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seekaygee 's review for:
Glow of the Everflame
by Penn Cole
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
I knew I was going to love this series, I just didn’t realise quite how much I was going to love it.
Just like in the first book, the worldbuilding feels natural and unrushed. It is by far one of the best examples of worldbuilding I’ve seen in recent memory, unfolding through character action and discussion rather than infodumping.
As a result, we learn alongside Diem, our FMC, what being at court as a Descended actually means—and the various ways in which life as one of them is just as damning as being mortal. The grey of the world is masterfully demonstrated as Diem recognizes that nothing is black and white anymore, nor was it at all previously. But this time she’s going to have to make choices that make enemies out of old friends and potential new allies before she even gets recognized fully as the new Crown.
Basically, this book was amazing. The characters are all vivid, and I have very strong emotional reactions to most of them, which I only take as an excellent sign of quality writing. But the banter? It is off. the. charts. The conversations between siblings, new friends, family members… it’s SO well done. Not that most hold a candle to Luther saying the most profoundly beautiful things, but that’s its own paragraph. Or essay. Yeah, I might have to write an essay on why Luther is Best Boy. There is so much tension that I may snap before anything really happens between him and Diem, and I am eating it up happily.
On to the next! After which I shall retreat into shadow in anticipation of a release date for Burn.
Just like in the first book, the worldbuilding feels natural and unrushed. It is by far one of the best examples of worldbuilding I’ve seen in recent memory, unfolding through character action and discussion rather than infodumping.
As a result, we learn alongside Diem, our FMC, what being at court as a Descended actually means—and the various ways in which life as one of them is just as damning as being mortal. The grey of the world is masterfully demonstrated as Diem recognizes that nothing is black and white anymore, nor was it at all previously. But this time she’s going to have to make choices that make enemies out of old friends and potential new allies before she even gets recognized fully as the new Crown.
Basically, this book was amazing. The characters are all vivid, and I have very strong emotional reactions to most of them, which I only take as an excellent sign of quality writing. But the banter? It is off. the. charts. The conversations between siblings, new friends, family members… it’s SO well done. Not that most hold a candle to Luther saying the most profoundly beautiful things, but that’s its own paragraph. Or essay. Yeah, I might have to write an essay on why Luther is Best Boy. There is so much tension that I may snap before anything really happens between him and Diem, and I am eating it up happily.
On to the next! After which I shall retreat into shadow in anticipation of a release date for Burn.