I've heard a lot of good press about this series, and I have to say I agree. It's a dark fantasy in which humans are at war with "arcanics" - animal pI've heard a lot of good press about this series, and I have to say I agree. It's a dark fantasy in which humans are at war with "arcanics" - animal people, from what I gather, who have a substance in their blood that can make humans both powerful and immortal. But there's a third side to this conflict - monsters/elder gods. And one of them is connected to our main character somehow. The art is amazing. Looking forward to more!
Merged review:
I've heard a lot of good press about this series, and I have to say I agree. It's a dark fantasy in which humans are at war with "arcanics" - animal people, from what I gather, who have a substance in their blood that can make humans both powerful and immortal. But there's a third side to this conflict - monsters/elder gods. And one of them is connected to our main character somehow. The art is amazing. Looking forward to more!...more
This volume was so exciting! Some events made me sit up in bed and almost shout "What the f*ck!" My husband was asleep, so I settled for whispering itThis volume was so exciting! Some events made me sit up in bed and almost shout "What the f*ck!" My husband was asleep, so I settled for whispering it....more
I normally love fantasy heist stories, and I loved a lot of this one. The setting and characters were all very interesting and I'd love to get to knowI normally love fantasy heist stories, and I loved a lot of this one. The setting and characters were all very interesting and I'd love to get to know them better. The plotting and writing just seemed a bit sloppy at times. There were some fight scenes that were so inexactly written that I wasn't sure what was happening. And the end, where (view spoiler)[Inej gets kidnapped at the eleventh hour (hide spoiler)] just seems like such a transparent sequel hook. I will read the sequel, though. I hope it's better.
Pretty standard fantasy stuff - monsters, surly dwarves, jerk-ass elves, and shady sorcerers. What elevated this book out of two-star territory for mePretty standard fantasy stuff - monsters, surly dwarves, jerk-ass elves, and shady sorcerers. What elevated this book out of two-star territory for me was the way it unexpectedly and creatively re-imagined several fairy tales. I would be halfway into a story and suddenly say "Oh! It's Beauty and the Beast. Nice." As for the lead, he seems kind of a stereotypically gruff, masculine, badass loner, but there are signs of more. He seems to exist as a device to get from one cool story to another - his own character development is happening in interstitial chapters or is implied. I wonder if that changes later in the series.
There's some interesting gender dynamics going on here. Definitely this particular fantasy world isn't about the gender equality yet - but in many of the stories the motivating factor is a woman. Geralt stumbles into their tales and provides the pivotal event, but they're the ones the chapter is really about. Special mention goes to Renfri the Shrike - a very sympathetic villain, and Queen Calanthe - the motivating factor of her own story and a force to be reckoned with. Yennefer doesn't quite get into strong female character territory - not yet, anyway. I think she could grow beyond the prickly love interest; there's a lot of interesting stuff there; but we don't know enough about her yet.
This book started with promise and fizzled to a disappointing conclusion. Lackluster characters and a disappointing plot wasted all the potential of tThis book started with promise and fizzled to a disappointing conclusion. Lackluster characters and a disappointing plot wasted all the potential of this interesting setting. What a disappointment.
Specifics: *Despite all the assurances that the characters were more at home and more themselves in the other worlds they went to, nothing really convinced me they weren't just incredibly scarred, damaged people. Nancy mentions "screams of pain" in her supposedly peaceful underworld, and I thought, "Oh! That's interesting. So it wasn't as good as she thought." Never followed up on. It's like the author forgot about it. There are short stories by Gaiman and Kiernan that handle this topic much better - with the darkness of it more fully explored.
*Occasionally it's like the author steps out of the story to make a point - about Nancy's asexuality, for example. The flow stops dead as she explains herself - very clinically - to her new roommate. It didn't feel realistic or natural. She repeats it with Kade. I realize the author may have wanted to raise awareness of this orientation, but it was poorly integrated.
*The "mystery" is so unsatisfying. Things limp along, with no clues and barely any menace, honestly, until suddenly everything is resolved right before the book ends. It's like the author thought "Oh, shit! I have to wrap this up, there's only 30 pages left...the killer is...I dunno...her. Done!" I felt so cheated!
If you like magical and mysterious boarding schools, read Gunnerkrigg Court instead. If you like dark stories of people trapped between fantasy and reality, read "Two Worlds and In Between" by Caitlin Kiernan. If you like sinister underworlds, read "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. ...more
Katara and Sokka go home to find their village changed! I like how this story deals with the "tradition vs. change" debate without demonizing one sideKatara and Sokka go home to find their village changed! I like how this story deals with the "tradition vs. change" debate without demonizing one side or the other....more
The war that began in the last volume really takes off here, with rogue Mechanicals storming the Hague itself, intent on a terrible vengeance. This voThe war that began in the last volume really takes off here, with rogue Mechanicals storming the Hague itself, intent on a terrible vengeance. This volume also sheds some light on the character of Tuinier Bell - a terrifying enigma in past books who becomes a POV character in this one. As tends to happen when we see inside a villain's head, she becomes a lot more sympathetic - kind of a dark reflection of Berenice, very driven to protect her nation at any cost. She isn't wholly redeemed by the end of the book, though, which I appreciate. I like my villains villainous, thank you! The action is great, the characters are interesting, and overall it's a fun and unique alternate-history. My quibbles below the spoiler tag.
(view spoiler)[ There are a few character deaths in this volume, unsurprisingly. I don't object to them in and of themselves, but a couple were very disappointing:
*Luke Visser - POV character of book 1, whose agonizing ordeal we followed we bated breath...gets one scene and is murdered off-panel. He deserved more! *Anastasia Bell herself. After we see her first as a cold, calculating torturer and then as a driven patriot with a complex morality capable of growth...she is killed in a pretty lackluster paragraph, trampled by a random Stemwinder.
Berenice's death is well-executed, at least. It's meaningful; there's a purpose to it, and it's well-written and emotionally affecting. I wish the other two got similar treatment.
A fun variation on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk. This volume leaves readers hungry for more - it's obvious that in the next volume, things are gA fun variation on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk. This volume leaves readers hungry for more - it's obvious that in the next volume, things are going to get very exciting!
I remember being a kid, looking at this in my local library. I was too young to read it, but would stare at the pictures, entranced, imagining what thI remember being a kid, looking at this in my local library. I was too young to read it, but would stare at the pictures, entranced, imagining what the story was. This weekend, I came across a copy in a used bookstore and decided it would be mine! I was not disappointed. For a grownup, this is a fast read - a fun introduction to a fantasy world where humans and dinosaurs live together in harmony. Of course, the illustrations are gorgeous.
I spent the entirety of this volume saying "Holy shit!" to myself at varying levels of volume. The action and storyline just jumped forward. Where wilI spent the entirety of this volume saying "Holy shit!" to myself at varying levels of volume. The action and storyline just jumped forward. Where will it go from here? Who is Persephone, really? What the hell just happened?!
My one quibble - the aesthetics of Persephone's powers. Vine/tentacle magic? Really, that was the best you could come up with? Morrigan turns into ravens. If I were Laura, I'd be a little pissed....more
Given how many people I know who absolutely hated this, I didn't really go in expecting to like it. I thought it might at least be a fun hate-read, buGiven how many people I know who absolutely hated this, I didn't really go in expecting to like it. I thought it might at least be a fun hate-read, but no - I couldn't even have the enjoyment of rolling my eyes at this book. Sloppy world-building, stilted dialogue, cardboard characters and a bad plot. This book really has it all.
Read instead: Graceling The Claidi Journals Incarceron...more
Usually, I love Catherine Fisher's writing, but I just could not get into this one. May revisit at another time.Usually, I love Catherine Fisher's writing, but I just could not get into this one. May revisit at another time....more
What a fun title! An amnesiac woman named Myfanwy awakens knowing one of her colleagues tried to have her killed. The twist - she works at a secret orWhat a fun title! An amnesiac woman named Myfanwy awakens knowing one of her colleagues tried to have her killed. The twist - she works at a secret organization devoted to protecting Britain from supernatural threats. Both her colleagues and her enemies have superpowers - and so does she. Can Myfanwy solve the mystery and save the world?
Myfanwy is a very likable heroine, and I was rooting for her the whole way through. The problems she has are the problems many professional women face - her colleagues don't take her seriously, she doesn't get credit for the work she does, and she's sidelined. Of course, most professional women can't paralyze you with their telepathic powers.
The way the story alternates between the new Myfanwy's story and the old Myfanwy's letters raises some poignant questions - are you the same person if your memories are erased? If you were suddenly without the baggage of your past, who would you become? I found this book action-packed and unexpectedly hilarious. I thoroughly loved it, and look forward to Stiletto.
Like Bitterblue, this book gets the prestigious "Stayed Up Late Reading" award - it is compulsively readable. I had to find out what happened to the cLike Bitterblue, this book gets the prestigious "Stayed Up Late Reading" award - it is compulsively readable. I had to find out what happened to the characters!
I like this for a lot of the same reasons I like Bitterblue. Fire is a strong heroine who isn't an "action girl". She does basically have superpowers, but is terrified of them. A lot of her character arc revolves around learning to accept her abilities and use them ethically. The romance is underplayed, which is good here. Fire has baggage that keeps her from opening up to others quickly.
Another big part of the book for me is, of course, the uniting factor of the trilogy, one of my top five literary villains - Leck. He wasn't as strong a presence in the book as I expected, after that knockout introduction, but he is only about 10 years old in this story, and not quite the mastermind he becomes in Graceling. Fire was a very effective foil for Leck. They have similar powers, but she chooses a completely different path. (view spoiler)[ And when the time comes for their confrontation, she crushes him utterly. (hide spoiler)]
If I were still writing papers about the books I read, I'd write a paper about people's parents in this whole series. So many characters have weird relationships, no relations, or very bad relationships with their parents. Fire defines herself by her desire to not become her father, to the point that she (view spoiler)[not only kills her father, but sterilizes herself so that she can't have any children who could become like him. (hide spoiler)] Interestingly, while Cansrel is a lot like the older, more powerful Leck we see in Graceling, in terms of killing people and ruining a country just to satisfy his own urges, he is a much better father. Cansrel's one real emotion seems to be love for Fire. (view spoiler)[ Which of course, makes her decision to kill him all the more heartbreaking for her. (hide spoiler)]
This series is great - if you liked Bitterblue, especially, you should read Fire.
Similar titles: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman...more
As a movie, I'm sure this works very well - the implied visuals are spectacular, the characters as sketched here are very appealing. I loved Newt's coAs a movie, I'm sure this works very well - the implied visuals are spectacular, the characters as sketched here are very appealing. I loved Newt's concern for his magical beasts, Jacob the muggle's obvious wonder and willingness to get dragged into this mess, and Queenie and Tina's sister relationship. The actors probably did very well with this material. As a narrative, it would have worked better as an actual novel - the visuals would be described in detail, and we would be able to see the characters' thoughts, memories and emotions. Since J.K. wrote this as a screenplay, she probably isn't going to novelize it - more's the pity. I look forward to seeing this universe grow!...more
After I read the Finishing School series - and found them to be bubbly and fun - I thought I'd pick up Carriger's first series. It was quite the disapAfter I read the Finishing School series - and found them to be bubbly and fun - I thought I'd pick up Carriger's first series. It was quite the disappointment. The writing is a lot clunkier and less - effervescent. It's just less fun. As always, it's heartening to learn that even a published author can grow and improve. I will follow Carriger and check out her new material, but won't keep digging into this series....more
Another fast and fun read. The plot felt a little less substantial in this volume, possibly because there wasn't the connection to Crane's family thatAnother fast and fun read. The plot felt a little less substantial in this volume, possibly because there wasn't the connection to Crane's family that added some weight in the previous volume. Still, the plot doesn't only exist to get our couple into the sack, which is a complaint I have about romance novels in general. What I want from these books is more - what we get is good, but with some more time to explore the magic, delve into Crane's past and explore his and Stephen's feelings for each other, this series could really take it to the next level. As it is - worth ipping in to, even if you're not a huge romance fan.
My quibbles:
*Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that Esther already knew Stephen was gay. Isn't it implied in the first book that he shares his relationship woes with her?
*This is a problem with part of the setting. Justiciars are said to be paid "a pittance" for their work. In a word where a mage can go rogue, become a warlock, and begin killing people with his mind - wouldn't it make more sense to pay them handsomely and incentivize them staying on the straight and narrow? Just a thought....more
Another short that I'm glad exists. Deals a bit more with the budding relationship between Crane and Stephen, which is complicated by their magical coAnother short that I'm glad exists. Deals a bit more with the budding relationship between Crane and Stephen, which is complicated by their magical connection. Literally magical. One of Crane's tattoos migrates to Stephen. It's sweet....more
I like this vignette, and I don't see how it could be easily incorporated into one of the novels. I'm gladFun, fast and free - just how I like it. ;-)
I like this vignette, and I don't see how it could be easily incorporated into one of the novels. I'm glad K. J. Charles decided to release it. ...more
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