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tinyzap's Reviews (280)
I've never read a book that could so shallowly hit every point of the hero's journey. Clever concept but overall left me wondering where the missing pages were. I get that its a YA novel, but there could have been a bit more depth to at least some of the main characters.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Melissa Marr’s work, but I promise the following is based solely on the quality of her upcoming book, Radiant Shadows. I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Reading Copy from Melissa herself so that I could share my thoughts on the book with you guys.
Melissa Marr’s books are about choices. Her characters always have choices, even if they’re not very clear to them. There is always a choice. An important lesson for the general audience of these books, young adults. You always have a choice, even when it seems like you don’t.
Radiant Shadows is about Ani, half mortal and half Hound, and Devlin, the High Queens assassin and revolves (somewhat) around the High Court rather then the others we’ve seen more of so far in the series. Ani is quite a free spirit, but she’s never really belonged to anything. She can’t pass for human anymore in the mortal world and everyone in the faerie world is too afraid she’ll get hurt if they take her in completely. They’d rather hide and protect her from the imminent threats in the outside world. Something the wild and raucous Hound in her does not want. Devlin has been presented to us as a rigid character who has made his choice of where he stands very clear… but he’s not really sure where he belongs. In that sense Radiant Shadows is very much about belonging as well. And who can’t relate to that?
My favorite thing about Marr’s books is that they aren’t just about a relationship getting off the ground. That certainly exists but it’s never the main point of the book. She weaves the relationship into the other situations and main plot until you can’t see the distinction anymore. Ani and Devlin get together not because the plot requires it, but because their personalities and choices lead them to one another. Marr doesn’t create situations and then stick characters into them, she creates characters with history, emotions and personality and then sticks them in a situation to see what happens. It takes an enormous amount of talent to create a universe so rich and intricate, then create dozens of characters and know how every single one of them will react to the same stimuli.
I said before in my review of Ink Exchange (book 2) that its obvious Marr has put some of herself into these books and that I could relate to that part almost painfully in Ink Exchange. I see that again in Radiant Shadows but not in the same way. Radiant Shadows is still about reigning your own destiny, making your own choices and empowering yourself, but I felt more of a connection with the story and its eventual outcome than I have with any others from the series. It brought me to tears again but in a more joyous way this time around. There are few authors who can hit you so deep that you are physically and emotionally moved by their words. If you find one who can, its best to buy all their books and settle in for a long weekend.
If you haven’t heard of the Wicked Lovely series you should definitely check it out, it’s probably my favorite YA series of all time. And if you are already drawn to the world of Wicked Lovely check out Stopping Time, a free short story which takes place after Ink Exchange. Part 2 just came out today!
Melissa Marr’s books are about choices. Her characters always have choices, even if they’re not very clear to them. There is always a choice. An important lesson for the general audience of these books, young adults. You always have a choice, even when it seems like you don’t.
Radiant Shadows is about Ani, half mortal and half Hound, and Devlin, the High Queens assassin and revolves (somewhat) around the High Court rather then the others we’ve seen more of so far in the series. Ani is quite a free spirit, but she’s never really belonged to anything. She can’t pass for human anymore in the mortal world and everyone in the faerie world is too afraid she’ll get hurt if they take her in completely. They’d rather hide and protect her from the imminent threats in the outside world. Something the wild and raucous Hound in her does not want. Devlin has been presented to us as a rigid character who has made his choice of where he stands very clear… but he’s not really sure where he belongs. In that sense Radiant Shadows is very much about belonging as well. And who can’t relate to that?
My favorite thing about Marr’s books is that they aren’t just about a relationship getting off the ground. That certainly exists but it’s never the main point of the book. She weaves the relationship into the other situations and main plot until you can’t see the distinction anymore. Ani and Devlin get together not because the plot requires it, but because their personalities and choices lead them to one another. Marr doesn’t create situations and then stick characters into them, she creates characters with history, emotions and personality and then sticks them in a situation to see what happens. It takes an enormous amount of talent to create a universe so rich and intricate, then create dozens of characters and know how every single one of them will react to the same stimuli.
I said before in my review of Ink Exchange (book 2) that its obvious Marr has put some of herself into these books and that I could relate to that part almost painfully in Ink Exchange. I see that again in Radiant Shadows but not in the same way. Radiant Shadows is still about reigning your own destiny, making your own choices and empowering yourself, but I felt more of a connection with the story and its eventual outcome than I have with any others from the series. It brought me to tears again but in a more joyous way this time around. There are few authors who can hit you so deep that you are physically and emotionally moved by their words. If you find one who can, its best to buy all their books and settle in for a long weekend.
If you haven’t heard of the Wicked Lovely series you should definitely check it out, it’s probably my favorite YA series of all time. And if you are already drawn to the world of Wicked Lovely check out Stopping Time, a free short story which takes place after Ink Exchange. Part 2 just came out today!