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There is certainly value in classics and I can very much appreciate the writing talent in the plot and character development, but I did not enjoy this as much as the other Austen novels I have read. The language is definitely a bit stiff and flowery -- to be expected from a 200+ year-old novel -- and that does make it a bit more difficult to become involved in the story as much as something with a more modern feel.
Perhaps my biggest issue though, lay within Emma herself. I did not particularly like her. In fact, I found her to be a bit of a (to borrow the term) flibberty-gibbet: flighty, immature, and meddlesome. The constantly changing relationships were a bit of a whirlwind and I frequently felt sorry for poor Harriet.
There were definitely some well-constructed quirky characters and Austen's society is very well put together. Her writing talent is definitely not in question. I just found the overall theme to be less interesting.
Perhaps my biggest issue though, lay within Emma herself. I did not particularly like her. In fact, I found her to be a bit of a (to borrow the term) flibberty-gibbet: flighty, immature, and meddlesome. The constantly changing relationships were a bit of a whirlwind and I frequently felt sorry for poor Harriet.
There were definitely some well-constructed quirky characters and Austen's society is very well put together. Her writing talent is definitely not in question. I just found the overall theme to be less interesting.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a whimsical yet slightly dark magical creature fantasy in the vein of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Linus Baker is a social worker for the government Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). He is a by-the-book investigator who lives a life of monotony. He is called by Extremely Upper Management for a month-long assignment at the Marsyas Island Orphanage, a remote location where the six magical children residing are considered Class 4 confidential and dangerous. His job is to evaluate the children, their caretaker, and the island, to determine whether the orphanage should remain in operations.
This story was wonderful. I was immediately charmed by the premise, but then fell into love with the narrative within the first few pages. There is so much to enjoy within this book. The story is fantastically whimsical, but still has just enough of a creep factor. It is sweet without being saccharine and has some fantastical magical elements at work. There are high levels of creativity, great characters, and a plot that moves steadily with ease. I went through a range of emotions in my reading, finding moments of anticipation, unease, happiness, sadness, and pieces where I truly laughed out loud.
The tale begins with Linus Baker's life in a humdrum and utterly gray existence. His job is monotonous and unpersonable, his neighbor is a grouch, and the weather seems perpetually gloomy. The writing captures this blandness so incredibly well, making the narrative feel as weighted and plodding as Linus's life itself. There is something magical to this alone. The words used make everything feel appropriately lonely and unfulfilling. However, as Linus moves out of the clouds and into the sunshine of Marsyas Island and its beautiful cerulean-colored sea, there is a slow shift in the tone, feeling something like the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy touches down to a suddenly colorized world.
Though the plot is undeniably intriguing, fun, and well-crafted, it was the characters who truly made this book for me. Klune has an ability to capture the innocence, honesty, and sometimes inappropriate children of children. His magical children are unique and have highly developed personalities that make them stand all on their own. It was so much fun to see them bloom in depth from beginning to end. The writing felt so honest to the character's natures and stayed all at once intriguing and entertaining.
The story works on many levels--feeling appropriate for nearly all audiences. Save a few instances of language mildly inappropriate for children, this could be a read for those from middle school to old age. The story itself is entertaining enough for all of those levels, but there are also lessons within the plot that work on a social parameter in ways that would be differently comprehended and resonate well with all readers.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a wholly fulfilling read and one of my favorite reads thus far this year. It stands very well on its own and is currently showing as a standalone, but presents a world I would love to explore more. I will absolutely be seeking out more of this author's work and praising this book to anyone who will listen. It's not perfect, but it is beautiful, magical, and just plain great.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a whimsical yet slightly dark magical creature fantasy in the vein of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Linus Baker is a social worker for the government Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). He is a by-the-book investigator who lives a life of monotony. He is called by Extremely Upper Management for a month-long assignment at the Marsyas Island Orphanage, a remote location where the six magical children residing are considered Class 4 confidential and dangerous. His job is to evaluate the children, their caretaker, and the island, to determine whether the orphanage should remain in operations.
This story was wonderful. I was immediately charmed by the premise, but then fell into love with the narrative within the first few pages. There is so much to enjoy within this book. The story is fantastically whimsical, but still has just enough of a creep factor. It is sweet without being saccharine and has some fantastical magical elements at work. There are high levels of creativity, great characters, and a plot that moves steadily with ease. I went through a range of emotions in my reading, finding moments of anticipation, unease, happiness, sadness, and pieces where I truly laughed out loud.
The tale begins with Linus Baker's life in a humdrum and utterly gray existence. His job is monotonous and unpersonable, his neighbor is a grouch, and the weather seems perpetually gloomy. The writing captures this blandness so incredibly well, making the narrative feel as weighted and plodding as Linus's life itself. There is something magical to this alone. The words used make everything feel appropriately lonely and unfulfilling. However, as Linus moves out of the clouds and into the sunshine of Marsyas Island and its beautiful cerulean-colored sea, there is a slow shift in the tone, feeling something like the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy touches down to a suddenly colorized world.
Though the plot is undeniably intriguing, fun, and well-crafted, it was the characters who truly made this book for me. Klune has an ability to capture the innocence, honesty, and sometimes inappropriate children of children. His magical children are unique and have highly developed personalities that make them stand all on their own. It was so much fun to see them bloom in depth from beginning to end. The writing felt so honest to the character's natures and stayed all at once intriguing and entertaining.
The story works on many levels--feeling appropriate for nearly all audiences. Save a few instances of language mildly inappropriate for children, this could be a read for those from middle school to old age. The story itself is entertaining enough for all of those levels, but there are also lessons within the plot that work on a social parameter in ways that would be differently comprehended and resonate well with all readers.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a wholly fulfilling read and one of my favorite reads thus far this year. It stands very well on its own and is currently showing as a standalone, but presents a world I would love to explore more. I will absolutely be seeking out more of this author's work and praising this book to anyone who will listen. It's not perfect, but it is beautiful, magical, and just plain great.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
3.5 stars.
Son of Secrets is a continuation of The Indigo Chronicles, picking up 3 years after the conclusion of The Path Keeper. I am enjoying the series and its quick reading nature. It has sufficient movement in the plot to keep me interested and I enjoy the dark underpinnings of the narrative. It's intriguing to see where the series is going to go.
Though listed as Goodreads as YA, I categorized The Path Keeper as New Adult due to some mature content. That classification still holds true for Son of Secrets, though this sequel is a bit more adult than the first installation in the series. There are several explicit sex scenes throughout that really didn't help the plot, but for me instead made things more cringy.
The writing style continues in the same vein as the first, fairly informal with some immaturity. This kept the reading easy and fun, but also presented some awkward moments that warranted an eye roll. I like how the plot feels bouncy and light, but there are definitely some moments that feel unreal, farcical, or just uncomfortable. Regardless, I still enjoy her prose and it is comfortable to read.
The story continues to be interesting and the novel did not fall into the trap of being a humdrum follow-up. It reminds me of something like a less formal DaVinci Code in some ways. Demons and angels and mysticism tied up in a contemporary setting with some flashback pieces based on the concept of reincarnation. There is good action and tension throughout. I am invested in the characters for the most part and definitely developed some feelings and opinions of them through this installment. There are characters I don't like, characters with morally gray personalities, and characters I root for.
Though there are certainly some moments in the narrative that are awkward and overly immature, I still enjoyed my read and found interest in the story. I am looking forward to reading more as I like the theme of the plot enough to turn a cheek to the uncomfortable bits.
3.5 stars.
Son of Secrets is a continuation of The Indigo Chronicles, picking up 3 years after the conclusion of The Path Keeper. I am enjoying the series and its quick reading nature. It has sufficient movement in the plot to keep me interested and I enjoy the dark underpinnings of the narrative. It's intriguing to see where the series is going to go.
Though listed as Goodreads as YA, I categorized The Path Keeper as New Adult due to some mature content. That classification still holds true for Son of Secrets, though this sequel is a bit more adult than the first installation in the series. There are several explicit sex scenes throughout that really didn't help the plot, but for me instead made things more cringy.
The writing style continues in the same vein as the first, fairly informal with some immaturity. This kept the reading easy and fun, but also presented some awkward moments that warranted an eye roll. I like how the plot feels bouncy and light, but there are definitely some moments that feel unreal, farcical, or just uncomfortable. Regardless, I still enjoy her prose and it is comfortable to read.
The story continues to be interesting and the novel did not fall into the trap of being a humdrum follow-up. It reminds me of something like a less formal DaVinci Code in some ways. Demons and angels and mysticism tied up in a contemporary setting with some flashback pieces based on the concept of reincarnation. There is good action and tension throughout. I am invested in the characters for the most part and definitely developed some feelings and opinions of them through this installment. There are characters I don't like, characters with morally gray personalities, and characters I root for.
Though there are certainly some moments in the narrative that are awkward and overly immature, I still enjoyed my read and found interest in the story. I am looking forward to reading more as I like the theme of the plot enough to turn a cheek to the uncomfortable bits.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
A moderately enjoyable read with good fantastical elements, I just needed more. This book had a terribly intriguing premise and so much promise, but did not fulfill all of the hope I had for it. The writing was good and the characters had the framings to be believable, full, and dynamic, but the overarching theme here was a lack of full development. Execution was lacking.
The story follows the four Grimm sisters individually, but in an arc that will inevitably weave their stories together along the way. This stylistic choice makes sense, but may be the reason that the overall tale became less than I expected. To try and condense four full stories into such a relatively short novel was probably a big part of the undoing of the potential; at least in my eyes. I feel the premise may have been more successful if separated to follow one sister at a time and bridge the stories as a series. As it was, I loved each sister and the story they were telling as well as the original tales they were based on. There was so much there that gave me joy, perhaps I'm just too much of a glutton in that I wanted a fuller picture. Each individual story had so much potential for depth, but the surface was merely scratched. There was a good start to everything, but not enough full exploration. There is a lot of talent behind the author and I fully feel she could create something masterful if given the room through more pages to draw out the intricacies of each character and plot line.
The individual stories had such good imagination and each character was woven around a classic tale reimagined to be all its own. I appreciated the little touches that acted as nods to the original stories and I liked seeing how each girl's life had developed. I wanted to know more of their backstories and see more of their progression from child to adulthood. I wanted things to be more drawn out, with their individual relationships garnering more depth and side characters fleshing out more through the pages. Again, the potential and starts of all this were present, but just didn't feel pursued. As it was, relationships felt rushed and brushed over, making them feel sometimes less than natural. And there were a few areas where there appeared to be the presence of instalove, something that tends to turn me off in most cases.
I was left with A LOT of questions that made the ending feel like a terrible let down. There was nothing to explain what happened to the girls and their lives in the real world following the conclusion. There was a climax, but it then somewhat petered out without true resolution of all the pieces. The writing was good and the character development was moving with good promise when it all fell to...well...virtually nothing.
I wanted so much more from this. It was a decent read and I think there is a good chance that something magnificent could come from this author in the future, I just think this was sent out into the world too early. It needed more room to spread its wings and become something full.
A moderately enjoyable read with good fantastical elements, I just needed more. This book had a terribly intriguing premise and so much promise, but did not fulfill all of the hope I had for it. The writing was good and the characters had the framings to be believable, full, and dynamic, but the overarching theme here was a lack of full development. Execution was lacking.
The story follows the four Grimm sisters individually, but in an arc that will inevitably weave their stories together along the way. This stylistic choice makes sense, but may be the reason that the overall tale became less than I expected. To try and condense four full stories into such a relatively short novel was probably a big part of the undoing of the potential; at least in my eyes. I feel the premise may have been more successful if separated to follow one sister at a time and bridge the stories as a series. As it was, I loved each sister and the story they were telling as well as the original tales they were based on. There was so much there that gave me joy, perhaps I'm just too much of a glutton in that I wanted a fuller picture. Each individual story had so much potential for depth, but the surface was merely scratched. There was a good start to everything, but not enough full exploration. There is a lot of talent behind the author and I fully feel she could create something masterful if given the room through more pages to draw out the intricacies of each character and plot line.
The individual stories had such good imagination and each character was woven around a classic tale reimagined to be all its own. I appreciated the little touches that acted as nods to the original stories and I liked seeing how each girl's life had developed. I wanted to know more of their backstories and see more of their progression from child to adulthood. I wanted things to be more drawn out, with their individual relationships garnering more depth and side characters fleshing out more through the pages. Again, the potential and starts of all this were present, but just didn't feel pursued. As it was, relationships felt rushed and brushed over, making them feel sometimes less than natural. And there were a few areas where there appeared to be the presence of instalove, something that tends to turn me off in most cases.
I was left with A LOT of questions that made the ending feel like a terrible let down. There was nothing to explain what happened to the girls and their lives in the real world following the conclusion. There was a climax, but it then somewhat petered out without true resolution of all the pieces. The writing was good and the character development was moving with good promise when it all fell to...well...virtually nothing.
I wanted so much more from this. It was a decent read and I think there is a good chance that something magnificent could come from this author in the future, I just think this was sent out into the world too early. It needed more room to spread its wings and become something full.
First off, let's just start by me admitting that I am a sucker for Alice retellings. I adore anything Alice. Well...mostly...there have been bad apples. Thankfully, this was not one.
This villain story tells the tale of Catherine Pinkerton, destined to become the Queen of Hearts. It is a whimsical, yet slightly dark retelling focusing on the Land of Hearts before there was Alice. And a whimsical, dark story is always my favorite kind. I particularly adored the weaving in of other pieces of Wonderland throughout the story.
This was my first Marissa Meyer, so I can't speak for how this compares to her other works, but it does make me intrigued. However, the writing and construction of this tale reminded me a lot of the style of Charlie N. Holmberg (particularly from Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet) and that was a BIG plus for me.
Cath's character was frustrating and I wanted her to be even more defiant, but I could totally understand why she was the way she was. I loved Jest. Simply adored him. He may be one of my favorite characters this year. I saw such delicious conflicts in him that he truly became the focus for me when it came to this story. And poor, poor Hatta. The Mad Hatter has never been a particular favorite of mine, but this story, the reveals along the way, and the way everything comes together for him in the end...ach...just broke my heart. I found him a bit more endearing than I have in the past.
I loved this book. It will become a part of my permanent collection. In fact, I could vry much do with a prequel to this story...or even a companion novel telling the story of Chess. I'm just such a fool for Alice and this was fabulous. It totally won MY heart.
This villain story tells the tale of Catherine Pinkerton, destined to become the Queen of Hearts. It is a whimsical, yet slightly dark retelling focusing on the Land of Hearts before there was Alice. And a whimsical, dark story is always my favorite kind. I particularly adored the weaving in of other pieces of Wonderland throughout the story.
This was my first Marissa Meyer, so I can't speak for how this compares to her other works, but it does make me intrigued. However, the writing and construction of this tale reminded me a lot of the style of Charlie N. Holmberg (particularly from Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet) and that was a BIG plus for me.
Cath's character was frustrating and I wanted her to be even more defiant, but I could totally understand why she was the way she was. I loved Jest. Simply adored him. He may be one of my favorite characters this year. I saw such delicious conflicts in him that he truly became the focus for me when it came to this story. And poor, poor Hatta. The Mad Hatter has never been a particular favorite of mine, but this story, the reveals along the way, and the way everything comes together for him in the end...ach...just broke my heart. I found him a bit more endearing than I have in the past.
I loved this book. It will become a part of my permanent collection. In fact, I could vry much do with a prequel to this story...or even a companion novel telling the story of Chess. I'm just such a fool for Alice and this was fabulous. It totally won MY heart.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The Glass Magician had a lot of promise and was a decent read, but unfortunately fell short for me. A lot of my issues stemmed from lack of development, exploration, and detail. The bones of the story were present and decent, but there needed to be more depth in the pages. As it was, the construction of the novel felt quite choppy, both in writing style and format. The narrative left a lot of gaps to fill.
Set in the Gilded Age, which happens to be one of my favorite eras, there was a lot of chance for the establishment of posh society vs. poor and the creation of a world that felt magical even in the mundane. There was a little bit of this, but not enough. There was description of some of the more fancy homes and restaurants, some touching on fashion of the era, and obviously the mention of vaudeville, but the time period definitely didn't come through as strongly as I think was possible.
When it came to the magic system, I found myself highly frustrated. While I was interested in the world being created, it wasn't very well-developed and lacked a lot in explanation. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story, almost as if I had missed the first book and this was a sequel. There was no easing into things or even a simple info dump to present the world. Instead, I was gathering pieces from beginning to end, trying to figure out exactly what a Solitaire was, along with the other categories. In fact, I still don't understand if the references to white Solitaire and black Solitaire had to do with something other than skin color. And if they didn't, then the constant reference to individuals as one or the other was certainly excessive as they often weren't given any other description. While some revelation along the way is fine and can certainly add tension to the story, this method felt more frustrating than mysterious.
The plot was good and the writing was fine, but everything just felt overly rushed. I feel like things could have truly been exemplary if a little more time would have been taken to flush out details and set up scenes more carefully. The talent is there, just not fully explored. For example, the discussion about an "ordeal" is repeatedly addressed with stress to how important and challenging it is. However, when this event actually takes place, it felt overly mundane -- uneventful and not very harrowing at all. That was incredibly disappointing.
Though the overall story was still enjoyable, there was not enough there to push it into the higher star ratings for me.
The Glass Magician had a lot of promise and was a decent read, but unfortunately fell short for me. A lot of my issues stemmed from lack of development, exploration, and detail. The bones of the story were present and decent, but there needed to be more depth in the pages. As it was, the construction of the novel felt quite choppy, both in writing style and format. The narrative left a lot of gaps to fill.
Set in the Gilded Age, which happens to be one of my favorite eras, there was a lot of chance for the establishment of posh society vs. poor and the creation of a world that felt magical even in the mundane. There was a little bit of this, but not enough. There was description of some of the more fancy homes and restaurants, some touching on fashion of the era, and obviously the mention of vaudeville, but the time period definitely didn't come through as strongly as I think was possible.
When it came to the magic system, I found myself highly frustrated. While I was interested in the world being created, it wasn't very well-developed and lacked a lot in explanation. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story, almost as if I had missed the first book and this was a sequel. There was no easing into things or even a simple info dump to present the world. Instead, I was gathering pieces from beginning to end, trying to figure out exactly what a Solitaire was, along with the other categories. In fact, I still don't understand if the references to white Solitaire and black Solitaire had to do with something other than skin color. And if they didn't, then the constant reference to individuals as one or the other was certainly excessive as they often weren't given any other description. While some revelation along the way is fine and can certainly add tension to the story, this method felt more frustrating than mysterious.
The plot was good and the writing was fine, but everything just felt overly rushed. I feel like things could have truly been exemplary if a little more time would have been taken to flush out details and set up scenes more carefully. The talent is there, just not fully explored. For example, the discussion about an "ordeal" is repeatedly addressed with stress to how important and challenging it is. However, when this event actually takes place, it felt overly mundane -- uneventful and not very harrowing at all. That was incredibly disappointing.
Though the overall story was still enjoyable, there was not enough there to push it into the higher star ratings for me.
2.5 stars.
This was a weird, but short little book. I had been slightly forewarned by some reviews prior to picking this up, but I have really enjoyed Niffenegger's other works, so I had to pick it up all the same. It's magical realism in the form of a new fairy tale, but it was just plain strange. I don't know if maybe constructing it as a novel and drawing it out would have made a difference or if it's just the plain facts of the story. As it was, the shortness likely saved it from a lower rating since I really didn't have to invest much time.
Was it still worth reading? I'd have to say maybe. Approaching it with the plan to take the time to really contemplate the story in an analytical way might have made it more...enjoyable? After finishing the book, I read a review with spoilers that made me think about the story a little deeper. Having read that, I can see some additional value in the story...it just had a bit too much of a blunt delivery to be something I could get myself truly invested in.
This was a weird, but short little book. I had been slightly forewarned by some reviews prior to picking this up, but I have really enjoyed Niffenegger's other works, so I had to pick it up all the same. It's magical realism in the form of a new fairy tale, but it was just plain strange. I don't know if maybe constructing it as a novel and drawing it out would have made a difference or if it's just the plain facts of the story. As it was, the shortness likely saved it from a lower rating since I really didn't have to invest much time.
Was it still worth reading? I'd have to say maybe. Approaching it with the plan to take the time to really contemplate the story in an analytical way might have made it more...enjoyable? After finishing the book, I read a review with spoilers that made me think about the story a little deeper. Having read that, I can see some additional value in the story...it just had a bit too much of a blunt delivery to be something I could get myself truly invested in.
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The Miss Peregrine's series continues to be a favorite. I wasn't sure that things would remain interesting after the first trilogy, but I was very mistaken. This book was excellent, just as good as the others. The series just continues to be SO good. The action is constant, the characters are entertaining and vibrant, and the concept is always just magical.
I loved the new characters in this book and the "Flaming Man" scenes were probably my favorite. I want to know MORE. I just can't get enough of the loops, I find them so continuously fascinating. I'm pretty sure I won't ever tire of this magical world and I will read anything that Ransom Riggs chooses to write.
I will admit that the ending is a serious cliffhanger and I'm glad I can pick up the next installment soon, but it's still so incredibly good that I really couldn't even be that mad if it wasn't already available. LOVE!
I loved the new characters in this book and the "Flaming Man" scenes were probably my favorite. I want to know MORE. I just can't get enough of the loops, I find them so continuously fascinating. I'm pretty sure I won't ever tire of this magical world and I will read anything that Ransom Riggs chooses to write.
I will admit that the ending is a serious cliffhanger and I'm glad I can pick up the next installment soon, but it's still so incredibly good that I really couldn't even be that mad if it wasn't already available. LOVE!
I am going to freely admit to giving this book a bit of a bump in the ratings by sheer credit of being a classic. Though it doesn't technically rank up with the rest of my 3-star books, the style of writing and humor is certainly impressive given the time period in which it was written. However, I can't simply give it a total free pass.
There is a lot of wit and (dry) humor present in the writing and the entire narrative is ripe with over the top interactions and results. The sheer number of "coincidences" that happen along the way were painfully eye-rolling. Yes...I understand that this is on purpose as the entire piece is meant to be a satire and that it obtains its critical success largely because of this hyperbole, but still...too much. There is a lot of tongue in cheek humor, a frequent presence of oppositional circumstances, and a lot of thumbing its nose at religion.
Thankfully, it is short...which makes this crazy construction tolerable and somewhat entertaining. The plot does provide quite a bit of action and plot movement, which is impressive given the length. The shortness also allows the book to maintain relevance in the modern age, as readers are not tasked with wading through thick and overly flowery prose or excess description.
Long story short...good as a classic, but certainly not my general tastes. Worth appreciating for its ability to withstand the test of time, but I am thankful that it was not a larger book.
There is a lot of wit and (dry) humor present in the writing and the entire narrative is ripe with over the top interactions and results. The sheer number of "coincidences" that happen along the way were painfully eye-rolling. Yes...I understand that this is on purpose as the entire piece is meant to be a satire and that it obtains its critical success largely because of this hyperbole, but still...too much. There is a lot of tongue in cheek humor, a frequent presence of oppositional circumstances, and a lot of thumbing its nose at religion.
Thankfully, it is short...which makes this crazy construction tolerable and somewhat entertaining. The plot does provide quite a bit of action and plot movement, which is impressive given the length. The shortness also allows the book to maintain relevance in the modern age, as readers are not tasked with wading through thick and overly flowery prose or excess description.
Long story short...good as a classic, but certainly not my general tastes. Worth appreciating for its ability to withstand the test of time, but I am thankful that it was not a larger book.
This was a difficult to rate. It went back and forth for me from loving it to an occasional meh moment. The tension built really well, but I found myself unsatisfied with the ending...which is always a bit of a knife in the side when it comes to my enjoyment of books.
The movement of the plot is pretty good and there is a lot of action from beginning to end, including a lot of interesting happenings along the way. The characters of Nadya and Malachiasz are well-written, though Malachiasz is a terribly frustrating and waffly type character. He's terribly unreliable and drove me a bit nuts. I really wanted to like him, but ARGH. Serafin is a moderately developed character, but needs a bit more strength. He has a lot of magical power, but there is a lot about him that is just weak and disappointing. As for the secondary characters, I will admit that they were fairly flat and operated merely as placeholders and plot devices a lot of the time. This was frustrating and I could have used a bit more depth in these areas.
The writing itself is overall good. There are some awkward and maybe unrefined moments, but for the most part this read smoothly. I always have a bit of trouble with any narratives utilizing the Eastern European Bloc as inspiration. I don't know why, but I have trouble with the linguistics from this area. The interspersing of cultural dialect added to the ambiance of the story, but did occasionally cause a bit of stoppage for me as well.
The tension built really well, but that darned ending! It should have felt like a major cliffhanger, but instead just left me..."meh". Regardless, I'm giving a slight pass since this is the first of a trilogy and I feel there is a lot left to explore. I am interested in the plot and there is enough unfinished business to keep me interested in where the remainder of the trilogy has to go.
The movement of the plot is pretty good and there is a lot of action from beginning to end, including a lot of interesting happenings along the way. The characters of Nadya and Malachiasz are well-written, though Malachiasz is a terribly frustrating and waffly type character. He's terribly unreliable and drove me a bit nuts. I really wanted to like him, but ARGH. Serafin is a moderately developed character, but needs a bit more strength. He has a lot of magical power, but there is a lot about him that is just weak and disappointing. As for the secondary characters, I will admit that they were fairly flat and operated merely as placeholders and plot devices a lot of the time. This was frustrating and I could have used a bit more depth in these areas.
The writing itself is overall good. There are some awkward and maybe unrefined moments, but for the most part this read smoothly. I always have a bit of trouble with any narratives utilizing the Eastern European Bloc as inspiration. I don't know why, but I have trouble with the linguistics from this area. The interspersing of cultural dialect added to the ambiance of the story, but did occasionally cause a bit of stoppage for me as well.
The tension built really well, but that darned ending! It should have felt like a major cliffhanger, but instead just left me..."meh". Regardless, I'm giving a slight pass since this is the first of a trilogy and I feel there is a lot left to explore. I am interested in the plot and there is enough unfinished business to keep me interested in where the remainder of the trilogy has to go.