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the_midwest_library's Reviews (796)
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a hard one to rate....and a harder one to describe. The Grace of Kings is a fabulously written fantasy textbook. I truly don't know how else to describe it. You are told an extremely thorough family history for the world's current political family. You are kept at arms length from the story the entire time but there are core characters you really see develop as the story progresses.
I can't say a lot of people will enjoy this. I'm frankly not sure I did. It's so well written, but it's also so high level you just don't connect well with the story. I was simultaneously entertained and sort of bored that the story was told from such a 10,000x foot overview at times.
I'm intrigued to see where book 2 takes me, as I've heard the narrative voice shifts.
I can't say a lot of people will enjoy this. I'm frankly not sure I did. It's so well written, but it's also so high level you just don't connect well with the story. I was simultaneously entertained and sort of bored that the story was told from such a 10,000x foot overview at times.
I'm intrigued to see where book 2 takes me, as I've heard the narrative voice shifts.
challenging
informative
fast-paced
This is one of those Nonfiction books that you pick up and reflect on for a while. I think this absolutely should be on everyone's core reading lists if they have any interest in systemic racism, US government and the history of segregation. From banks to HOAs to the IRS there is a long, tangible history of racially motivated provisions and decision making whose sole purpose was to further racial divide across this country. Without understanding systemic issues like this, you cannot come to the table ready to make change.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I finished! Whoop, and guess what? I really liked the conclusion and frankly the whole trilogy. Is it perfect? No.
But it's dark, it has a charming sense of self, and I thought overall the characters were really interesting while being distinctly individuals.
We finally get the conclusion and some answers as to the larger world and magic upon this land, there's some political maneuvering, but I do think the politics were a bit weak compared to what I would usually prefer. But I'm chalking that up to being more on the YA/NA age demographic spectrum.
I didn't particularly enjoy how the interpersonal conflicts were written in this book. If you know you know, I just think it was unnecessary and it didn't add anything to any of the characters. If anything I think it cheapened a few moments from earlier books.
I have rated the entire Trilogy four stars at this point and I think that fits for this book as well.
But it's dark, it has a charming sense of self, and I thought overall the characters were really interesting while being distinctly individuals.
We finally get the conclusion and some answers as to the larger world and magic upon this land, there's some political maneuvering, but I do think the politics were a bit weak compared to what I would usually prefer. But I'm chalking that up to being more on the YA/NA age demographic spectrum.
I didn't particularly enjoy how the interpersonal conflicts were written in this book. If you know you know, I just think it was unnecessary and it didn't add anything to any of the characters. If anything I think it cheapened a few moments from earlier books.
I have rated the entire Trilogy four stars at this point and I think that fits for this book as well.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another great installment in the Nevernight Chronicles, I really enjoyed where our story and our shadows took us in this one.
It's not without faults however, the plot is a bit all over the place in the middle and I honestly DID feel like the horny comments were a bit overdone in this book. Enough so that I noticed it was a bit heavy handed this go around. Though the sapphic romance was a nice touch!
The ending is where this book shines though which I expect from all of Jay's books at this point. The ending made the middle forgiveable to me but while I'm enjoying this series it's not five stars for me. But a solid 4 star series so far, for sure!!!
It's not without faults however, the plot is a bit all over the place in the middle and I honestly DID feel like the horny comments were a bit overdone in this book. Enough so that I noticed it was a bit heavy handed this go around. Though the sapphic romance was a nice touch!
The ending is where this book shines though which I expect from all of Jay's books at this point. The ending made the middle forgiveable to me but while I'm enjoying this series it's not five stars for me. But a solid 4 star series so far, for sure!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
I quite enjoyed this little number. And I'm starting to get annoyed at how much I do like Jay Kristoff's writing smh 😜. This is not without flaws for me, I think some poor moments were really wacky from a decision making standpoint.
The characters do act their age (as much as I expect them to be able to given the circumstances hahaha) which I appreciated. I'm a big believer that YA is a demographic and not a genre so the PG-13 content felt appropriate (and not sensationalized).
This book is fast paced, has the energy of Six of Crows with an assassin "school" setting. I'm excited to see where this series goes!
The characters do act their age (as much as I expect them to be able to given the circumstances hahaha) which I appreciated. I'm a big believer that YA is a demographic and not a genre so the PG-13 content felt appropriate (and not sensationalized).
This book is fast paced, has the energy of Six of Crows with an assassin "school" setting. I'm excited to see where this series goes!
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Okay so, I'm still giving this 4 stars even though I also gave 4 stars to book 1 and I do think book 1 is better.
I enjoyed this one from a character growth perspective a ton. I truly think everyone needed to listen to the freaking sword because we could have cut this plot down a ton hahahaha
That was my biggest issue, the plot was so meandering in the middle but the back brought it back around for me! The ending was very Middle Earth vibes too which I liked!
I enjoyed this one from a character growth perspective a ton. I truly think everyone needed to listen to the freaking sword because we could have cut this plot down a ton hahahaha
That was my biggest issue, the plot was so meandering in the middle but the back brought it back around for me! The ending was very Middle Earth vibes too which I liked!
adventurous
medium-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:
Complicated
I wanted to pick up some of the standalone Gambit stories, and this one is always recommended. I gotta say while good it was also ....boring and had a weird tone at times. The stories were fun, but nothing groundbreaking.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So this is interesting, it's a solid book. A good installment into the greatcoats world. But tell me why the short story prequel leading up to this (crucible of chaos) was far more entertaining to me? This installment just felt small in scale honestly, the plot was good the characters were also compelling but overall I wasn't wowed by this installment. I'm curious where this takes us though as the ending was 0000
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Estevar was a wonderful MC for this book, and it really is a book not a short story per se which was what I was expecting going into this. The story is robust, while giving us that familiar feeling of the Greatcoats world. I loved the additional context we got with this story iykyk and I'm SO intrigued to read Play of Shadows next.
I truly love the Greatcoats world. Each of the Greatcoats that we encounter along the way I want to hear stories from. Estevar being focused on occult and spooky happenings was a great and mystical way to expand upon this world even more. I really enjoyed it overall, though there were some funky pacing moments.
I truly love the Greatcoats world. Each of the Greatcoats that we encounter along the way I want to hear stories from. Estevar being focused on occult and spooky happenings was a great and mystical way to expand upon this world even more. I really enjoyed it overall, though there were some funky pacing moments.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was the irl bookclub pick this month. It was fine. I don't particularly agree with the Donna Tart comparisons and overall found the plot to be a bit meandering and boring. I just don't love mysteries tbh and it's rare that one speaks to me. This one was fine, I've already forgotten half the characters names and I just finished it last night 😬