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hollanddavis's Reviews (904)
I was worried how much I would enjoy the multiverse aspect of this HOFAS, but it ended up feeling like a natural part of any SJM book. If you’ve read the Throne of Glass series you’ve already experienced SJM’s characters grappling with other worlds, only this time it includes a world we’ve already been introduced to (Prythian).
Genuinely, I have no idea how SJM keeps all of these characters and this plot straight- with the interconnecting magic systems, worlds, and characters - but it truly feels like she’s a master of the craft. To have so many distinct characters, with backstories and motivations…I was truly along for the ride, and I look forward for the next one.
——————-Spoilers———————
1. Getting to see all of the ACOTAR characters from Bryce’s POV was interesting, and seeing Nesta after ACOSF, felt different. More grounded. I loved getting to see the Az/Nesta friendship that I wasn’t expecting, and I’m excited to pick up where SJM left off in Pyrthian with the Starsword.
2. Ithan had my support going into this book and lost me by the end. Poor guy had the impulse control and low self-confidence of a teenager.
3. Tharion’s chapters were a struggle to read until Sathia showed up. The two of them against the River Queen? The duo I didn’t expect but would love to see more of.
4. At a certain point it felt like I was turning pages just for the chance to read another interaction between Ruhn and Lidia. Lidia is everything I hoped she’d going into this book and more, and I loved getting to explore her character more with chapters from her POV
5. Personally, I struggled with Bryce’s character. In this book she felt more selfish and less understanding about Hunt’s experiences. Comparing traveling to another world (where the people were-all things considered- pretty nice) and Hunt being tortured by a psychopath? Come on. She could be selfish and cunning and manipulative with others, but I didn’t want her to be with Hunt.
Genuinely, I have no idea how SJM keeps all of these characters and this plot straight- with the interconnecting magic systems, worlds, and characters - but it truly feels like she’s a master of the craft. To have so many distinct characters, with backstories and motivations…I was truly along for the ride, and I look forward for the next one.
——————-Spoilers———————
1. Getting to see all of the ACOTAR characters from Bryce’s POV was interesting, and seeing Nesta after ACOSF, felt different. More grounded. I loved getting to see the Az/Nesta friendship that I wasn’t expecting, and I’m excited to pick up where SJM left off in Pyrthian with the Starsword.
2. Ithan had my support going into this book and lost me by the end. Poor guy had the impulse control and low self-confidence of a teenager.
3. Tharion’s chapters were a struggle to read until Sathia showed up. The two of them against the River Queen? The duo I didn’t expect but would love to see more of.
4. At a certain point it felt like I was turning pages just for the chance to read another interaction between Ruhn and Lidia. Lidia is everything I hoped she’d going into this book and more, and I loved getting to explore her character more with chapters from her POV
5. Personally, I struggled with Bryce’s character. In this book she felt more selfish and less understanding about Hunt’s experiences. Comparing traveling to another world (where the people were-all things considered- pretty nice) and Hunt being tortured by a psychopath? Come on. She could be selfish and cunning and manipulative with others, but I didn’t want her to be with Hunt.
Overall a very interesting book about the differences between American English and British English. I enjoyed it as someone who has a passing interest in linguistics and as someone who has noted the differences between the “nationlects” but never understand the nuance behind those variations. Murphy explores the contrast in spelling, idioms, emphasis on class, and more.
Fair warning: if you listen to this book as an audiobook, there is a point where all of the words thats are spelled differently between the two countries (ex. labor vs labour) will be listed and then promptly spelled at you
Fair warning: if you listen to this book as an audiobook, there is a point where all of the words thats are spelled differently between the two countries (ex. labor vs labour) will be listed and then promptly spelled at you
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I think anytime an author writes multiple books in a series she run the risk of the characters blurring together, but Dunmore does a great job of all of her MCs feeling distinct and like their own person. This tetralogy can, yes, be categorized as a historical romance, but Dunmore does a wonderful job of fully immersing the reader into the causes of the characters outside of the romance itself. Sometimes you read a book with a subplot about the suffrage movement or art history or coal mining, but it feels surface level and you leave the book knowing no more about the subject than when you started. That's never the case with one of Dunmore's books, and I always appreciate her more for it.
The relationship between Catriona and Elias felt flushed out and real. The chemistry was there, the attraction, absolutely, but so was the time together to actually build a foundation of mutual trust and respect. We love to see it.
There were so many beautiful quotes, but I'll leave you with this
The relationship between Catriona and Elias felt flushed out and real. The chemistry was there, the attraction, absolutely, but so was the time together to actually build a foundation of mutual trust and respect. We love to see it.
There were so many beautiful quotes, but I'll leave you with this
"Ghosts could be laid to rest. Patterns could be reversed. One could cross out The End and add another paragraph. And occasionally, one had to let go of a good thing to make room for a potentially better thing. It was a risk. But life, just by way of passing, eventually caused a change of circumstances anyway, so a woman might as well make the decision to be brave, and trust in her ability to navigate the unknown."
A fun read, and McWhorter absolutely brings the novel to life in the audiobook as the narrator! It feels like you’re listening to your fav prof talk over a cup of coffee. You can tell he’s so genuinely passionate about the information, and I love it.
