librarianlayla's Reviews (954)

3.5 stars.

I found the flow of this story a little hard to maintain, so I found my interest waning at quite a few points. However it has some really interesting history, and I enjoyed the diverse characters.

So many beautiful elements interwoven to create this magical story. Struggled to put it down.

It will delight, excite and sadden you. But it will be 100% worth the journey, I cannot wait for the sequel.

I received an advanced copy of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This had all the makings of a great Nordic tragedy and sadly the writing didn't meet my expectations. I enjoyed all the Norse mythology however inconsistent terminology and the loose plot really brought this down from what could have been a 4/5 star read to a 2.5/3 star.

The characters were also lacking I felt, it felt rushed, and I think I would have enjoyed it more had I been able to get a real feel for the characters, if their bonds had been stronger rather than just weak suggestions.

A great premise, some good moments, just not executed as well as I had hoped.

I received an early copy of this story through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heart felt, hard hitting, deep as the ocean.

I appreciated the insight that this story gives to a lot of very important subjects - such as depression, anxiety, suicide, toxic relationships, manipulation ect. Topics that are so important and need to be represented more in modern literature.

Having said that. this felt like three different stories, jam packed into one, which left me feeling that each character wasn't getting the chance to shine to their full potential. Their interwoven stories weren't done seamlessly from the start and it felt very disjointed between chapters, going from one character to the next, to the next. It really only starts to make more sense and feel more streamlined in the last quarter of the book, which for most readers nowadays is a little too late, sadly. But I am glad that I persevered to see the story line collide and actually come together so beautifully.

If you aren't a fan of multiple character perspectives, done from a chapter to chapter basis, then this will not be for you. However fans of stories that tackle mental health and overcoming life's hardest challenges, will enjoy this book.

A magical multi-world that draws you in instantly.

Witty, dark and filled with intrigue. I wouldn't expect anything less from a Schwab book. Can't wait to dive into book 2!

This was even better than the first book!

A clever game of cat and mouse, with multiple players, interwoven beautifully leaving the reader unable to relinquish the book from their hands.

I can't wait to read the third and final book.