sharanle0808's reviews
55 reviews

The Door by Magda Szabó

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emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

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Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

First of all, the pacing of the book is like having multiple acts in a place or episodes in a series. It can be a quite weird for some people as you'd have a quite smooth start, then the event would peak quite dramatically, and then the tension would plummet right away, and then the cycle would restart. Honestly, even towards the end, I still felt quite unaccustomed with this pacing despite having been aware of this choice of the author.

I like how this isn't your classic fantasy type in which the main character is the hero saving everyone's day in a intricately-built world. Not that I have any problem with this, but I somehow prefer it when it is just a small plotline in the midst of a larger world.

While reading this book, I was also making progress with another book that included a main character that dedicated herself to doing research and moved to a secluded region surrounded by masses of woodland to conduct her project. In other words, the vibe of both of them was corresponding, making my reading experience further enhanced.

In terms of the climax, I was quite taken aback with the way it unfolded, I guess this was partially because of the accelerating pacing. Everything was wrapped up hurriedly in about 50 pages, so the plot basically flashed past me.

Nonetheless, I actually had a delightful time. Personally, I'm most interested in the romance. Wendell Bambleby started off as a slightly annoying character to me. However, as the story progressed, I gradually fell in love with him subconsciously, and by the end, I was completely head over heel.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book. I haven't read that many fantasies, so this one has a special place in my heart. And I would definitely continue with the sequels!

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

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dark emotional mysterious 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

3.25

At the beginning of the book, I was immediately hooked. I expected that this would be a favorite read of mine. The first few pages started off strong, and I highlighted so many lines. Nonetheless, upon finishing it, I have a few points to critique.

I consider myself to be a fanatic of carefully curated prose. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I cannot help myself. At first, the writing was captivating and I expected myself to be impressed even further. However, towards the end, the quality of the prose declined, and I couldn't fail to notice, at which point, I became rather annoyed. Again, I'm well aware that prose is not the sole criterion to evaluate the value of a book, but this is entirely down to my personal taste.

Plot-wise, I think it's okay. The first half stood out to me more, and it was a harmonizing blend between mystery/thriller and litfic, which is usually up to my alley. But as the story proceeded, it shifted into being slightly unbelievable. I don't mind the violence mentioned, but I also struggle to feel that they're necessary. Some of the plotlines or details could have been omitted. I wasn't really intrigued by the backstory of Aggie's trauma, despite how relevant I recognized it was to the primary plotline. I have a feeling that had McConaghy decided to diminish that aspect of the book, I would have been more engrossed. In short, I could have done without it. On top of that, I'm quite nitpicky when it comes to a rushed ending. The ending just flashed by, or it seemed, and I was totally underwhelmed. Some conflicts were solved very easily within a few lines.

It's such a shame because, at the start, I had so much connection with the main character, but due to the rushed ending combined with the increasingly plain prose, Inti was turned from a complex female character with profound thoughts into a violent caricature (I do not deny her traumatic experiences, but the author failed to inflict a strong emotion on me with the character).

However, I'm still glad that I read this book. I don't think it's a bad book at all. In fact, I think it's pretty impressive. It was a nice palette cleanser to my reading slump, and it was the first book I've ever read on Kindle so I do hold a sentimental attachment to it. Moreover, the book conveys a vital message about wildlife conservation. I would definitely recommend it to someone who opts for mystery/thriller novels and is interested in diving into an atmospheric setting of the wild forests.

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