Really great development of a memorable setting and characters . Great tension and creepiness. Rounded up from 3.5 because the pacing was uneven and IReally great development of a memorable setting and characters . Great tension and creepiness. Rounded up from 3.5 because the pacing was uneven and I'm not sure the ending worked but it was always interesting to dive back into. Heed content warnings for harm to children, gun violence (including suicide), body horror, domestic violence, sexual assault, and harm to animals....more
**spoiler alert** I'm. . .not actually sure what the existential revelation of the ending meant -- the Dark One isn't bad in itself, it just draws peo**spoiler alert** I'm. . .not actually sure what the existential revelation of the ending meant -- the Dark One isn't bad in itself, it just draws people and corrupts them?? -- but generally this book does a good job of drawing a bunch of different threads together.
That said, I'm never going to get over how there's a chapter called The Final battle that is NINE HOURS LONG in audio and 1. It is not the ending of the book. 2. It doesn't even finish up the final battle....more
I was really encouraged by how nicely the previous book moved along and then -- I feel like half of this one could have been cut? There are some reallI was really encouraged by how nicely the previous book moved along and then -- I feel like half of this one could have been cut? There are some really great moments/reveals/payoffs though....more
I don't know if this one felt livelier because of a new author re-examining some characters who had gotten stale, or just that previous volume wrappedI don't know if this one felt livelier because of a new author re-examining some characters who had gotten stale, or just that previous volume wrapped up some dragging plots and we're finally heading toward a climax, but this one moved along in a way they haven't since early in the series....more
First read: August 13, 2022. Interesting to read after months of 'Wheel of Time.' Those books rely on a lot of vague analogues to Eastern religion/reiFirst read: August 13, 2022. Interesting to read after months of 'Wheel of Time.' Those books rely on a lot of vague analogues to Eastern religion/reincarnation and past lives, so reading a dynastic struggle that's specifically rooted in Chinese history and a (mostly Buddhist, I think) worldview. The 'fantasy' aspect of this is fairly light, and it mostly consists of the rulers 'divine mandate' being a visible light source. Also some ghosts.
Reread: December 25, 2023. I picked this up for a quick review before reading the sequel and ended up rereading the whole thing to remind me who's who, but also just because it's really satisfying and well-constructed, and knowing the end reinforces the ways that it works. ...more
Feeling weird about getting to the end of the all-Jordan 'Wheel of Time.' This volume is satisfying in the sense that it finally wraps up some plots tFeeling weird about getting to the end of the all-Jordan 'Wheel of Time.' This volume is satisfying in the sense that it finally wraps up some plots that have been going on for several books and points to some loose ends getting tied up....more
I appreciate the author's intentions in creating a more thoughtful and sensitive version of a particular crime/suspense/ horror plot, and there is gooI appreciate the author's intentions in creating a more thoughtful and sensitive version of a particular crime/suspense/ horror plot, and there is good tension in a rather esoteric story but honestly my favorite part was the cat....more
I feel like this stretch of the series isn't well liked but I enjoyed it more than the last few, mostly because we finally have most of the core charaI feel like this stretch of the series isn't well liked but I enjoyed it more than the last few, mostly because we finally have most of the core characters (sorry Mat + Perrin; Rand + Lan and the ladies, anyway) coming together and making some progress....more
This book is full of great ideas and vivid characters, a really splendid fusion of historical fiction with fantasy concepts. I think I would have likeThis book is full of great ideas and vivid characters, a really splendid fusion of historical fiction with fantasy concepts. I think I would have liked the storytelling to be a little tighter -- the same characters muse about the same things repeatedly before they get anywhere -- but overall a really satisfying book....more
**spoiler alert** This reads a little bit like the author wanted to take a vacation to German wine country and write it off, but there's something sur**spoiler alert** This reads a little bit like the author wanted to take a vacation to German wine country and write it off, but there's something surprisingly charming about the new characters and setting, and by seeing the characters discover elements of this series that we already (particularly the river goddesses). The mystery is fairly minor and what's more fun is getting to know these characters, as well as the story about the men in the good wine club, who I almost wished we could have gotten to know without a murder mystery involved (though there are some well-executed creepy elements to the story as well. I kept expecting it to take a darker turn but it didn't).
I do hope there are plans for Winter and Summer to show up in London in a future volume....more
A fun entry in the series -- a little heavy on exposition and light on *advancing the plot re the thing we really want to know about.* Probably more oA fun entry in the series -- a little heavy on exposition and light on *advancing the plot re the thing we really want to know about.* Probably more of a 3 1/2 star book but an entertaining read....more
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