rehabilitation. At no point in the book is it suggested that we should somehow excuse his behaviour: the best we readers can hope to do is to understand it, but there is no salvation in sight.
I was particularly worried about the romance, but again I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is little space for doubt in the relationship between Snow and Lucy Gray: what he claims to be love is only further desire for power, a wish to control and possess a free spirit.
As with the original trilogy, none of the themes touched upon here are particularly subtle - and this extremely toxic behaviour is no exception - but as this is essentially aimed at a younger audience I won't count it against the book. It was also much more introspective than I anticipated, with several reflections veering more towards philosophical musings on human nature and social contracts. Again, not particularly deep and sometimes slightly too on-the-nose (I fully expected certain characters to start quoting The Leviathan at some point) but still a pleasant addition to the universe. I can fully see why some readers who loved the original trilogy might have been disappointed by this one, as the action is very limited and the time spent in the arena was - for me at least - probably the most boring part.
The secondary characters are fairly weak here. As far as Capitol inhabitants go, there are just too many characters who seem to have no distinctive traits whatsoever. By the halfway mark I still couldn't tell the difference between the different mentors - nor the tributes to be honest. The ones who do get some more space for development are fairly stereotypical and one-dimensional, archetypes more than fully fledged characters in their own right. Lucy Gray and Sejanus particularly could have benefited from further development, and I was sorry not to see them gain some of the complexity their characters could have had.
There are multiple elements connecting back to the original trilogy which serve to further understanding (I particularly enjoyed unveiling hints to the origins of Snow's instant hatred of Katniss) or add context to the world, although at times they seemed just a tad too many - fan-service more than real development. The world also isn't particularly built upon in this book, so I expect that if anyone were to approach this universe starting here they would probably have trouble orienting themselves.
Where the book really had issues for me though was in the pacing, which feels all over the place. It started strong, then slowed down considerably, then rushed back at the end... I basically had whiplash. There were also too many repetitions, which really didn't help and made the narrative drag a lot. As far as the audio narration goes, I enjoyed Santino Fontana's interpretation, but really can't understand why they had him recite the song lyrics instead of actually singing them. Having the lyrics just there interrupted the flow and was - again - deeply repetitive most of the time, while having the actual music would have really helped to lend them more emotion, as it had in the HG audios narrated by Tatiana Maslany. I'm truly baffled as to why one would hire a singer to narrate a book featuring multiple songs and not make him sing... Anyway, that's just my opinion!
Overall, this was better than I expected it to be but still had a lot of issues. I am still glad I read it though, and I will look forward to reading the next book when it releases!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual assault
A Curse for Samhain by Dahlia Donovan
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Despite my best intentions, I haven't been very good at following through on my goal to read more books in theme with spooky season this year. Of course, I'll still try to do so after tonight but I really wanted to share at least one Halloween-themed read this year, so enter A Curse for Samhain!
This queer fantasy cozy mystery is a delightful quick and easy read, which was perfect to get that light spooky, witchy feeling while also being really fun. The story is told in alternating POVs, following Hyde - a genderfluid autistic vampire who runs the village bookstore - and his neighbour Teresa - a witch with a taco bus (not truck!). I really enjoyed the characters and their relationship and budding romance. There is so much diversity in this book and it refreshing for once to read about an accepting community, where every resident does their bit to make others feel welcome and boundaries are clearly communicated and respected.
Of course it isn't all blissful as there is still a murder mystery to deal with. This is the part that worked slightly less well for me, as it seemed to remain very surface-level and was resolved far too quickly. Granted, this is a cozy mystery set in a very small village so it's not as if there could be many suspects and a really intricate mystery, but I was still left wanting a little more depth and structure to it than there actually was. That being said, I really liked the depiction of grief and the way the deceased's life is celebrated by the village community.
Overall, this was a pleasant read with a lot more potential than was realised here. It would work well for readers looking for a quick and easy read featuring diverse characters and a quirky, accepting small community, or as a palate-cleanser between tough reads, but might leave anyone looking for a more compelling mystery unsatisfied. I'll look forward to returning to this world with the next book though, to see where the author will take their characters next.
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Il cognome delle donne by Aurora Tamigio
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: War
The Devil Herself by D.A. Willows
Did not finish book. Stopped at 74%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 74%.
DNF @ 74%
While the idea behind the story is intriguing, there are significant issues with the execution that make it hard to rate this book favourably.
The number of repetitions within the text is excessive, resulting in a stilted narrative and significant frustration on the reader's part as the same concepts (and often the exact same words) are repeated multiple times in a very short space, and there are numerous inconsistencies and contradictions within the text . This also contributes to the sense that the story is barely progressing, with very few new elements being added, giving rise to serious pacing issues. It also felt as though context was lacking, and the settings were described too vaguely to provide a sense of how characters move in the space, often resulting in confusing scenes. Dialogues also suffer from repetitiveness and feel very unnatural. Character development is too generic and surface-level, with vague references to past events and over-reliance on self-talk to describe characters' personalities.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
While the idea behind the story is intriguing, there are significant issues with the execution that make it hard to rate this book favourably.
The number of repetitions within the text is excessive, resulting in a stilted narrative and significant frustration on the reader's part as the same concepts (and often the exact same words) are repeated multiple times in a very short space, and there are numerous inconsistencies and contradictions within the text . This also contributes to the sense that the story is barely progressing, with very few new elements being added, giving rise to serious pacing issues. It also felt as though context was lacking, and the settings were described too vaguely to provide a sense of how characters move in the space, often resulting in confusing scenes. Dialogues also suffer from repetitiveness and feel very unnatural. Character development is too generic and surface-level, with vague references to past events and over-reliance on self-talk to describe characters' personalities.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is one of those books I actually had to think long and hard about after finishing it because I was so conflicted over how to rate it, since there quite a few things I enjoyed but also at least as many I was frustrated with.
Starting with the positives, I was immediately hooked on the premise for this book: a light academia epistolary underwater fantasy mystery romance sounds like a mouthful, but also exactly like the type of book I would enjoy. Told entirely through letters, the book revolves around the disappearance of reclusive E. and scholar Henerey Clel following a mysterious discovery they made, and their siblings' attempts at making sense of this.
The relationships that develop between the different characters, which readers can witness slowly unfurling through their correspondence, were by far my favourite part of the book. Interactions between the different characters are realistic and rich, whether that's the sisterly relationship between E. and her Sophy, the budding romance between Henerey and E., or the friendship between Sophy and Henerey's brother Vyerin, bound together by grief and the need for closure. It is hard to convey such deep levels of human connections only through letters, but the author did a wonderful job of it.
The world is also intriguing and lavishly built, with many natural wonders and sea creatures being thoroughly presented throughout the book as the different characters engage in their research, and I was keen to learn as much as possible about them. What comes across as less clear in the world building is the way society is structured and functions, despite references to academia and its structure throughout. Now, it is entirely possible that this will become clearer in the next book (or books?) in the series, since this is only the first one - something which I realised very late on, as for some reason I was convinced I was reading a standalone.
What I struggled most with in reading this book were the writing style and the pacing. As the characters are all scholars or researchers, their use of language reflects this, with a prose reminiscent of Victorian English laced with academic jargon. This isn't typically an issue for me, since I'm used to reading academic papers for work, and I enjoyed other books written in a similar style: for instance, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is narrated through research journal entries and I had a great time with it. With A Letter to the Luminous Deep though, the sparks just didn't fly, and I ended up finding the style verbose and overly weighed down by unnecessary formalities, even in letters between siblings.
I was also completely unable to distinguish between the different voices, as all the characters sounded exactly the same in their writings. At one point, I had to switch to the audiobook version (which is excellent, by the way), as the production featuring multiple narrators finally allowed me to understand whose letter I was reading without constantly having to go back to check. This made me feel as though the book was just dragging along, something which wasn't helped by the extremely slow pace. Now, I generally prefer character development to plot so maybe this was a case of me reading this book at the wrong time, but I really struggled to get through it for large sections in which it felt as though nothing at all was happening. And then, everything happened all at once, ending on a pretty huge cliffhanger, which I found pretty frustrating.
I think I'll probably pick up the next book in the series since I am somewhat curious as to where the story might go next. This is also a debut and I see some great potential for the author in the next books, especially given how the relationships in this book were some of the best written I have come across recently. I also liked the queer normative society and the mental health rep (with depictions of OCD and anxiety), so there's definitely a lot to save here!
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Of Warriors and Sages Arlan's Pledge Book Two by Jenn Lees
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
Picking up shortly after the events of the previous book, Of Warriors and Sages takes readers back to Dál Gaedhle where Arlan and his faithful companions must face a perilous quest in order for him to win the high kingship and save his land from Lord Ciarán's nefarious plans. Meanwhile, in modern-day Scotland, Rhiannon has been waiting for two years for Arlan's return so she may finally join him in his world - her true home. But with her past still shrouded in mystery, will she even be allowed to be with Arlan? Or can their love surpass all obstacles?
Picking up shortly after the events of the previous book, Of Warriors and Sages takes readers back to Dál Gaedhle where Arlan and his faithful companions must face a perilous quest in order for him to win the high kingship and save his land from Lord Ciarán's nefarious plans. Meanwhile, in modern-day Scotland, Rhiannon has been waiting for two years for Arlan's return so she may finally join him in his world - her true home. But with her past still shrouded in mystery, will she even be allowed to be with Arlan? Or can their love surpass all obstacles?
In this second instalment in the series, the author displays tremendous skills in building on the previous book while avoiding the dreaded second-book crisis to deliver an even richer tale. As more time is spent in Dál Gaedhle, the world building takes centre stage, fully displaying the richness of this setting inspired by medieval Scotland. The different peoples, customs and history are presented without descending into pure exposition, but rather are seamlessly woven into the narrative.
The secondary characters, particularly members of Arlan's war band, are also much more present, allowing readers a chance to get to know them better and fleshing out the different relationships. The introduction of some new characters - especially Lady Leynarve and former assassin Vygeas - alongside others whom readers had already met offered new group dynamics as well as some truly fascinating subplots. Arlan and Rhiannon remained the focal points and, although their romance has to contend with a host of other pressing matters, the challenges they face (both individually and jointly) allow them to grow and adapt. The narration through multiple perspectives works truly well to allow a glimpse into different characters' thoughts, feelings and fears, forging a bond between them and readers. Action abounds in this book and, between battles, crimes, and a quest, there is never a dull moment.
Of Warriors and Sages is a fast-paced novel brimming with excitement and magic that will leave readers guessing right up to the end and aching for the next instalment. Perfect for anyone who ever wished Outlander had dragons.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free from the author via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free from the author via Reedsy Discovery. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Abandonment and War
Minor: Mental illness