3.5 but rounding up because it's a very feel-good vibe of a story.
look, the plot is both unimportant and boring. that's a fact. but the character dyna3.5 but rounding up because it's a very feel-good vibe of a story.
look, the plot is both unimportant and boring. that's a fact. but the character dynamics, the characters, the humour and the fuzzy warm feeling are all top notch. it's fun! it made me smile and swoon a little and idk, it was nice? warm, shiny goodness with a big heart. ...more
This was fun! I feel like if it came out nine years ago it would have been a mega hit.
It has a strong moral centre, plenty of action,and ch3.5 stars.
This was fun! I feel like if it came out nine years ago it would have been a mega hit.
It has a strong moral centre, plenty of action,and characters to mostly root for. There was lots of growth, shocks, and my best boy Silyen stole every scene.
It *could* have been leaner. There was a bit too much character waffling and the pov jumps were often unnecessary.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's not reinventing the wheel but it was fun, engaging and clipped along nicely. I enjoyed the characterisations and develI thoroughly enjoyed this. It's not reinventing the wheel but it was fun, engaging and clipped along nicely. I enjoyed the characterisations and development and i am looking forward to more!...more
This book is wildly inconsistent, which made it ultimately disappointing.
I just...how did a book about the most dynamic character fall so flat? Why wThis book is wildly inconsistent, which made it ultimately disappointing.
I just...how did a book about the most dynamic character fall so flat? Why was the link between Nina's story and Nikolai and Zoya's so tenuous? And, most importantly, where was the tension?
I slogged through the first half and while it did pick up, it took too long to get there. There were flashes of GREAT moments. I particularly enjoyed the vignettes of backstory for Zoya and Nikolai and the personal growth for Nina. And hello, her crush on Hanne was awesome.
HOWEVER, it just wasn't engaging enough. I already liked most of the characters, so it was easy to root for them. But the stakes were low. The battle was over since the first grisha trilogy and the forever at war thing didn't lead to, idk, a proper story arc.
The way it ended just confirmed the feeling of staleness.
So...yeah. three stars for the few very good parts and the fact i will def read the next one. realistically,there's nothing much to rave about....more
it was funny and warm and layered and i cannot overstate how much i enjoyed how SRB subverted a heap of tropes and made this conceptThis was a DELIGHT
it was funny and warm and layered and i cannot overstate how much i enjoyed how SRB subverted a heap of tropes and made this concept feel so fresh! the family dynamics, friendships, romance and character development were all wonderful to read. ships galore! awkward encounters! healthy attitudes to sex and love!
It would have been five stars if the plot hadn't felt like an afterthought. but i loved reading this and i would definitely recommend it...more
Truly a unique, wonderful book. It definitely deserves the praise, the prizes and acclaim. The writing and characterization is strong. The plot is engTruly a unique, wonderful book. It definitely deserves the praise, the prizes and acclaim. The writing and characterization is strong. The plot is engaging.
And holy hell but the women in this book are wonderful. this is the fun, feminist book I'd encourage any young girl or woman to read. Faith has the potential to be a timeless female fictional here. ...more
Ok, I picked this up as a kindle freebie. And I realised after about 30% it wasn't for me. So I skimmed the rest.
It wasn't offensively bad. But it wasOk, I picked this up as a kindle freebie. And I realised after about 30% it wasn't for me. So I skimmed the rest.
It wasn't offensively bad. But it was boring and amateurish. Upside - it was cute and the relationships and tone was healthy. Not for me but it might work for someone else....more
But also because the characters are all pretty cool and nuanced and it's got enough of an edge to keepThis was very fun, mostly because I love Silyen,
But also because the characters are all pretty cool and nuanced and it's got enough of an edge to keep the reader engrossed. The world-building and the writing aren't particularly special but it's overall very enjoyable.
Probably more like 3.5 stars but I am rounding up because this is the most engaging YA book/series I have read in a long time.
In terms of criticisms, Probably more like 3.5 stars but I am rounding up because this is the most engaging YA book/series I have read in a long time.
In terms of criticisms, I would say -i wasn't the digging all the pov switches -or the info dumping -and the writing was a bit flat
But I did love -the concept. exploring inequalities and free will and restrictions is always interesting to me -i do love a forbidden romance of any sort -the characters were fairly nuanced and easy to root for -SILYEN -some nice explorations of human nature's darkside along with the capabilities of people to do good -plenty of action, nicely paced, characters who don't wait around for shit to happen
Definitely a fun read, an excellent start to the series, and I am looking forward to more. As of now, it's 99p on kindle so it's definitely the time to pick this one up....more
There were five things I had to get past to allow myself to enjoy this book -it is not the kind of fantasy i wanted. don't go into this thinking you'reThere were five things I had to get past to allow myself to enjoy this book -it is not the kind of fantasy i wanted. don't go into this thinking you're gonna get some cool, intelligent Graceling-esque story. this series has more in common with KMM's Fever than anything else -the writing had my internal red pen twitching. so many unnecessary words and descriptions of clothing! -there's heaps of cheesy sex that are unequivocally not YA. i mean, yay sex positivity. boo, cock in an erotic sense in a book for young readers. -Feyre is super annoying -the names SUCK. THEY ARE SO ANNOYING. every fucking time Rhysand got shortened to Rhys, it took me out of the story. Feyre (FAY-RUH) does not work spelt like that. neither of those names do. Rhysand (if we go with the proper Rhys pronunciation) sounds likes Reason. it reads like Rice-and. but then when it's shortened. idk -also, since Prythia and Hybern are clearly alt versions of Britain and Ireland, well, i don't buy Hybern is gonna be the invading country. look how tiny it is! also, history.
i think that was more than five. but once i got over those things, it was ok. i like Rhysand as a love interest. i especially liked the emphasis on Feyre finding a solid support system in his court and the emphasis on how it was totally right for her to leave the suffocating relationship with Tamlin and first love doesn't have to be the only love. i guess some of the supporting characters were cool
anyway, idk. it is what it is and i will for sure read the next one. but lets not dress it up, people. this ain't no high quality fantasy series. ...more
The world (ie melding 'western shoot em ups with middle eastern mythology) just didn't work for me. I felt like you could see the author sweating behiThe world (ie melding 'western shoot em ups with middle eastern mythology) just didn't work for me. I felt like you could see the author sweating behind the scenes trying really really hard to be bad ass.
I mostly skimmed the second half. Now, I could see how it picked up then with the magic stuff but I wasn't in any way invested.
Not for me, unfortunately. I did want to like it...more
There was a lot to appreciate about this book -the pacing -the sparkling dialogue -inclusion of some awesome people from the Grisha trilogy -s3.5 stars.
There was a lot to appreciate about this book -the pacing -the sparkling dialogue -inclusion of some awesome people from the Grisha trilogy -some nice relationship moments, familial and romantic -humour!
but it didn't really engage me. i felt the plot with Van Eck was just going around in circles and there was only one real surprise moment. the stakes and motivations weren't that strong, especially in the second half and the (view spoiler)[last minute death of Matthias was meh Also, on reflection the way there were three romantic pairings in a group of six was just too convenient
It was good. but not that good. i think bardugo knows how to start series but not how to end them (hide spoiler)]...more
Disappointing effort from an author I like a lot. This was just so...bleh. The story and the characters lacked depth and the ending was just...not cooDisappointing effort from an author I like a lot. This was just so...bleh. The story and the characters lacked depth and the ending was just...not cool.
Not for me nor is it the kind of book I think actual teens would like better. ...more
This was an odd little book. There were lots of good points but in terms of tone it didn't quite hit the mark. It vacillated between fluffy book for tThis was an odd little book. There were lots of good points but in terms of tone it didn't quite hit the mark. It vacillated between fluffy book for the very young to gritty book for people who like dark shit and, as a result, didn't really succeed in either mark.
I appreciated -the weirdness. seriously. it was weird and surreal. -the use of modern British slang and speech patterns and realistic young person behaviour -the internet stuff -the sheer wonder of Opal -the boy makeover scene -the mermaid creation story -the effort at an action-packed climax -PIRATES!
I didn't appreciate -the indistinguishable voices -the awful slut-shamey perspective of the mc -insta-love -low stakes -(view spoiler)[Elvis dying (hide spoiler)] -conveniently absent/mentally ill mother
so, yeah. not terrible. not amazing. the author just needed to pick a tone and stick to it
This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year. I mean, YA alt-history where the Germany won the war and also shapeshifting? Hello, thatThis was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year. I mean, YA alt-history where the Germany won the war and also shapeshifting? Hello, that ticks all my boxes and ones I didn't know I even had.
In some ways, it was really good. I read it all in one sitting. The pacing was relentless. The concept is incredibly unique and I was very much surprised and engaged with the story. All the characters the reader gets to know are interesting and sympathetic. I especially liked the brother/sister relationship and the quiet role the other female contestant played in the show.
(Alas, there were lots of characters that were basically names and nothing more. And I think the emotion surrounding the 'wolf' characters could have been fleshed out better.)
See, for me, the things that made this book work are the very things that worked against me enjoying it. The writing was tight. It read like you'd expect a strong YA with suspense to read. The author did a good job of presenting this version of the world to the reader. But, I think those things kind of cheapened it too. Like, the constant references to the race and the victors and the competitors made it feel like a riff on The Hunger Games. And that made me question why on earth Hitler would hold race like this in the first place? When the author explained the basis for German success in WW2, I was like, wait what about Russia just not being conquerable and the neutral countries and hello, THE ATOMIC BOMB? It would have been better without the explanations. When we watched Yael do her thing, I was like, how does she never have any moral issues? Does anyone? You know, with the general state of things? Like, I do think Graudin did a good job showing the kids who grew up in this environment but it just didn't go deep enough.
I guess I was disappointed. The way it felt so much like a tight YA adventured cheapened the setting and the potential of the story. The concentration camp scenes felt like a completely different book to the latter race scenes and all the parts about balls and competitions have been done better before.
I'll definitely read the next one. I devoured this one. But it won't have any lasting impact on me.
I REALLY liked this. It stayed on my mind for days after reading it, which is always a good sign. I seriously loved every single character (KAZ!NINA!MI REALLY liked this. It stayed on my mind for days after reading it, which is always a good sign. I seriously loved every single character (KAZ!NINA!MATTHIAS!KAZ!JESPER!WYLAN!KAZ!INEZ! I LOVE YOU ALL) and I am majorly impressed with Leigh Bardugo's writing. The plot was tight, every word was effective and every action just worked.
And as much as a sucker for romance as I am, I loved how subtle the romantic subplots were. Less is more.
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