This latest installment is the best of the series so far, while I still have some frustrations with the plot (the king and queen’s deaths mostly), it was certainly very good. The end seemed fitting and was enjoyable, I look forward to seeing what the next book is like. The only thing I have to say is that Holland better be dead for real for real. No more of this bringing him back.

I wish I enjoyed this book more, I was extremely excited to read this after enjoying TJ’s other works. Perhaps it is unfair to compare different novels with different characters to one another, but truly I just couldn’t get into this one. 

This retelling of Pinocchio never pulled on my heartstrings the way others of Klune’s books did. And perhaps more sadly, it never really intrigued me either, I kept thinking there would maybe be a moment I got into the story, that perhaps there was going to be a twist or turn that really pulled me in, but there never was. The few moments of joy I felt reading this had little to do with the humanity of the book and the love story embedded in it, but rather in the little quips between Rambo and Ratchet, otherwise I found things pretty flat. 

I won’t be counting Klune out on stories based off of this one though, while it wasn’t for me, I can see how others would enjoy it! 

4/5 

Kaladin is by far the best character in book one, I’m under no illusion that that is unintentional though. It seems that Sanderson builds him up purposefully to be the main focus. While Shallan and Dalinar’s stories are equally interesting, they are not given quite as much depth or attention. 

Hoid’s presence is interesting and I am excited to see where that goes. 

I am interested in where this story goes, although I will say I am surprised there is no twist in this book the way Sanderson is known for doing. 

Something about this book just didn’t do it for me. I think because a lot of it felt half baked. The reveal of our main villain being her former attendant felt anticlimactic because up until that point we really didn’t get many flashbacks to demonstrate just how important of a role she’d had in Sylvia’s previous life. 

The entire training subplot to get her magic to function correctly took more of the book than the trials, so for me the pacing was way off. 

The blood summit also continuously bothered me because it is unclear to me what all happened, I understand confusion is sewn into this plot since Sylvia’s remembrance is spotty and the Jasad movement against the royals played a part as well. But by the end I was simply just confused about exactly what had transpired and how if it was so bad she and her father like figure survived? 

I think this world clearly has potential and perhaps these issues are addressed in future additions. I do know this is a debut novel, and with that in mind, it is still impressive! 

I like the structure of this one more than the first but it did drag a big in the middle. 

My favorite Sanderson book to date. 

I can’t really seem to put into words why I enjoyed this book so much, but I did. It was easily a 5/5. 

No dragons though. 

This retelling or Medusa’s story through the eyes of her sisters made it more real, more tragic, and more beautiful. Bear writes a story of love and loss; grief and anger. It is so well done.

Yes, dragons appear, briefly 🐉

Very cute and heartwarming book, a good cleansing the palate book.