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tome_reader_alu's Reviews (1.16k)
I really enjoyed this book. It was a good mix of political intrigue and romance. I really enjoyed that there was a larger overlying plot involving potential war, but the story stayed focused where it needed to be and didn't get too big.
The world is very interesting and I enjoyed the history and culture that was created for it. The slow burn relationship between the two main characters was perfect for me as well. The characters were well written and it felt believable.
I normally am not a fan of first-person point of view, especially when it jumps back and forth between two different characters, but this worked well. Both characters have very unique personalities so it was fun seeing the world with two different views.
The world is very interesting and I enjoyed the history and culture that was created for it. The slow burn relationship between the two main characters was perfect for me as well. The characters were well written and it felt believable.
I normally am not a fan of first-person point of view, especially when it jumps back and forth between two different characters, but this worked well. Both characters have very unique personalities so it was fun seeing the world with two different views.
This book was fantastic. The world the author created was rich and engaging. I loved learning more and more of it as I read (listened) without it feeling too heavy on explanation. The build-up of the major plot was handled so well, the pacing kept me engaged and needing to know more.
The main characters are also well written. I fell in love with both Ayla and Crier almost immediately. I really enjoyed the slow-building tension between them. I was drawn to Ayla's confusions about her feelings and revelations through the book as well as Crier's attempts to understand herself and the events spiraling around her.
I'm exceedingly anxious to read the next book!
The main characters are also well written. I fell in love with both Ayla and Crier almost immediately. I really enjoyed the slow-building tension between them. I was drawn to Ayla's confusions about her feelings and revelations through the book as well as Crier's attempts to understand herself and the events spiraling around her.
I'm exceedingly anxious to read the next book!
I loved this book. To me, this was such a perfect YA story. Honestly, there's so much to unpack.
I'm always a bit wary of YA because sometimes they feel so young. I was not disappointed in this story. While everyone was a teen, on the cusp, or just past being teen, everything was very raw and real. It did not sugarcoat the real issues we all go through at a young adult age. Sex, love, loss, etc. All are handled in a very real way that had me really feeling for all of these characters.
I enjoyed all the characters a great deal and cared what happened to each of them individually.
I am not an expert on Arthurian lore, so I can't comment on how loosely things may have been handled for this retelling, but I do have some knowledge and loved how that was handled.
The representation hit so many facets of the spectrum and handled each beautifully in my opinion.
My only issue I had was that the time jumps left me feeling a little pulled out of the moment. They happened much more often near the end of the story and it was just a little jarring.
I'm always a bit wary of YA because sometimes they feel so young. I was not disappointed in this story. While everyone was a teen, on the cusp, or just past being teen, everything was very raw and real. It did not sugarcoat the real issues we all go through at a young adult age. Sex, love, loss, etc. All are handled in a very real way that had me really feeling for all of these characters.
I enjoyed all the characters a great deal and cared what happened to each of them individually.
I am not an expert on Arthurian lore, so I can't comment on how loosely things may have been handled for this retelling, but I do have some knowledge and loved how that was handled.
The representation hit so many facets of the spectrum and handled each beautifully in my opinion.
My only issue I had was that the time jumps left me feeling a little pulled out of the moment. They happened much more often near the end of the story and it was just a little jarring.
From what I learned before going into this book, it is a re-imagined telling of The Tempest by Shakespeare. I have not read it, nor am I honestly very familiar with the story. I chose not to research it before reading either so I could go into it without any expectations.
I actually really enjoyed reading a moderately slow paced fantasy. The entire story is told from the perspective of children/young adults. I enjoyed the simplicity of that while at the same time seeing how complex the world seemed to them despite the fact that the world to them was nothing more than their small island. The characters were well written and I found myself really caring for them. Caliban especially was an interesting character. I loved feeling like we were learning with him as his chapters being taking on more complex thought.
The love story aspect was heartbreaking and innocent. I really felt the emotional connection between them. It was also very heartbreaking to experience Caliban dealing with his growing affection and attraction alone and ignorant to what it meant. I also found myself enjoying the ambiguous ending.
Overall I highly recommend this story. It's not exciting or adventurous by any means but is very heartfelt.
I actually really enjoyed reading a moderately slow paced fantasy. The entire story is told from the perspective of children/young adults. I enjoyed the simplicity of that while at the same time seeing how complex the world seemed to them despite the fact that the world to them was nothing more than their small island. The characters were well written and I found myself really caring for them. Caliban especially was an interesting character. I loved feeling like we were learning with him as his chapters being taking on more complex thought.
The love story aspect was heartbreaking and innocent. I really felt the emotional connection between them. It was also very heartbreaking to experience Caliban dealing with his growing affection and attraction alone and ignorant to what it meant. I also found myself enjoying the ambiguous ending.
Overall I highly recommend this story. It's not exciting or adventurous by any means but is very heartfelt.
