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imme_van_gorp's reviews
701 reviews
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
It seems to me that Elisabeth has actually been so lonely and unhappy over the years. Sure, she loved her pack and her children, but she was clearly missing something. I don’t think she ever felt truly whole.
“One day,” she whispers to it. “One day, my love. I will look upon your face, and all will be well.”
However, the loss, the grief and the guilt never brought her down though; she always continued to be strong, courageous and formidable. Nothing could bring her down completely.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing was just as beautiful and unique as I remember from the first book, but, similarly, it also dragged and became a little repetitive. I am definitely standing by my statement that these books should not be this long, especially since it simply doesn’t have a very elaborate story to tell. The plot is fairly simple and uncomplicated, and not much of anything happens.
The reason I liked this book less than I did the first one is because I felt less of an emotional connection between the characters here as I did there. Not only is Gordo someone I personally felt less sympathy and love towards than I did Ox, but it was also clear that Gordo’s relationships with everyone else were less intense and well-developed. Perhaps it’s because Gordo was so incredibly angry at everyone and everything for such a long time, but I also feel like the author simply chose to include less bonding scenes in this book.
I mean, Gordo’s relationship with the other pack-members all felt rather surface level and really didn’t have a whole lot of meat to it. The most interesting relationship Gordo had with anyone else was with Thomas, and he was already dead at the beginning of this book, so those complex and intricate feelings were only present through flashbacks.
Even Gordo’s relationship with Ox, which was one of my favourite things about the first book, felt inconsequential and insignificant here. They hardly ever interacted and I didn’t feel any of the love between them that they used to have. I had a lot of expectations from their relationship, but it failed to deliver on every front. I really thought Gordo would be really protective of him and see him as a son, but he never really thought about Ox in any special way. It was disappointing.
Lastly, the romance also felt a little random in the sense that we were being told they had this deep-rooted mating bond, but we weren’t being shown. Gordo and Mark’s interactions were few and far between, and even when they did interact it wasn’t one filled with love or longing or tension or chemistry; it was all a little bland and uncaring. Gordo was angry, and Mark just… existed. Mark never fought for Gordo (not in the past or in the present), and Gordo never made any attempt at forgiveness. Neither of them ever really showed me that they truly loved each other, not through words or through actions.
All in all, this was a bit disappointing for me, but the writing itself remained gorgeous. Maybe it’s a little crazy, but I mostly enjoyed this book because of how pretty and lyrical and engaging it was to read, but not really because of the actual content.
The reason I liked this book less than I did the first one is because I felt less of an emotional connection between the characters here as I did there. Not only is Gordo someone I personally felt less sympathy and love towards than I did Ox, but it was also clear that Gordo’s relationships with everyone else were less intense and well-developed. Perhaps it’s because Gordo was so incredibly angry at everyone and everything for such a long time, but I also feel like the author simply chose to include less bonding scenes in this book.
I mean, Gordo’s relationship with the other pack-members all felt rather surface level and really didn’t have a whole lot of meat to it. The most interesting relationship Gordo had with anyone else was with Thomas, and he was already dead at the beginning of this book, so those complex and intricate feelings were only present through flashbacks.
Even Gordo’s relationship with Ox, which was one of my favourite things about the first book, felt inconsequential and insignificant here. They hardly ever interacted and I didn’t feel any of the love between them that they used to have. I had a lot of expectations from their relationship, but it failed to deliver on every front. I really thought Gordo would be really protective of him and see him as a son, but he never really thought about Ox in any special way. It was disappointing.
Lastly, the romance also felt a little random in the sense that we were being told they had this deep-rooted mating bond, but we weren’t being shown. Gordo and Mark’s interactions were few and far between, and even when they did interact it wasn’t one filled with love or longing or tension or chemistry; it was all a little bland and uncaring. Gordo was angry, and Mark just… existed. Mark never fought for Gordo (not in the past or in the present), and Gordo never made any attempt at forgiveness. Neither of them ever really showed me that they truly loved each other, not through words or through actions.
All in all, this was a bit disappointing for me, but the writing itself remained gorgeous. Maybe it’s a little crazy, but I mostly enjoyed this book because of how pretty and lyrical and engaging it was to read, but not really because of the actual content.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Although this was pretty entertaining and absorbing to read (for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on), I won’t deny that it was technically bad. The plot was okay-ish (for this type of book at least), but the romance definitely lacked any kind of depth or meaning.
The entire relationship was lust-based and all they did was have hate-sex. It wasn’t until the book was almost over that I finally started to see some semblance of a connection between these two (which was honestly still shallow at best). Before that point they only felt animosity and an inexplicable attraction towards each other, and no hint of gentleness or affection was in sight. It would certainly be a fair description to call their relationship toxic and unhealthy, which wouldn’t be the end of the world if it weren’t for the fact that their obsession with each other was only based on lust and hate.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is so brilliant in its straightforward way of showing the manipulation, narcissism, cruelty, slavery and inequality involved in communist regimes, fascist doctrines, and totalitarian tyrannies.
The book’s utter simplicity in writing as well as content is exactly what makes it so powerful.
The book’s utter simplicity in writing as well as content is exactly what makes it so powerful.
“ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.”
The bitter irony of this story is that I think Snowball could have actually made it all work fairly and efficiently for everyone on the farm, but unfortunately the right people are never the ones (who stay) in power, either through corruption or through sheer stupidity of the masses.
That’s also why, although communism is nice in theory, it can never become reality as it will always be ruined by the innate evilness and selfishness of men (or pigs, in this case).
That’s also why, although communism is nice in theory, it can never become reality as it will always be ruined by the innate evilness and selfishness of men (or pigs, in this case).
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
I was afraid I wouldn’t enjoy this novella because we already knew it would have a sad ending due to the previous book, but I shouldn’t have worried. There wasn’t a single moment where I would have felt emotional anyway, regardless of knowing the ending beforehand. I felt zero connection to the characters or story, and I simply didn’t care.
Also, is it just me or was it a little sad that Adena was constantly thinking about Pae like she was some perfect saviour, when we know that Pae never even gave her a second thought once she left Loot.
I mean, poor girl… Such a one-sided friendship, and then she even has to die so tragically for it? That’s the worst luck in the world.
That said, Adena’s incessant perkiness and childishness did give me a major headache and her romance with Mac was really superficial as well. Adena truly read as a child 99% of the time, and Mac read like he had the personality of a cardboard box. Their relationship gave me the ick, especially because Adena was way more into him at first than the other way around and it was pathetic. Then, suddenly, for no reason whatsoever, Max becomes obsessed with her too but it just feels fake and random.
The writing was also insanely repetitive and super cringy, especially in the first half. The first half truly was one of the worst things I’ve read in a while, but the second half was quite a bit better. It still wasn’t good, but at least it wasn’t that awful either.
I think it’s because the second half at least had some semblance of a plot, so we didn’t have to focus so much on the awkward and forced romance. Still, the tiny bit of plot we did get felt super rushed and underdeveloped. This novella could have done so much more with it.
We could have gotten to see the true friendship between Adena and Pae (so that Pae’s revenge arc in Reckless would hold more meaning) or we could have seen how and why the king did this to Adena (but instead we skipped over every scene that could have told us anything meaningful). I think the only reason this novella will have had some sort of purpose is if Mac ends up playing a big part in the rest of the series, but I’m not sure he will. And even still, his personality was pretty much non-existent in this, so the novella wouldn’t have added much regardless.
Honestly, I just wasn’t a big fan of this whole story overall, and I felt disappointed and underwhelmed. It was pretty bad. It’s as plain and simple as that.
Also, is it just me or was it a little sad that Adena was constantly thinking about Pae like she was some perfect saviour, when we know that Pae never even gave her a second thought once she left Loot.
I mean, poor girl… Such a one-sided friendship, and then she even has to die so tragically for it? That’s the worst luck in the world.
That said, Adena’s incessant perkiness and childishness did give me a major headache and her romance with Mac was really superficial as well. Adena truly read as a child 99% of the time, and Mac read like he had the personality of a cardboard box. Their relationship gave me the ick, especially because Adena was way more into him at first than the other way around and it was pathetic. Then, suddenly, for no reason whatsoever, Max becomes obsessed with her too but it just feels fake and random.
The writing was also insanely repetitive and super cringy, especially in the first half. The first half truly was one of the worst things I’ve read in a while, but the second half was quite a bit better. It still wasn’t good, but at least it wasn’t that awful either.
I think it’s because the second half at least had some semblance of a plot, so we didn’t have to focus so much on the awkward and forced romance. Still, the tiny bit of plot we did get felt super rushed and underdeveloped. This novella could have done so much more with it.
We could have gotten to see the true friendship between Adena and Pae (so that Pae’s revenge arc in Reckless would hold more meaning) or we could have seen how and why the king did this to Adena (but instead we skipped over every scene that could have told us anything meaningful). I think the only reason this novella will have had some sort of purpose is if Mac ends up playing a big part in the rest of the series, but I’m not sure he will. And even still, his personality was pretty much non-existent in this, so the novella wouldn’t have added much regardless.
Honestly, I just wasn’t a big fan of this whole story overall, and I felt disappointed and underwhelmed. It was pretty bad. It’s as plain and simple as that.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh, that ending! It broke my heart!
It’s honestly just very cruel to have to witness two characters grow so much, work so hard on themselves, and feel so much intense love for each other, only to have it all be completely ripped away from them in the end.
All that progress Adrian made, only for him to spiral out of control after losing her… All that progress Sydney made, only to be betrayed and hurt by those who should be closest to her… It’s so heartbreaking.
And I can’t even imagine how sad the next book will be! I’m not sure I can stomach seeing what will happen to Sydney in that… place.
That said, I truly cannot wait to see the inevitable downfall of The Alchemists. That cult (because really, that’s what they are) is nothing but evil, and I want them all to die.
Also, I don’t care if she’s young and brainwashed; if Zoe can let her jealousy and vindictiveness turn into something so cruel, then she deserves nothing but pain and sorrow. I desperately hope she will not be granted a redemption arc, because I will personally never forgive her.
On a more positive note, the majority of this book (outside of the ending) actually gave me really sweet and wholesome vibes. Adrian and Sydney’s relationship turned into something so pure and strong, and it was actually really nice to see. It warmed my heart that Adrian was willing to truly work on himself to be better for her. I mean, it was a really tough journey for him, and I can’t imagine how hard his Bipolar Disorder can be to manage, but he tried his best. For Sydney. His love for her means everything, and he is willing to give up his magic if it means Sydney won’t have to go through the heartbreak of seeing him lose his mind…
I’ve aso grown rather fond of the other characters. I used to dislike a lot of them and got annoyed by them almost constantly, but I actually found myself liking them quite a bit now. Eddie and Neil are both really good guys, and I truly respect them a lot, but Jill and Angeline also became so much more tolerable. Jill was actually nice this time, and no longer self-absorbed, while Angeline’s quirky antics actually became a little endearing to me or at least made me chuckle. I never thought I’d stop getting annoyed by them, but it’s happened.
All in all, I think this was a good story, but I especially liked the growth we got to see in Adrian and Sydney. They’ve both come so far from where they began. I just hope they won’t have to start all over again after what happened at the end here…
It’s honestly just very cruel to have to witness two characters grow so much, work so hard on themselves, and feel so much intense love for each other, only to have it all be completely ripped away from them in the end.
All that progress Adrian made, only for him to spiral out of control after losing her… All that progress Sydney made, only to be betrayed and hurt by those who should be closest to her… It’s so heartbreaking.
And I can’t even imagine how sad the next book will be! I’m not sure I can stomach seeing what will happen to Sydney in that… place.
That said, I truly cannot wait to see the inevitable downfall of The Alchemists. That cult (because really, that’s what they are) is nothing but evil, and I want them all to die.
Also, I don’t care if she’s young and brainwashed; if Zoe can let her jealousy and vindictiveness turn into something so cruel, then she deserves nothing but pain and sorrow. I desperately hope she will not be granted a redemption arc, because I will personally never forgive her.
On a more positive note, the majority of this book (outside of the ending) actually gave me really sweet and wholesome vibes. Adrian and Sydney’s relationship turned into something so pure and strong, and it was actually really nice to see. It warmed my heart that Adrian was willing to truly work on himself to be better for her. I mean, it was a really tough journey for him, and I can’t imagine how hard his Bipolar Disorder can be to manage, but he tried his best. For Sydney. His love for her means everything, and he is willing to give up his magic if it means Sydney won’t have to go through the heartbreak of seeing him lose his mind…
I’ve aso grown rather fond of the other characters. I used to dislike a lot of them and got annoyed by them almost constantly, but I actually found myself liking them quite a bit now. Eddie and Neil are both really good guys, and I truly respect them a lot, but Jill and Angeline also became so much more tolerable. Jill was actually nice this time, and no longer self-absorbed, while Angeline’s quirky antics actually became a little endearing to me or at least made me chuckle. I never thought I’d stop getting annoyed by them, but it’s happened.
All in all, I think this was a good story, but I especially liked the growth we got to see in Adrian and Sydney. They’ve both come so far from where they began. I just hope they won’t have to start all over again after what happened at the end here…
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Was this sequel really necessary? No, probably not. But was it still really nice to see Lily finally get her happily ever after? Yes, definitely.
I can honestly say I felt a lot of pride for the strength Lily has found, and the fierceness at which she wants to protect her daughter. It takes so much patience and courage for someone to co-parent with a monster like Ryle, yet she did it in the best possible way. She always stayed calm and civil to protect her daughter the best she could when she knew this horrible, abusive man had to stay in their lives.
It’s such an incredibly sad thing that real-life women in similar situations also have to keep co-existing with monsters because they legally don’t have the right to keep their children away from their “father”, but I hope all of them find the strength to handle it in the way Lily has.
This book also has a lot of focus on Atlas, and I’m really glad for it. I never built a super strong connection to him in the first book, but this book couldn’t have made it any more obvious to me how perfect he is for Lily. He’s the exact calming and controlled presence that Lily needs; I can’t imagine a person she’d feel more safe with.
That said, I also really appreciate the insights we got into Atlas’s own struggles and traumas. This man has been through so much, yet remained so insanely kind and patient through it all. I admire the hell out of him.
Last but not least, I want to give a quick shoutout to Theo. I don’t even remember if he was ever present in the first book, but he really stole the show for me here. He was such a snarky, sassy but also insanely adorable kid. The scenes where he played “therapist” to Atlas were my absolute favourites, and they even had me laughing out loud multiple times. These two series had the most wholesome and fun relationship ever.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This felt like a very flowery love letter to nature.
It tells the story of a child who is completely enamored by the wild life around her, and who would give up a fortune to protect it.
However, she later wonders if she made the right choice and if saving a bird was worth more than money and the chance at friendship with another human.
It tells the story of a child who is completely enamored by the wild life around her, and who would give up a fortune to protect it.
However, she later wonders if she made the right choice and if saving a bird was worth more than money and the chance at friendship with another human.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
This story is about a woman who receives the news of her husband’s death in a rather… unexpected manner. Instead of grief, she feels intense joy and gratitude and relief for the freedom his death will now grant her. Not because she hated him or because she didn’t love him, but purely because, without a marriage, she felt she would be able to genuinely live life without being held back and without restrictions. She would be able to live life for herself.
Also, that ending? Such a twist! I definitely didn’t see it coming!
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
This was definitely the best book in the series so far. It had a really strong plot with really nice pacing and truly engaging writing. It’s a pretty long book, but I never felt myself getting tired of it or thinking that it started to drag. It had me hooked from start to finish.
Of course, this series, and this book especially, has a lot of side-characters and I’m insanely intrigued by a lot of them. Obviously I love Feyre, and I respect the hell out of her strength and bravery, but I sometimes wish we could get inside other people’s heads as well, because I’m desperate to find out more about a lot of them. I mean, Azriel, Cassian, Lucien, Nesta, Amren, Elain and Mor are evidently people I crave to get to know better, but it’s not just them I’m curious about. I’m also super intrigued by all the other High Lords and their courts; they all had such distinct personalities and dynamics, I bet each of them could have a super cool and interesting story to tell.
Personally, I think I’m currently the most interested in getting to know Nesta better. She’s obviously got a lot of sharp edges, but she’s also got such a strong personality and fierce loyalty. I really did not like her before this book, and I would even go far enough to say I hated her, but the fragility and love I saw in her now has made me forgive her. It has made me want to understand her better, but also see her get a happy ending.
Another character I personally love so much and would kill to see more of is Lucien. He’s got so many emotions swirling inside of him, and I know he’d have such an interesting story to tell. I really hope the plotline of Helion being his father will be further developed down the line, because I see a lot of potential in that. It’d really warm my heart to see Lucien finally find love from family. Speaking of, I am super curious about his brother, Eris, as well. I know all the characters hate him, but I personally don’t. What we’ve seen of him so far has mostly been good, and I think he has a lot of valid reasons for the things he does. I hope we’ll get to see a redemption arc for him, including the re-building of his relationship with Lucien.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t hate Tamlin. At all. Is he the right man for Feyre? Abso-freaking-lutely NOT. But he has a good heart underneath it all. He has issues, he definitely does, but that doesn’t make him evil. And I genuinely do feel bad for him; can you imagine how betrayed he must feel as he gets hit time and time again with rejection and abandonment? And yet, he didn’t let revenge take over from doing what was right…
Speaking of almost-villains I’ve developed a soft-spot for (as there are apparently quite a few of them): I’m a Jurian fan. I don’t care what anyone says, but this man has been through so much torture and despair, yet he came out of with not only his heart in the right place, but also the wits to play the game well. I have to respect that.
Contrastingly, I’m honestly not a fan of Elain. I don’t hate her, but I don’t like her either. Her naivety and tendency to rely on others annoyed me. She never really worked for anything herself, and just expected everyone to tend to her like she was some delicate little flower. Nesta took care of her, Feyre took care of her, but did she ever take care of them? What makes her so special that nobody ever expects her to give the same energy back to them? She’s not some holy angel who needs to be taken care of at all times. It’s annoying.
Anyway, I don’t think her and Lucien would make a good pair. Aside from the fact that neither of them really seem to like the other, I also just don’t see the chemistry or the passion. I think it would be much more interesting to see her build a relationship with Azriel. I love a grumpy x sunshine trope, and it’d be really sweet to see him go soft and gentle for her. Especially since I want him to move on from Mor desperately, who I personally think does <i>not</i> have a valid reason for stringing him along all those decennia; she could have easily told him the truth and spared him the heartache and longing. It’s very selfish of her, and it’s kind of the one reason why I can’t fully love her character.
Last but not least: Rhysand. Is it just me or is he just a little bit <i>too</i> perfect? Don’t get me wrong, I admire this man with all my might and I think he is the ideal partner for Feyre, but his perfection was a little boring to me sometimes. I needed more personality from him. I do like him for the respect he gave to Feyre and how he always allowed her to make her own choices, but sometimes that freedom almost looked a little bit like disinterest. As if he would literally just accept her death or her pain, as long as she chose it for herself. I really needed more of those protective feelings, maybe. I mean, even Cassian seemed to have those feelings more towards Nesta already, and they aren’t even together yet. Then again, it’s also clear those two make a much less healthy or evenly-matched pair, so perhaps you can’t have it both: a healthy relationship <i>and</i> some drama/angst/intensity. Perhaps it’s one or the other…
Also, I feel like Rhysand’s near-death experience at the end was a little cheap. Either kill him or don’t, but if the author keeps resurrecting everyone, it really lowers the stakes. I’m not supposed to feel like everyone will be safe anyway, regardless of what happens in the story. I mean, even Amren came back in the end! The only one who really died here was The Suriel, and it broke my heart (he was so pure and good), but he was such a minor character… Death scenes can be so impactful, and I wish authors weren’t so afraid to use them properly without backtracking all the time.
All in all, it’s obvious I have a lot of feelings and thoughts about these characters, which tells me this book did a really good job at making me curious about them. It clearly shows how engaged I was and how I actually started to care. And all that is even aside from how hooked I was with the plot itself!
Of course, this series, and this book especially, has a lot of side-characters and I’m insanely intrigued by a lot of them. Obviously I love Feyre, and I respect the hell out of her strength and bravery, but I sometimes wish we could get inside other people’s heads as well, because I’m desperate to find out more about a lot of them. I mean, Azriel, Cassian, Lucien, Nesta, Amren, Elain and Mor are evidently people I crave to get to know better, but it’s not just them I’m curious about. I’m also super intrigued by all the other High Lords and their courts; they all had such distinct personalities and dynamics, I bet each of them could have a super cool and interesting story to tell.
Personally, I think I’m currently the most interested in getting to know Nesta better. She’s obviously got a lot of sharp edges, but she’s also got such a strong personality and fierce loyalty. I really did not like her before this book, and I would even go far enough to say I hated her, but the fragility and love I saw in her now has made me forgive her. It has made me want to understand her better, but also see her get a happy ending.
Another character I personally love so much and would kill to see more of is Lucien. He’s got so many emotions swirling inside of him, and I know he’d have such an interesting story to tell. I really hope the plotline of Helion being his father will be further developed down the line, because I see a lot of potential in that. It’d really warm my heart to see Lucien finally find love from family. Speaking of, I am super curious about his brother, Eris, as well. I know all the characters hate him, but I personally don’t. What we’ve seen of him so far has mostly been good, and I think he has a lot of valid reasons for the things he does. I hope we’ll get to see a redemption arc for him, including the re-building of his relationship with Lucien.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t hate Tamlin. At all. Is he the right man for Feyre? Abso-freaking-lutely NOT. But he has a good heart underneath it all. He has issues, he definitely does, but that doesn’t make him evil. And I genuinely do feel bad for him; can you imagine how betrayed he must feel as he gets hit time and time again with rejection and abandonment? And yet, he didn’t let revenge take over from doing what was right…
Speaking of almost-villains I’ve developed a soft-spot for (as there are apparently quite a few of them): I’m a Jurian fan. I don’t care what anyone says, but this man has been through so much torture and despair, yet he came out of with not only his heart in the right place, but also the wits to play the game well. I have to respect that.
Contrastingly, I’m honestly not a fan of Elain. I don’t hate her, but I don’t like her either. Her naivety and tendency to rely on others annoyed me. She never really worked for anything herself, and just expected everyone to tend to her like she was some delicate little flower. Nesta took care of her, Feyre took care of her, but did she ever take care of them? What makes her so special that nobody ever expects her to give the same energy back to them? She’s not some holy angel who needs to be taken care of at all times. It’s annoying.
Anyway, I don’t think her and Lucien would make a good pair. Aside from the fact that neither of them really seem to like the other, I also just don’t see the chemistry or the passion. I think it would be much more interesting to see her build a relationship with Azriel. I love a grumpy x sunshine trope, and it’d be really sweet to see him go soft and gentle for her. Especially since I want him to move on from Mor desperately, who I personally think does <i>not</i> have a valid reason for stringing him along all those decennia; she could have easily told him the truth and spared him the heartache and longing. It’s very selfish of her, and it’s kind of the one reason why I can’t fully love her character.
Last but not least: Rhysand. Is it just me or is he just a little bit <i>too</i> perfect? Don’t get me wrong, I admire this man with all my might and I think he is the ideal partner for Feyre, but his perfection was a little boring to me sometimes. I needed more personality from him. I do like him for the respect he gave to Feyre and how he always allowed her to make her own choices, but sometimes that freedom almost looked a little bit like disinterest. As if he would literally just accept her death or her pain, as long as she chose it for herself. I really needed more of those protective feelings, maybe. I mean, even Cassian seemed to have those feelings more towards Nesta already, and they aren’t even together yet. Then again, it’s also clear those two make a much less healthy or evenly-matched pair, so perhaps you can’t have it both: a healthy relationship <i>and</i> some drama/angst/intensity. Perhaps it’s one or the other…
Also, I feel like Rhysand’s near-death experience at the end was a little cheap. Either kill him or don’t, but if the author keeps resurrecting everyone, it really lowers the stakes. I’m not supposed to feel like everyone will be safe anyway, regardless of what happens in the story. I mean, even Amren came back in the end! The only one who really died here was The Suriel, and it broke my heart (he was so pure and good), but he was such a minor character… Death scenes can be so impactful, and I wish authors weren’t so afraid to use them properly without backtracking all the time.
All in all, it’s obvious I have a lot of feelings and thoughts about these characters, which tells me this book did a really good job at making me curious about them. It clearly shows how engaged I was and how I actually started to care. And all that is even aside from how hooked I was with the plot itself!