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I was super hyped for this but I... this just wasn't for me at all.
First off, I love Oscar Wilde and read The Portrait of Dorian Gray earlier this year (or late last year? I don't know time anymore), and I have to be honest when I saw I don't understand the connection at all. Yes this entire book is tied up in art and performance and facades but? That's kind of it. I honestly don't know if this is just me not getting it/seeing it, but the comparison just wasn't there for me.
I also thought the book was overall super messy, in almost all aspects. From the beginning I had a hard time following the story because the writing felt really jerky, almost like there wasn't proper progression from scene to scene. It felt like things kept suddenly happening and it didn't always feel like it lined up properly with the actions that built up to it. This may have been intentional, since the characters themselves also felt extremely erratic the entire book, but it honestly hurt my head. I was constantly pushed and pulled, but not in a fun, twisty way.
I also just wasn't into the characters at all. Like honestly, I'm super glad that f/f books are finally getting range, and that they aren't all trying to be wholesome and perfect anymore (and that we get morally grey gays!), but like, the execution in this book felt weak to me. Everyone just sucked, and for what! On top of all that, there're no consequences for the main duo, Mick and Veronica, for being super toxic and manipulative to each other? They just get a happy ending? It made the entire story lack impact, because the toxicity in the relationship (on both sides) simply never gets addressed except in a few arguments between the two that flip back and forth constantly.
I also just wasn't into the ending at all either. It really just felt like "uh, that's it?", and with the entire book being build up to it, it felt weak and disappointing (even considering I was already not enjoying the book up until that point). Overall, this book was not for me at all (which is a shame, because that cover!), and I don't know if I'll be reading any of the author's other books.
First off, I love Oscar Wilde and read The Portrait of Dorian Gray earlier this year (or late last year? I don't know time anymore), and I have to be honest when I saw I don't understand the connection at all. Yes this entire book is tied up in art and performance and facades but? That's kind of it. I honestly don't know if this is just me not getting it/seeing it, but the comparison just wasn't there for me.
I also thought the book was overall super messy, in almost all aspects. From the beginning I had a hard time following the story because the writing felt really jerky, almost like there wasn't proper progression from scene to scene. It felt like things kept suddenly happening and it didn't always feel like it lined up properly with the actions that built up to it. This may have been intentional, since the characters themselves also felt extremely erratic the entire book, but it honestly hurt my head. I was constantly pushed and pulled, but not in a fun, twisty way.
I also just wasn't into the characters at all. Like honestly, I'm super glad that f/f books are finally getting range, and that they aren't all trying to be wholesome and perfect anymore (and that we get morally grey gays!), but like, the execution in this book felt weak to me. Everyone just sucked, and for what! On top of all that, there're no consequences for the main duo, Mick and Veronica, for being super toxic and manipulative to each other? They just get a happy ending? It made the entire story lack impact, because the toxicity in the relationship (on both sides) simply never gets addressed except in a few arguments between the two that flip back and forth constantly.
I also just wasn't into the ending at all either. It really just felt like "uh, that's it?", and with the entire book being build up to it, it felt weak and disappointing (even considering I was already not enjoying the book up until that point). Overall, this book was not for me at all (which is a shame, because that cover!), and I don't know if I'll be reading any of the author's other books.
It's looking like 2021 is going to be the year of f/f romances and I am here for it! The covers (this one included of course) are amazing, and I'm so happy I got to read and review this one before release! (This review is based on an ARC of the book and content is subject to change!)
I wasn't the biggest fan of Quindlen's other release, Late to the Party, but this one has made her an instant buy author for me! This book was honestly the fluffy f/f contemporary I've been looking for, complete with all the things I love in romance (especially enemies/rivals to lovers... the pining is so good in this book!)
This book has a lot of substance beside the fluff too, and manages to deal with getting out of a toxic relationship + the grief that comes with getting over someone (and how hard it can be to let go), without making the book too 'tough' or 'heavy'. It makes the book realistic alongside wholesome, and I love the support the love interest has for Scottie as she comes to terms with her past relationship, and focuses on letting go and moving on. It makes for a great read that's overall well balanced!
I also enjoyed reading a high school that isn't wholly focused on the future and college, and just focuses more on enjoying the 'now' of high school (since I've been somehow reading a LOT of HS books lately that are heavily dependent on the MC's struggle to get into a specific college, and it's tiring). Like college is definitely a part of some conversations, but it doesn't dominate the novel like some others books I've read recently. It was refreshing!
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough, and I can't wait to reread it when it releases early 2021!
I wasn't the biggest fan of Quindlen's other release, Late to the Party, but this one has made her an instant buy author for me! This book was honestly the fluffy f/f contemporary I've been looking for, complete with all the things I love in romance (especially enemies/rivals to lovers... the pining is so good in this book!)
This book has a lot of substance beside the fluff too, and manages to deal with getting out of a toxic relationship + the grief that comes with getting over someone (and how hard it can be to let go), without making the book too 'tough' or 'heavy'. It makes the book realistic alongside wholesome, and I love the support the love interest has for Scottie as she comes to terms with her past relationship, and focuses on letting go and moving on. It makes for a great read that's overall well balanced!
I also enjoyed reading a high school that isn't wholly focused on the future and college, and just focuses more on enjoying the 'now' of high school (since I've been somehow reading a LOT of HS books lately that are heavily dependent on the MC's struggle to get into a specific college, and it's tiring). Like college is definitely a part of some conversations, but it doesn't dominate the novel like some others books I've read recently. It was refreshing!
Overall, I can't recommend this book enough, and I can't wait to reread it when it releases early 2021!
Was really hyped for this one, but this ain't it. This was actually one of the 2020 releases I was quite excited for, but unfortunately it just didn't live up to the hope I had for it.
In my opinion, this book didn't work on so many levels.
1. The Characters: I've rarely read an ensemble cast where I've literally hated every single character. From the start, I was put off by the single POV in a book with such a large main cast (though this does make sense in the end). These types of thrillers heavily rely on a reader's connection to the characters, as it is the desire for their favorite to not die (or for a despired character to die) that makes these books so 'thrilling'. You lose a lot of potential connection by limiting the POV to just a single character. On top of that, all of the characters were insanely tropey, and they never really move beyond that. It's like each character was assigned a trait or two, and that's all they get. The star athlete's personality is minimized to only caring about sports, the music geek (the main character) only cares about getting into her dream music school, and the loner is defined solely by the fact that she's always alone, even in a group. They never grow or move beyond these initial tropes, and it only makes harder for the reader to connect with them. You can't connect with just a shallow concept. Lastly, they all just sucked?? Like in not the way that morally grey characters are mildly evil, but you love them anyways. These guys just all sucked to varying degrees and I just, didn't enjoy that at all.
2. The Past vs. Present Storytelling: I normally like when stories play with formatting and aren't just told in a linear manner, but this just is not the way to do it. The two halves of the story are entirely unbalanced, with the Past getting a lot more page time (due to the insane amount of random drama that needs to be explained to understand the Present), and it leads to any tension that may have built up in the meager Present chapters (where they're literally deciding who to kill) to dissipate almost instantly. It makes for an extremely boring thriller, and I honestly wasn't on my seat for any of it until the end, where we get a few Present chapters strung together. On top of that, the Past chapters just sucked? Like, all we get is a bunch of high school drama thrown together (bullying! drinking! drugs! kids with guns! romance trouble! serial killers!) and it's all way too much and tropey, just like the characters. It felt unrealistic and thrown together just to make the plot twist make sense.
3. The Plot Twist: I can't really discuss this fully here without spoiling the entire book, but honestly this was a let down for quite a few reasons. First, it didn't seem to fit the characters, especially the main character, at all. Second, it basically killed the growth/importance of the events in the Past, since they're rendered irrelevant due to the results of the plot twist. And third, it honestly was quite a disappointment overall. The twist itself was wholly uninteresting, even if some of the consequences of it were wild (and not necessarily in a good way).
Overall, I wish I loved this, but I honestly didn't at all.
In my opinion, this book didn't work on so many levels.
1. The Characters: I've rarely read an ensemble cast where I've literally hated every single character. From the start, I was put off by the single POV in a book with such a large main cast (though this does make sense in the end). These types of thrillers heavily rely on a reader's connection to the characters, as it is the desire for their favorite to not die (or for a despired character to die) that makes these books so 'thrilling'. You lose a lot of potential connection by limiting the POV to just a single character. On top of that, all of the characters were insanely tropey, and they never really move beyond that. It's like each character was assigned a trait or two, and that's all they get. The star athlete's personality is minimized to only caring about sports, the music geek (the main character) only cares about getting into her dream music school, and the loner is defined solely by the fact that she's always alone, even in a group. They never grow or move beyond these initial tropes, and it only makes harder for the reader to connect with them. You can't connect with just a shallow concept. Lastly, they all just sucked?? Like in not the way that morally grey characters are mildly evil, but you love them anyways. These guys just all sucked to varying degrees and I just, didn't enjoy that at all.
2. The Past vs. Present Storytelling: I normally like when stories play with formatting and aren't just told in a linear manner, but this just is not the way to do it. The two halves of the story are entirely unbalanced, with the Past getting a lot more page time (due to the insane amount of random drama that needs to be explained to understand the Present), and it leads to any tension that may have built up in the meager Present chapters (where they're literally deciding who to kill) to dissipate almost instantly. It makes for an extremely boring thriller, and I honestly wasn't on my seat for any of it until the end, where we get a few Present chapters strung together. On top of that, the Past chapters just sucked? Like, all we get is a bunch of high school drama thrown together (bullying! drinking! drugs! kids with guns! romance trouble! serial killers!) and it's all way too much and tropey, just like the characters. It felt unrealistic and thrown together just to make the plot twist make sense.
3. The Plot Twist: I can't really discuss this fully here without spoiling the entire book, but honestly this was a let down for quite a few reasons. First, it didn't seem to fit the characters, especially the main character, at all. Second, it basically killed the growth/importance of the events in the Past, since they're rendered irrelevant due to the results of the plot twist. And third, it honestly was quite a disappointment overall. The twist itself was wholly uninteresting, even if some of the consequences of it were wild (and not necessarily in a good way).
Overall, I wish I loved this, but I honestly didn't at all.
First off, I'd like to thank Netgalley, Tracy Deonn, and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read and review this book. Even though an egalley was provided to me, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Additionally, I read an advance version of the book, and the text is subject to change in the final version.
This was so good??? Like I'm not necessarily into Arthurian retellings at all (mainly due to a lack of knowledge of the original legend), but damn this book was so good even without that background knowledge.
On that topic, Deonn does a fantastic job introducing readers to lore/stories/history that they might not necessarily know already, whether it be the legend of Arthur or history of Black people in America and their relation to magic in their history. I honestly never felt lost or confused in this book, and that's fantastic considering I don't have a strong background in Arthurian legend or Black history (thanks to the wonderful education system we have in the US :)) ).
On top of that, the story, characters, and world itself are also so well-written and interesting! The story felt so large (in a good way) and impactful, and I felt myself constantly on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happens next. So many twists and turns, while I may have guessed them at one point or another, shocked me when they happened anyways, and I sped through the last 40% of this book (which is a feat considering how big this book is AND that I've been having a hard time focusing on reading lately). To make the story even better is a diverse cast of characters that I couldn't help falling in love with. Bree has to be my favorite, from her steady strength throughout the book (in even the face of trouble, grief, and prejudice), though Nick and Sel (a pure sunshine boy and a troubled angry magician) were close seconds. I also loved the support system that Bree had in her father and her best friend, even if she couldn't always be honest and open with them. I seriously cannot wait to see what happens in the later books, even just to see these characters again!
I also really enjoyed the romance! It was much more gripping and intriguing than some of the romances I've read in YA fantasy lately, and I loved how while it was important, it didn't dominate the story or the plot. It was a perfect supporting aspect of the story without becoming the story. I do think we might get a love triangle in later books, though the idea of one doesn't annoy me as much as it usually does in books. Overall, just super curious how this part of the story further develops.
Lastly, the magic system(s) in this book are fantastic. It seems like there's this base of magic running through the world and each culture/group has their own perception of how that magic works, who's allowed to use it, how it should be used, and whether other users of magic are good/bad. It gives the book a bit of learning curve in the sense that readers have to navigate this complex web of magic, filled with different players, concepts, and ideologies, but Deonn explains it in such a manageable way that I didn't struggle with it. Overall, it just made for a fascinating read just based on the system alone, ignoring the characters and actual plot of this book.
Altogether, all these strong aspects only made for even stronger debut, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
This was so good??? Like I'm not necessarily into Arthurian retellings at all (mainly due to a lack of knowledge of the original legend), but damn this book was so good even without that background knowledge.
On that topic, Deonn does a fantastic job introducing readers to lore/stories/history that they might not necessarily know already, whether it be the legend of Arthur or history of Black people in America and their relation to magic in their history. I honestly never felt lost or confused in this book, and that's fantastic considering I don't have a strong background in Arthurian legend or Black history (thanks to the wonderful education system we have in the US :)) ).
On top of that, the story, characters, and world itself are also so well-written and interesting! The story felt so large (in a good way) and impactful, and I felt myself constantly on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happens next. So many twists and turns, while I may have guessed them at one point or another, shocked me when they happened anyways, and I sped through the last 40% of this book (which is a feat considering how big this book is AND that I've been having a hard time focusing on reading lately). To make the story even better is a diverse cast of characters that I couldn't help falling in love with. Bree has to be my favorite, from her steady strength throughout the book (in even the face of trouble, grief, and prejudice), though Nick and Sel (a pure sunshine boy and a troubled angry magician) were close seconds. I also loved the support system that Bree had in her father and her best friend, even if she couldn't always be honest and open with them. I seriously cannot wait to see what happens in the later books, even just to see these characters again!
I also really enjoyed the romance! It was much more gripping and intriguing than some of the romances I've read in YA fantasy lately, and I loved how while it was important, it didn't dominate the story or the plot. It was a perfect supporting aspect of the story without becoming the story. I do think we might get a love triangle in later books, though the idea of one doesn't annoy me as much as it usually does in books. Overall, just super curious how this part of the story further develops.
Lastly, the magic system(s) in this book are fantastic. It seems like there's this base of magic running through the world and each culture/group has their own perception of how that magic works, who's allowed to use it, how it should be used, and whether other users of magic are good/bad. It gives the book a bit of learning curve in the sense that readers have to navigate this complex web of magic, filled with different players, concepts, and ideologies, but Deonn explains it in such a manageable way that I didn't struggle with it. Overall, it just made for a fascinating read just based on the system alone, ignoring the characters and actual plot of this book.
Altogether, all these strong aspects only made for even stronger debut, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
“Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or performance. It's the closest you'll ever find yourself magic in this world.”
Stars (Out of 10): 8/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this, and flew through this novel quickly. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the characters, and unreliable narrators can be a hit or miss, it worked out this time, and the plot and world more than made up for any negatives the characters may have brought to the book as a whole.
The Good: I loved the fantastic and whimsical world created in this novel, as well as the way it was described so well. In addition, I loved the plot and the tons of twists we saw, and how thoroughly the rules of the game were meant, and how the book really used the idea of “it’s just a game” to it’s fullest extent.
The Bad: I couldn’t seem to get attached to any of the characters, since the main character, Scarlett, was against almost every action she had to complete, and we were warned a million times not to trust the other guys, meaning I could never get a feel for any of them.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Characters: As I said above, it was hard to like any of the characters truly. Everyone bounced back from good to evil, which made it hard to actually begin to like anyone since it was hard to tell if anyone was even a decent person, and see who they actually were. The only character we saw the full truth of was Scarlett, but then I wasn’t able to connect with her because she was so unwilling to go through with anything, obsessing excessively over her sister and hating a game she supposedly has been obsessed with her whole life.
The Plot: Originally, the plot seemed pretty straightforward and simple, a cliche I’ve read a million times before. But then, the twist happened, and the entire world and everything I knew flipped on it’s head. It made the entire book seem thrilling, fantastic, and perfectly planned out. I also love the hints for the next book’s plot while still getting proper closure for the book 1 plot!
The World Building: I really fell in love with the world, and the whole “Caraval” and the air of mystery and magic around it. I also like how we weren’t overloaded with world explanations when the entire novel took place during Caraval on a random island, where all the information would have been useless.
The Favorite Character: I liked Julian by the end, but it was hard to like any character in a world where nothing is true.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
Stars (Out of 10): 8/10 Stars
Overall Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this, and flew through this novel quickly. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the characters, and unreliable narrators can be a hit or miss, it worked out this time, and the plot and world more than made up for any negatives the characters may have brought to the book as a whole.
The Good: I loved the fantastic and whimsical world created in this novel, as well as the way it was described so well. In addition, I loved the plot and the tons of twists we saw, and how thoroughly the rules of the game were meant, and how the book really used the idea of “it’s just a game” to it’s fullest extent.
The Bad: I couldn’t seem to get attached to any of the characters, since the main character, Scarlett, was against almost every action she had to complete, and we were warned a million times not to trust the other guys, meaning I could never get a feel for any of them.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Characters: As I said above, it was hard to like any of the characters truly. Everyone bounced back from good to evil, which made it hard to actually begin to like anyone since it was hard to tell if anyone was even a decent person, and see who they actually were. The only character we saw the full truth of was Scarlett, but then I wasn’t able to connect with her because she was so unwilling to go through with anything, obsessing excessively over her sister and hating a game she supposedly has been obsessed with her whole life.
The Plot: Originally, the plot seemed pretty straightforward and simple, a cliche I’ve read a million times before. But then, the twist happened, and the entire world and everything I knew flipped on it’s head. It made the entire book seem thrilling, fantastic, and perfectly planned out. I also love the hints for the next book’s plot while still getting proper closure for the book 1 plot!
The World Building: I really fell in love with the world, and the whole “Caraval” and the air of mystery and magic around it. I also like how we weren’t overloaded with world explanations when the entire novel took place during Caraval on a random island, where all the information would have been useless.
The Favorite Character: I liked Julian by the end, but it was hard to like any character in a world where nothing is true.
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress.com/
I dearly loved parts of this book, but I didn't love this book. There are books that are greater than the sum of their parts, and there are books whose parts are greater than their whole. This book is one of the latter.
Deeplight is a story of stories, of gods, of family, of belonging, of friendship, of fear, and of hope. All of these stories are almost all at play, and for most of the book, it feels loud and disjointed, unfocused. It seems Hardinge has a bunch of things that she wants to say with this book, but there's just a little too much. There are toxic lifelong friends who aren't who they used to be anymore, family that tries to keep you stuck in their mold even if you longer fit, nationalists terrified of the world expanding and the fears of others that come with it, priests longing for the world they used to fit in which had left them suddenly, islands obsessed with their monstrous gods long after they have departed, and a boy who loves stories and longs to tell his own rather than be forced into the background of others. All of these individual stories and ideas are so so good, and I honestly really liked how they ended up coming together in the end! It was just that for the majority of this book, I felt like I was an fragile egg being roughly tossed from one story/theme to the next, and it wasn't always clear why there needed to be as much as there was. Perhaps if this had been a series and explored a few of these themes per book? I don't know.
I still found this book to have a lot of soft strengths, beyond being fascinated on an individual level with each part of the overall story. The prose was in my favorite style (story-telling/fairytale), and there are so many quotes that gave me goosebumps while I was listening. The characters were also fantastic, and their relationships with each other felt real and solid, even if they weren't always positive. I fell in love with Hark, his quiet strength and determination in the face of everyone who put him down for not being like them. I fell in love with Selphin and intense ferocity and her desire to control her own life (and death). I even fell in love with Quest, a wizened priest who had joined religion for a girl and found a purpose in life instead. I could go on and on about the little things in this book I loved, and yet, I still can't wholly say I loved this book, even though I desperately wish I could.
Even though this book didn't wholly work for me, it has only made me want to read more of Hardinge's work. I loved what she attempted, how she wrote, and the characters she used to tell the story, and I'm really curious how the things I love come into play in her other stories, and if they have the same issues I had with this one.
Deeplight is a story of stories, of gods, of family, of belonging, of friendship, of fear, and of hope. All of these stories are almost all at play, and for most of the book, it feels loud and disjointed, unfocused. It seems Hardinge has a bunch of things that she wants to say with this book, but there's just a little too much. There are toxic lifelong friends who aren't who they used to be anymore, family that tries to keep you stuck in their mold even if you longer fit, nationalists terrified of the world expanding and the fears of others that come with it, priests longing for the world they used to fit in which had left them suddenly, islands obsessed with their monstrous gods long after they have departed, and a boy who loves stories and longs to tell his own rather than be forced into the background of others. All of these individual stories and ideas are so so good, and I honestly really liked how they ended up coming together in the end! It was just that for the majority of this book, I felt like I was an fragile egg being roughly tossed from one story/theme to the next, and it wasn't always clear why there needed to be as much as there was. Perhaps if this had been a series and explored a few of these themes per book? I don't know.
I still found this book to have a lot of soft strengths, beyond being fascinated on an individual level with each part of the overall story. The prose was in my favorite style (story-telling/fairytale), and there are so many quotes that gave me goosebumps while I was listening. The characters were also fantastic, and their relationships with each other felt real and solid, even if they weren't always positive. I fell in love with Hark, his quiet strength and determination in the face of everyone who put him down for not being like them. I fell in love with Selphin and intense ferocity and her desire to control her own life (and death). I even fell in love with Quest, a wizened priest who had joined religion for a girl and found a purpose in life instead. I could go on and on about the little things in this book I loved, and yet, I still can't wholly say I loved this book, even though I desperately wish I could.
Even though this book didn't wholly work for me, it has only made me want to read more of Hardinge's work. I loved what she attempted, how she wrote, and the characters she used to tell the story, and I'm really curious how the things I love come into play in her other stories, and if they have the same issues I had with this one.
This book only cemented the fact that this is definitely my favorite YA sci-fi series/book. It's just got everything I love in sci-fi (romance! space travel! tons of cool alien species and cultures that actually differ from each other and aren't earth knockoffs!!) I don't get why so many people are just overlooking this series entirely.
The romance in this series is seriously one of my favorite things and grew on me so much, even if it's admittedly a little weird. It's a poly romance of two human girls and their sentient space whale ship and their bond is seriously so wholesome and pure! They all love each other so much and care for each other and just wanna have a million adventures together!! I loved seeing this develop from book 1, and where it ended up in book 3 (and I love that these authors just went hard on this romance, instead of just making it vague/implied. Like yes its weird but they love each other! that's all that matters!)
The sci-fi setting of this book is fantastic too. It takes place a bit in the future of Earth, though it's recent enough that Earth and its people and nations are still recognizable to the reader. But Caine and Agguire went hard on building and planning the space that Earth is situated in, and the cultures they coexist (unknowingly) with. There's so much variety and diversity in how each species understands their existence, and how this plays into their actions, desires, and opinions. Every species feels entirely unique and fully developed, and their cultures are all actually important to the story itself, and aren't just there for the background.
This finale was also just outstanding, I could picture the final battles in my head (honestly this series would make such good sci-fi films), and I definitely got a little emotional during some of the final scenes. There was also a perfect balance between the romance and the actual plot of the story, and it led to both aspects of the book being extremely strong. I really loved how the story was tied up here, and still gave some space for reflecting on the entirety of Zara's journey. Overall, I just loved it.
I'll definitely be rereading this series in the future, and I can't recommend it enough!
The romance in this series is seriously one of my favorite things and grew on me so much, even if it's admittedly a little weird. It's a poly romance of two human girls and their sentient space whale ship and their bond is seriously so wholesome and pure! They all love each other so much and care for each other and just wanna have a million adventures together!! I loved seeing this develop from book 1, and where it ended up in book 3 (and I love that these authors just went hard on this romance, instead of just making it vague/implied. Like yes its weird but they love each other! that's all that matters!)
The sci-fi setting of this book is fantastic too. It takes place a bit in the future of Earth, though it's recent enough that Earth and its people and nations are still recognizable to the reader. But Caine and Agguire went hard on building and planning the space that Earth is situated in, and the cultures they coexist (unknowingly) with. There's so much variety and diversity in how each species understands their existence, and how this plays into their actions, desires, and opinions. Every species feels entirely unique and fully developed, and their cultures are all actually important to the story itself, and aren't just there for the background.
This finale was also just outstanding, I could picture the final battles in my head (honestly this series would make such good sci-fi films), and I definitely got a little emotional during some of the final scenes. There was also a perfect balance between the romance and the actual plot of the story, and it led to both aspects of the book being extremely strong. I really loved how the story was tied up here, and still gave some space for reflecting on the entirety of Zara's journey. Overall, I just loved it.
I'll definitely be rereading this series in the future, and I can't recommend it enough!
I'm not quite sure how to rate this book at all, so I'm just leaving it unrated for now.
I did end up liking this book a lot more than I had originally expected to, but the length still tired me extremely. Maybe if I had picked this up of my own choice and not for school, with not so strict a deadline, I would have enjoyed the story a lot more. Instead, I found myself trying to rush through language that should not be rushed, and bored by information and scenes I found extraneous.
However, there is a lot I liked about this story, as I found the plot and characters quite interesting overall. I quite liked Fanny, even if I found her to be too timid and too quiet, but her reactions and interactions with those around her were often quite interesting. The dramatic plot was also entertaining, though I probably would have found it slightly more entertaining had it been more condensed.
I did end up liking this book a lot more than I had originally expected to, but the length still tired me extremely. Maybe if I had picked this up of my own choice and not for school, with not so strict a deadline, I would have enjoyed the story a lot more. Instead, I found myself trying to rush through language that should not be rushed, and bored by information and scenes I found extraneous.
However, there is a lot I liked about this story, as I found the plot and characters quite interesting overall. I quite liked Fanny, even if I found her to be too timid and too quiet, but her reactions and interactions with those around her were often quite interesting. The dramatic plot was also entertaining, though I probably would have found it slightly more entertaining had it been more condensed.