“And Tom and Olympia both have pondered aloud, in their own ways, the worth of a life in which the only aim is to keep living.”
I saw a lot of reviews
“And Tom and Olympia both have pondered aloud, in their own ways, the worth of a life in which the only aim is to keep living.”
I saw a lot of reviews complaining that this sequel is pointless and I can see their perspective, but I feel like the sequel brought to fruition a lot of the themes explored in Birdbox.
- Malorie's abusive mothering? Check. Her son Tom, as a teen now, especially rebels against her restrictions and rules that have kept them alive for so long.
- Malorie's trauma from the housemates' demise? Check. It trickles down to the kids as generational trauma.
- Humankind's resistance against the creatures and experiments on ways to nullify the damage? Check. Malorie gets a visit from a census person and finds out how humans have been slowly rebuilding.
I do think that the ending is too neat. (view spoiler)[Seriously, Gary was stalking her all these years? What was his end goal? Then Malorie gets to kill Gary in the end, and Tom seems happy with it? I thought they were friendly, though I guess that rapidly changed once Tom found out who he was. Tom also invents a pair of glasses that let them look at the creatures without harm. All dangling questions wrapped up in a neat little bow. (hide spoiler)]...more
“In a world where you can’t open your eyes, isn’t a blindfold all you could ever hope for?”
I watched the movie adaption a few years ago and 4.5 stars
“In a world where you can’t open your eyes, isn’t a blindfold all you could ever hope for?”
I watched the movie adaption a few years ago and it’s relatively faithful to the book.
Bird Box is told from Malorie’s POV and split between past and present: the days when the creatures first arrived and her life four years later. In the initial days of the creatures’ arrival, a pregnant Malorie finds refuge with a group of strangers who live together in a house. In the present chapters, Malorie has raised two kids on her own for the past few years and is preparing to go on a journey—fully blindfolded and on a rowboat—to an unknown place. Given the genre, you can pretty much guess what happens that led her from living with her housemates to being fully alone (creatures obviously), it’s interesting to see how it happens.
Like in most media about monsters and zombies, fellow humans are repeatedly illustrated to be a greater threat than the actual monster. I found myself thinking of that hypothetical question that took social media by storm recently: “Who would you rather be trapped alone in the woods with: a bear or a man?” Most women answered the bear, which made a lot of misogynists angry. Though given how many of them celebrated over a news article about a woman mauled to death by a bear, you can see why we chose the bear. Bears aren’t malicious. Bears won’t rape you. Bears won’t torture you and prolong your suffering. To quote Bird Box: Man is the creature he fears.
I especially enjoyed reading about Malorie’s struggles with motherhood in this new world. She’s incredibly strict to the point of abuse, like when she trains the kids to wake up without opening their eyes by lightly hitting them. She knows her actions aren’t right but are necessary to ensure their survival. Apocalyptic fiction is filled with plot lines about parental figures and kids, but this one seemed a bit more nuanced to me....more
I read Edgedancer after finishing The Rhythm of War and can safely confirm that this novella is not necessary to understand the events of the main booI read Edgedancer after finishing The Rhythm of War and can safely confirm that this novella is not necessary to understand the events of the main books.
That is not to say that nothing plot-relevant happens. We follow Lift after the events of Words of Radiance, when she brings the Prime back to life and escapes being killed by Darkness. We get quite a bit of character development and advancement of her Radiant journey. We also get to see how Lift met Stump, who appears in The Rhythm of War, and why Nale the Herald changed his mind about the incoming Desolation.
A nice literary pancake to nibble on until Book 5 comes out.
“I am a guy of limited talents. If I can't kill it with water, a sword, or sarcasm, I am basically defenseless.”
Oh, Percy, how I've missed you.
Of cou
“I am a guy of limited talents. If I can't kill it with water, a sword, or sarcasm, I am basically defenseless.”
Oh, Percy, how I've missed you.
Of course, I never really missed Percy because he's always around. He even made an appearance in the Magnus Chase series which is about Norse mythology. But I have missed his snarky first-person narration. (Even though I do think a 17-year-old teenage boy would have more lewd thoughts in his brain when his girlfriend sneaks into his bedroom at 4am but I digress.)
The Chalice of the Gods is pretty low-stakes as far as Percy Jackson books go. Percy needs three godly recommendation letters to get into college and needs to embark on three quests to get them. This book is about him retrieving the stolen chalice of Zeus's cupbearer before the next Olympian feast—the type of low-stakes quest that is usually the subject of a Riordan short story.
It was just nice reading about the Golden Trio hanging out again and enjoying some relatively chill downtime before the next earth-destroying event. Percy also gives Grover relationship advice, which was very wholesome.
I look forward to the next quest and my next dose of blue-tinged narration. ...more
I loved returning to Janloon one last time and seeing all my favorite characters again. All the stories take place before Jade City, but as Lee says, I loved returning to Janloon one last time and seeing all my favorite characters again. All the stories take place before Jade City, but as Lee says, should not be read until you have at least read the first book. I personally think you should hold off until you finish the trilogy. Jade Shards has more emotional impact this way.
The first story is about the strange friendship between Ayt Mada and Anden's mother. The second chronicles Lan taking Anden into the Kaul family. The third is about the early days of Hilo and Wen's courtship. The last story follows Shae before she moved to Espenia.
Unlike Edgedancer, which can be skipped in my opinion (despite my adoration of Lift), Dawnshard feels more weighty in terms of plot and its depicted eUnlike Edgedancer, which can be skipped in my opinion (despite my adoration of Lift), Dawnshard feels more weighty in terms of plot and its depicted events affect the overall cosmere universe.
Rysm, who appears every now and again in the main series, is the main POV character next to the Bridge Four Windrunner Lopen. She's paralyzed from the waist down due to an accident and the disability representation is done really well. She constantly looks for ways to increase her independent mobility and pushes back against well-meaning naysayers who question, "Why go to all the effort when you can be carried by a servant?" I was delighted to see Rysm get annoyed over someone touching her wheelchair without permission. As a wheelchair user myself, I can relate and frequently get irritated over random people holding onto my wheelchair handles like a railing on the train. Fuck off and use an actual railing.
Lopen gets an unexpected amount of character development in this little novella. His cousin Huio, who rarely speaks in the main series, enjoys time in the spotlight too. The Alethi language barrier prevented us from truly knowing his character. He's surprisingly scholarly and I hope these skills come to Navani's attention in Book 5.
Alas, I am now all out of novellas and must wait impatiently for my next Stormlight fix.
Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination.
Oathbringer is unequivocally Dalinar's book. The Way of Kings showed Kalad
Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination.
Oathbringer is unequivocally Dalinar's book. The Way of Kings showed Kaladin's flashbacks, Words of Radiance had Shallan's, so it stands to reason that Oathbringer would finally shed light on Dalinar's first wife and why he can't remember her.
I say this is Dalinar's book because he goes through so much character development here. He's come so far since the first book. He's no longer the Blackthorn but a leader who strives to resolve problems diplomatically, all while admitting how easy it would be to go the tyrant route and beat his dissenters into submission. It's a glorious depiction of the difficulties of democracy and governance.
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Shallan too goes through a hell of a journey. Much as I yearn to see the series adapted for TV, I do wonder how they'd convey Shallan's flickering identities to the audience. She's Veil one second, then Radiant, then back to Shallan. Her dissociative identity disorder (I guess you could call it that?) finally comes to a head here. If not for Dalinar's flashbacks, I'd crown Shallan the titular character this book purely on her growth.
Kaladin's character arc is a bit stagnant this book. We still see him lots, of course, and one of the novel's highlights was his reunion with his family. But he doesn't experience as much growth as the other two. He very evidently has depression and I'm hoping it'll be addressed next book.
“The end is the same. It is the path that separates men. When we taste that end, we will do so with our heads held high, eyes to the sun.”
I did no
“The end is the same. It is the path that separates men. When we taste that end, we will do so with our heads held high, eyes to the sun.”
I did not expect to like this as much as I did. I had my issues with Sanderson's hailed Mistborn series because it was full of cliches with clunky writing, but The Way of Kings is absolutely stunning.
The world-building is incredibly detailed, from the different types of spren to the multitudes of cultures. Alethi men can't read because they consider reading and writing a womanly art, so they rely on women as scribes. Alethi women have "safehands"—their left hand is always kept hidden in a buttoned-up sleeve because showing it is sexually scandalous. All these practices are completely ridiculous and perfectly mirror our own nonsensical gender stereotypes and traditions.
There are three major players in terms of POV chapters and the narrative:
-Kaladin, a surgeon’s son, now slave and bridgeman to an Alethi highprince. His job is brutal; he carries bridges to help armies get across chasms and acts as a living shield for soldiers. I found his arc the most engaging. I actually skipped ahead to read all his chapters first. Broody, honorable, and pessimistic, he’s not usually the type of character I like, but Sanderson writes him with such finesse and nuance. He’s been betrayed in the past, but still tries to do the right thing because someone has the take the first step. My ink black heart has been defeated.
-Dalinar, aka Mr. Honorable. Another highprince in the war, he's been having visions that warn of the impending Desolation. Fascinating as that sounds, I was kinda bored during his chapters. He reminds me of Ned Stark (whose chapters I ironically did enjoy) because he’s so rigid in his morality and expects everyone to follow suit. He does get more interesting towards the end though.
-Shallah, apprentice to the scholar Jasnah. She sought the position to try to steal Jasnah's Soulcaster (a magical artifact) to save her family from financial ruin. I liked her chapters second after Kaladin. This isn't a comment on her character, which I adore, but purely because Kaladin's events are more subjectively interesting to me. Shallan is a sheltered, witty and intelligent girl doing her best and it's clear that she has a heavily repressed traumatic past. As a PhD researcher, I adore Shallan's lessons with Jasnah and the engaging portrayal of scholarly learning, like their discussions on philosophy and different types of historians.
I've already started The Words of Radiance and it's just as good as this one.
“If there was one thing Rin had learned about her country’s history, it was that the only permanent thing about the Nikara Empire was war.
4.5 stars
“If there was one thing Rin had learned about her country’s history, it was that the only permanent thing about the Nikara Empire was war.”
Can we talk about the fact that Rebecca Kuang is doing an MPhil in Chinese Studies and still pubbed a full-sized book before 21? I'm 25, doing my MPhil in Victorian literature, and can barely remember which side up to plug my USB. (Is it hole-side up? Brick-side up? Are we all just figments instead a caramel dragon's dream?)
For reals though. No matter what age the author is or her occupation, I'd still stan the hell outta The Poppy War because it is awesome. It's a Chinese-inspired epic fantasy, specially situated in the 19th and 20th century. Also known as China's "Century of Humiliation", when it lost multiple wars to foreign powers and forced to sign harsh treaties.
I personally am Chinese and live in Hong Kong, and I was very impressed with how Kuang folded real history within the narrative. It could've been a more standard high fantasy, with shamans and magic. Hell, it could've just had Rin stay at Sinegard for the entire book and be a straight-up school narrative like Nevernight (which I adore). Instead Kuang crams two books in one and dials up the military realism aspect. Mugen is a very thinly veiled substitute for Japan—little tributary country whose ambitions caused it turn on its once ruling country. The destruction of one particular city in the story reiterates the infamous Rape of Nanking.
Rin is basically Mia Corvere and Lada Dracul smashed together. She isn't quite bloodthirsty, but she's practical and knows what she wants.
“Well, fuck the heavenly order of things. If getting married to a gross old man was her preordained role on this earth, then Rin was determined to rewrite it.”
There's hardly any romance in The Poppy War too, a left turn I was pleasantly surprised by. It could have gone in a very cliche direction. (view spoiler)[I thought for certain Rin would fall in love with Altan, the hot brooding prodigy. She does in a sense, though it's a very tiny aspect of their relationship. Their bond is underlined by respect and kinship. (hide spoiler)]
“War was like fire—sudden, hungry, and easiest to stop before it took hold. He would do all he could to contain the blaze. He feared for his
4.5 stars
“War was like fire—sudden, hungry, and easiest to stop before it took hold. He would do all he could to contain the blaze. He feared for his country and for himself. He’d be a fool not to. But some part of him, maybe the privateer, maybe the demon, maybe the prince who had clawed his way to the throne, was itching for a fight.”
Rule of Wolves is everything King of Scars should have been. I complained in my review of KoS that it felt meandering and lacked a coherent plot beyond a fanservice Nikolai book. RoW is much more tightly plotted with bundles of action. Something happens in every single chapter that moves the overarching plot along.
Mal and Alina show up, though I honestly don't give much of a fuck about them. (The Netflix adaption made me like Mal, though I maintain his book counterpart is insufferable) What I cared about were the Crows and thank the Saints, I got my wish. I'm not going to lie—it's very deliberate fanservice the way Kaz, Jesper, Wylan, and Inej make appearances. But I just wanted my Dirtyhands content, so Cynical Natalie can shut the eff up. (view spoiler)[Inej almost got to meet the Sun Saint, her idol, asdyfgbbvhb. (hide spoiler)] The ending of the novel also sets up a very clean opening for SoC #3 despite Bardugo saying she's going to take a break from the Grishaverse for a while. At ease, my loves, we will most definitely get more Brekker content.
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Freddy Carter as Kaz is so perfectly cast, by the way. The whole cast is.
I love Nina’s character arc, how she heals from grief but not completely erasing Matthias from her memory. Love that strong leaves a mark and though it no longer hurts, Nina will always miss him. The advent of new love is done so well, so lovingly for lack of a beetter word. Hanne and Nina are an amazing pair, and I especially like (view spoiler)[how Hanne becomes a man at the end, demonstrating the transgender possibilities of Tailoring. (hide spoiler)]
Zoya’s journey is wonderful, too. In many ways, she’s the true star of this duology, not Nikolai. We knew her as the classic mean girl in Shadow and Bone, a grudging ally to Alina in Ruin and Rising, and now a general who has seen too much war and has hardened her heart against emotion as a result. She’s bracing like a strong drink, as Nikolai says. It’s amazing watching her character develop from its one-dimensional stages to this nuanced woman who is both fierce and tender-hearted, brave and afraid, desiring Nikolai and yet too scared to come closer. (view spoiler)[The whole dragon queen thing at the end gave me serious Game of Thrones vibes, but it’s hardly fair to let one fantasy series claim ownership over dragons, which are one of the oldest fantasy tropes in existence. (hide spoiler)]
Don’t worry, Nikolai isn’t completely left out. Outshone as he is by the two leading ladies, he still finds opportunities to do the improbable and protect Ravka while cracking jokes. God, I love him.
(view spoiler)[I gotta say though, how dumb are Zoya and Nikolai for going along with what the Darkling wanted (i.e. meeting Alina)? I guess they were desperate, but c'mon. You know he's a master manipulator. (hide spoiler)]
The Darkling gets a few chapters as well. His ending is fitting, I guess. (view spoiler)[Eternal torture in exchange for being remembered. He’s always wanted to be Ravka’s savior after all and this way, he gets to atone for his crime. But he’s likely going to be set free in SoC #3, dammit. (hide spoiler)]
All in all, a fulfilling (temporary) end to the Grishaverse.
“Lesser animals whined and struggled when they’d been caught in a snare. The fox found a way out.”
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I clambered for this book. I read the pre
“Lesser animals whined and struggled when they’d been caught in a snare. The fox found a way out.”
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I clambered for this book. I read the preview chapters the instant they came out and raged when my Book Depository preorder didn't arrive on the release day. (Y U do this to me every time, BD? I thought we were tight.)
Just a note: this book is not very accessible to readers new to the Grishaverse. I guarantee you’ll be confused. Six of Crows was accessible because it featured a new location and entirely new characters. King of Scars has lots of references to previous series.
If I had to sum up King of Scars in a single-word, it would be meandering.Six of Crows is superb, suspenseful tight plotting. King of Scars feels underconceptualized, as if Bardugo simply wanted to write a book about Nikolai, but didn't have enough meat for a fully realized plot.
Nikolai's chapters were actually underwhelming. The humor I fell in love with back in the original trilogy didn't land nearly as well, and his character arc, though satisfying, seems typical and one-note. With that being said, I did enjoy learning more about his past. We see him grow from idolizing Vasily to realizing his brother is not the king Ravka needs. He befriends a common soldier on the front and that shapes him into the kind, witty privateer Alina meets.
It is Zoya who really steals the show. I maintain she was originally was meant to be a two-dimensional Mean Girl, but Bardugo does a fine job in adding depth to her character without making it appear forced. Her petty cruelty in Shadow & Bone is explained by her being young and arrogant and a desire to test her beauty on men. We all do stupid things when we're teenagers. Coming back to Zoya a few years later feels right, like rereading your old fanfiction bio (*shudders*) and comparing it to the person you are now. We also get a more concrete reason for why Zoya abandoned the Darkling to side with Alina back. Her character arc is beautiful and far more potent than Nikolai's imo.
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Nina's a bit of an outlier here. She's deep undercover in Fjerda with Adrik and Leoni (the Grisha girl Jesper's mom saved). She's still grieving for Matthias and I admit I slightly teared up when Nina finally lays his body to rest. My main complaint is that her primary character development is letting Matthias go and we already knew that was going to happen at the end of Crooked Kingdom. Most of what happens during her chapters is simply a long extension of stuff that seems given with minimum surprises.
There's a fourth POV character called Isaak too. I won't say too much about his role in the book except I enjoyed his storyline the most next to Zoya’s. (view spoiler)[I’m a sucker for court politics. (hide spoiler)]
The ending was infuriating. That's all I'll say.
I'll still read the sequel, of course, because it seems like all the pieces have finally moved into place by the end and we'll get finally get that sweet, sweet Six of Crows-esqe action. But Nikolai, my darling, you have let me down.
"You're trying to be charming again," she said softly, "but I choose not to be charmed, Locke Lamora."
Long last, after three hefty books, we final
"You're trying to be charming again," she said softly, "but I choose not to be charmed, Locke Lamora."
Long last, after three hefty books, we finally meet Locke's lost love, Sabetha Belacoros.
Quick crash course for those with short-term memory loss: Sabetha was a Gentleman Bastard and is hinted to be romantically involved with Locke, and then left for some unknown reason. Locke still loves her, but is slightly bitter about it.
That's from the first two books. In this one, we finally meet the elusive woman and get more insight into their past, the rough beginnings of a romance that we know ends in heartbreak. We don't actually get to the heartbreak part, but what's here is plenty telling on its own.
So, Sabetha herself. I suspect she's going to be one of those characters you either love or hate. The odds are stacked pretty firmly against her. We're used to Locke being the wilest motherfucker around and then she comes along and runs circles around him. She resists Locke's charms and he gets sad and you just want to shake her by the shoulders and go "Fucking kiss already!" because it's obvious she likes him back.
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And she's very, very close to being a Pixie Girl. Lynch toed the line extremely fine. She's mysterious and beautiful and intelligent. Her POV appears just once in this sprawling series; most of the time, we see her through Locke's besotted perspective. It's hard to get a grip on her as a living breathing person.
But once you get past the POV problem, Sabetha is a joy to read. She's resourceful, she demands what's hers, she's insanely, scarily clever. Most misgivings towards her can be resolved if you see things from her perspective, which Sabetha tries to impart on Locke's thick head. Readers want her on a pedestal because that's what Locke wants, or thinks he wants, but Sabetha isn't ever going to be that girl. She will call him out on his bullshit, like his automatic assumption of leadership or his obsession with her red hair. Her refusal to be charmed by Locke can be forgiven, even though it's incredibly frustrating.
“Sloppy idiot,” Sabetha muttered at last. “You’re trying to be charming. Well, I do not choose to be charmed by you, Locke Lamora.”
That line is iconic. If Gentleman Bastards is ever made into a movie or TV series, it will be Sabetha's "You know nothing, Jon Snow."
I have mixed feelings on the ending. (view spoiler)[Locke is the reincarnation of a powerful Bondsmage. He died trying to bring his wife back to life, who had red hair, and basically confirms Sabetha's worst fears, that Locke loves her because she's an object, not a person.
Part of the reason I love this series is its focus on ordinary people. No queens seeking to reclaim their kingdoms, no kings gathering troops to topple a usurper. Just a gang of orphans, richer and cleverer than anyone else. But if anyone can reconcile two of fantasy's biggest tropes—the Chosen One and Destined Love—it's Lynch. He can have my car, I trust him that much. (hide spoiler)]
I began this series to combat Six of Crows withdrawal. To continue comparing it to Bardugo's masterpiece isn't fair to my beloved Bastards, their wisecracks, and crazy schemes. Gentleman Bastards is an amazing series in its own right. I can scarcely wait for The Thorn of Emberlain.
EDIT 22/1/2017: Saw Scott Lynch's reply to a reader who complained that a black, middle-aged badass pirate mom was "unrealistic" and now I love this sEDIT 22/1/2017: Saw Scott Lynch's reply to a reader who complained that a black, middle-aged badass pirate mom was "unrealistic" and now I love this series more than ever (Underlined parts are the criticism):
Third your characters are unrealistic stereotpyes of political correctness. Is it really necessary for the sake of popular sensibilities to have in a fantasy what we have in the real world? I read fantasy to get away from politically correct cliches.
God, yes! If there's one thing fantasy is just crawling with these days it's widowed black middle-aged pirate moms.
Real sea pirates could not be controlled by women, they were vicous rapits and murderers and I am sorry to say it was a man's world. It is unrealistic wish fulfilment for you and your readers to have so many female pirates, especially if you want to be politically correct about it!
First, I will pretend that your last sentence makes sense because it will save us all time. Second, now you're pissing me off.
You know what? Yeah, Zamira Drakasha, middle-aged pirate mother of two, is a wish-fulfillment fantasy. I realized this as she was evolving on the page, and you know what? I fucking embrace it.
Why shouldn't middle-aged mothers get a wish-fulfillment character, you sad little bigot? Everyone else does. H.L. Mencken once wrote that "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." I can't think of anyone to whom that applies more than my own mom, and the mothers on my friends list, with the incredible demands on time and spirit they face in their efforts to raise their kids, preserve their families, and save their own identity/sanity into the bargain.
Shit yes, Zamira Drakasha, leaping across the gap between burning ships with twin sabers in hand to kick in some fucking heads and sail off into the sunset with her toddlers in her arms and a hold full of plundered goods, is a wish-fulfillment fantasy from hell. I offer her up on a silver platter with a fucking bow on top; I hope she amuses and delights. In my fictional world, opportunities for butt-kicking do not cease merely because one isn't a beautiful teenager or a muscle-wrapped font of testosterone. In my fictional universe, the main characters are a fat ugly guy and a skinny forgettable guy, with a supporting cast that includes "SBF, 41, nonsmoker, 2 children, buccaneer of no fixed abode, seeks unescorted merchant for light boarding, heavy plunder."
You don't like it? Don't buy my books. Get your own fictional universe. Your cabbage-water vision of worldbuilding bores me to tears.
As for the "man's world" thing, religious sentiments and gender prejudices flow differently in this fictional world. Women are regarded as luckier, better sailors than men. It's regarded as folly for a ship to put to sea without at least one female officer; there are several all-female naval military traditions dating back centuries, and Drakasha comes from one of them. As for claims to "realism," your complaint is of a kind with those from bigoted hand-wringers who whine that women can't possibly fly combat aircraft, command naval vessels, serve in infantry actions, work as firefighters, police officers, etc. despite the fact that they do all of those things-- and are, for a certainty, doing them all somewhere at this very minute. Tell me that a fit fortyish woman with 25+ years of experience at sea and several decades of live bladefighting practice under her belt isn't a threat when she runs across the deck toward you, and I'll tell you something in return-- you're gonna die of stab wounds.
What you're really complaining about isn't the fact that my fiction violates some objective "reality," but rather that it impinges upon your sad, dull little conception of how the world works. I'm not beholden to the confirmation of your prejudices; to be perfectly frank, the prospect of confining the female characters in my story to placid, helpless secondary places in the narrative is so goddamn boring that I would rather not write at all. I'm not writing history, I'm writing speculative fiction. Nobody's going to force you to buy it. Conversely, you're cracked if you think you can persuade me not to write about what amuses and excites me in deference to your vision, because your vision fucking sucks.
I do not expect to change your mind but i hope that you will at least consider that I and others will not be buying your work because of these issues. I have been reading science fiction and fantasy for years and i know that I speak for a great many people. I hope you might stop to think about the sales you will lose because you want to bring your political corectness and foul language into fantasy. if we wanted those things we could go to the movies. Think about this!
Thank you for your sentiments. I offer you in exchange this engraved invitation to go piss up a hill, suitable for framing.
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Original review:
"You are thieves. I am offering you a chance to help steal history itself."
How to write a badass fantasy sequel, a list:
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-An actual plot -Fantasy Las Vegas -Plenty of skullduggery -Witty dialogue -Stealing, catfishing, and grand heists -Bromance -More bromance -Pirates -WOMEN Pirates -A kickass new love interest -A kickass new PIRATE love interest -Silk parasols -Double-crossing -Schemes layered like cakes -Locke being awesome -Jean being awesome -Humbling Locke the way BBC Sherlock's creators never humble Sherlock -Cats (very important)
"I'm not resigned, Jean. I'm angry. We need to cease being powerless as soon as possible."
"Right. So where do we start?"
"Well, I'm going to go back to the inn. I'm going to pour a gallon of cold water down my throat. I'm going to get into bed, put a pillow over my head, and stay there until sunset."
"Locke Lamora's rule of thumb was this: a good confidence game took three months to plan, three weeks to rehearse, and three seconds to win or lose
"Locke Lamora's rule of thumb was this: a good confidence game took three months to plan, three weeks to rehearse, and three seconds to win or lose the victim's trust forever."
Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved Six of Crows. She cried bitter tears when the duology wrapped up in September, then went on the prowl for something, anything to satisfy the void in her heart.
The girl stumbled across Peaky Blinders and for a while, she was happy.
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But it too began to lose its luster.
Scrolling through her to-read list, she found a book she'd previously earmarked as a possible aliment. So, desperate, she dove in. The beginning was confusing and dense, but she pushed on, fortified by her experiences with A Game of Thrones.
She was soon rewarded with the clever hijinks of a boy called Locke Lamora. The plot, so cleverly woven, with its layered world-building and interspaced timelines, captivated her. It was not, she realized, a volume one could read whilst occupied with forgetful blue fish.
She laughed a great deal reading it.
"Master Ibelius, with all due respect, now that I am conscious, if I have to crawl about the city on my hands and knees to do something useful against Capa Raza, I will. I start my war from here."
He heaved himself up off the sleeping pallet and tried to stand; once again, his head swam, his knees buckled and he toppled to the ground.
"From there?" said Jean. "Looks damned uncomfortable."
Like all great books, it tore a irreparable rift in her heart that could only be healed by the mighty hand of deux ex machina and she didn't want that. Locke and Jean's friendship niggled at her until she realized who the pair reminded her of: Albus and Scorpius's "platonic" friendship.
The ending was a little cliche, but it worked—The Lies of Locke Lamora had quenched her wailing soul. She breathed a sigh of happiness as she closed the book and immediately bought the rest of the series.
"No matter what you face on those sands, fear is the only enemy in your path. Conquer your fear, and you can conquer the world."
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Th4.5 stars
"No matter what you face on those sands, fear is the only enemy in your path. Conquer your fear, and you can conquer the world."
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The Nevernight Chronicle is, in a nutshell, about a teenage girl mastering new and creative ways to murder people. Last time, it was the art of assassination. This time, it's the way of gladiatii— gladiator.
"If Vengeance has a mother, her name is Patience."
What can I say about this series that I haven't thoroughly gushed over? It's gloriously plotted, with complex, morally grey characters and a fictional world—complete with extensive history—that keeps expanding book after book like embroidery on a tapestry.
We learn more about the Republic and the Red Church in Godsgrave, building on the already layered foundation Nevernight offered. I'm fairly certain I've mentioned this in other reviews, but I love this style of world-building. It's comprehensive without overwhelming, and gives readers a chance to digest information before adding details. (Don't skip the footnotes. Seriously, don't. That's where the fun stuff happens.)
Readers who felt Nevernight's prose was too purple will be pleased to know Godsgrave dials down on that aspect. While no less absorbing, there are less "weird" metaphors and similes. It's not something I had a problem with, but I know some did. I did feel it got repetitive at times, with Mia constantly reminding herself of her dead family, though that's a minor annoyance.
Villains are amazing and lovingly written. There are people you're very clearly not supposed to like, such as Leona, owner of Mia's gladiatorial collegium and her slave master. Aside from the obvious (slave owner, yo), she's a proud rich girl who hasn't quite understood she's not rich anymore. But Kristoff invites us to sympathize with her, or at least understand her.
The ending will kick your mind across the room and play skip-rope with it. A few of the twists I guessed(view spoiler)[—Jonnen and the rebel gladiatii were obvious, and it makes sense saving the consul for the third and final book— (hide spoiler)]but the final kicker I didn't see coming at all and it fucking nailed my heart to the basement wall.
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Some minor things that irked me:
1) Where's Naev?? She and Mia were pretty tight back in the Red Church.
2) Carlotta deserves a mention. She was a slave and given what Mia experiences, the very least she deserves is a passing thought.
3) (view spoiler)[It really, really pushed the lesbian romance at the expense of Mia's character. Every time she's in the same room as Ashlinn, she's thinking about her curves, her lips, her [insert random sexy body part here].
This is the girl who murdered Tric. MURDERED HIM. Mia may not be loyal to the Red Church anymore, but Ashlinn still hurt and betrayed her. I'm not letting her hormones off the hook just because DIVERSITY.
And they were friends before everything happened. It would have been nice if Mia recalls some of those memories instead of remembering that one time they kissed for the millionth time. Just to be clear, I'm not against Mia/Ashlinn or LGBTQIA relationships in general. In the space of this book, however, I thought the transition from enemy-to-lover could have been written better. (hide spoiler)]
But like I said, they're minor annoyances, and five shimmering stars are sitting on top of this review. I can't recommend this series enough.
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P.S. If the third book isn't called Truedark, I'll eat my sweater.
"She would never toss aside her country the way her father had. She would protect it.
A small sob threatened to break free. What could she do? She had
"She would never toss aside her country the way her father had. She would protect it.
A small sob threatened to break free. What could she do? She had no power.
Yet, she vowed. She had no power yet."
Can I get a high five for reached expectations? Bring it in, come on.
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And I Darken is YA at its finest. There were times when I questioned if it should be classified as NA/Adult because the themes it deals with and the characters' thought processes get pretty dark. And then there's the history/world-building element, which is oh so rich and layered, but I worry may fly over the head for younger readers.
It's mature YA, let's put it that. Teens deserve more credit.
I have a bone to pick with the blurb, by the way. It in no way prepared for this gem of a character named Radu, also known as Lada's younger brother.
"There are other ways to beat someone than with fists."
His character arc is magnificent. Shy and physically weak, Radu has always been overshadowed by his fierce sister. He idolizes her, relies on her to protect him. Once they get to the Ottoman empire though, he realizes Lada's definition of fighting, through her fists, is useless and steps up to the plate as a Varys/Tyrion hybrid. He schmoozes up to the nobility, gains their trust, learns their secrets and just like that, he becomes one of the most powerful men in the nation.
That's what I love about And I Darken. It portrays different kinds of power: soft and hard, subtle and obvious. It shows there is power to be found in the unexpected: women and femininity. The main reason I'm not 100% in love with Lada is she acts rather condescending towards women who embrace traditional female roles.
"You should have fought them. You should have escaped."
"To where? I was angry, for many years. And frightened. But there are many ways to be powerful. There is power in stillness. There is power in watching, waiting, saying the right thing at the right time to the right person. There is power in being a woman—oh yes, power in these bodies you gaze upon with derision...When you have something someone else wants, there is always an element of power."
To be fair, she changes. After meeting Mara (one of the sultan's wives who won peace for her country by agreeing to an arranged marriage) and Huma (Mehmed's mother who seized power through her body), she begins to long for female companionship and acknowledges "threads" of power can be found in unexpected places. Though I wish Lada could've changed more. She still considers herself better than these women and I look forward to her opinion shifting further in the sequel.
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Make no mistake; I do adore Lada to pieces. Especially her decision at the end and this quote, which I will use in a wedding toast someday:
“On our wedding night,” she said, “I will cut out your tongue and swallow it. Then both tongues that spoke our marriage vows will belong to me, and I will be wed only to myself. You will most likely choke to death on your own blood, which will be unfortunate, but I will be both husband and wife and therefore not a widow to be pitied.”
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There is a love triangle and it will absolutely break you. It's not two guys vying for one girl, like I thought would be at first. Everyone is sort of tangled with each other. Quite a bit of angst is involved, but it never feels cliche or melodramatic. White set up the situation so well and the characters so beautifully, it feels exactly as it ought to be: poignant and heartwrenching.
Very rarely does a tagline comparison deliver. And I Darken is indeed Game of Thrones for teens. It's filled with political intrigue, power struggles, and lots and lots of feels.
"There is no such thing as cheating. There is only winning or losing. I won."
"The Kaz that remained saw only the job: Free Inej. Make Van Eck pay. The rest was useless noise."
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Crooked Kingdom is that rare miracle of a
"The Kaz that remained saw only the job: Free Inej. Make Van Eck pay. The rest was useless noise."
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Crooked Kingdom is that rare miracle of a sequel that doesn't give you what you ask for, but does everything right anyway. It's definitely not a book to read while multitasking. The plot is extremely complex, schemes upon schemes upon schemes. The Brekker way. I can only imagine Bardugo having multiple colored tabs in Scrivener marking exactly where and when specific events will happen.
One thing I was initially worried about was Nina and Matthias not having enough plot. Most of their problems were solved at the end of Six of Crows and I feared Bardugo would pull a Scarlet/Wolf from Winter on us and create unnecessary angst. But my fears were entirely unfounded. Their relationship continues to weather storms like Kaz and Inej's or Wylan and Jesper's, particularly with Matthias's conservative side and the shadow of parem.
"She made herself remember every terrible thing she'd said, every wild pleasure offered, each insult or accusation she'd hurled at him. You enjoy watching me suffer. You want me to beg, don't you? How long have you been waiting to see me like this? Stop punishing me, Matthias. Help me. Be good to me and I'll be good to you. He'd absorbed it all in stoic silence."
Jesper and Wylan were a welcome surprise, too. I confess, I wasn't a huge fan of Jesper in Six of Crows. He simply didn't have enough screentime for me to get attached. The way I saw it, Six of Crows had three main main characters—Kaz, Inej, and Matthias—who go through the most character development. In Crooked Kingdom, those people are Inej, Nina, Jesper, and Wylan.
We get an in-depth look at why Jesper hides his powers and his gambling addiction. I'm really glad Bardugo withheld this information in Six of Crows because the book would've been too crowded otherwise. Here, it feels just right and we also get more information about Inej's time in the Menagerie.
Wylan, who has his own POV here, struggles with accepting his dyslexia. How he came to work in the Barrel comes into full light. Let's just say if you thought he was a precious cinnamon roll before, you'll want to snuggle him even more and never let go.
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Kaz and Inej were my faves from the start. He's awesome, she's awesome, they belong together. There's nothing much I can add except my thoughts on the ending, which is hidden under the spoiler tag.
(view spoiler)[I'm stunned they didn't kiss, but also happy. It's the best place Bardugo can leave them in. Mental illness can't be conquered in a snap. A gloveless Kaz holding hands with Inej may not seem like a big deal, but it's a tremendous step for both of them. That's why I'm not as irritated that he takes more of a backseat here in terms of character development; most of the stuff that needed to happen already did in Six of Crows. He just needs that one extra step. And I'm content knowing one day, far from the page and in the reader's mind, their lips will finally touch in their first hesitant kiss.
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(The entire bridge goes: Well, you stood there with me in the doorway/my hands shake/I'm not usually this way but/You pull me in and I'm a little more brave/It's the first kiss, it's flawless, really something/it's fearless
Fearless by Taylor Swift is their song. I will not be swayed.)
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While I'm using the spoiler, tag, let's talk about Matthias. I know it's controversial and people hate it (I hate it), but it had to happen. Ketterdam can't sell itself as gritty and dangerous without someone from the bloated main cast die. Jesper and Wylan, gay characters, are out of the question. Inej is the heart of the series; she's out. Nina just went through a metaphorical rebirth with her powers; she's out, too.
That leaves Kaz and Matthias. Even though I'm totally biased since I adore Kaz, I personally think him dying would contradict his character arc. If he sacrificed himself, it'd be out of character. If he dies at the hands of Van Eck or Rollins, it would completely defeat the purpose of the story.
Plus, Matthias's death is essential to Nina's character arc in Crooked Kingdom. She has to accept her new powers like she has to accept Matthias's death. It parallels Matthias's arc in book one, where he had to accept Grisha and the gang.
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And while I'd love one last Nina POV after she lets Matthias die, it would have unraveled her character arc. It's done, she let him go. Showing her mourn would leave open threads that aren't necessary. The ending itself is very open with the Tidemakers threatening Kaz. But I guess the point is to show Kaz and the gang will never stop fighting. They can't get complacent like Rollins. It's not the perfect ending, but it's the one that's right.(hide spoiler)]
The humor, despite the high stakes, is as prevalent as ever. I was cackling every few pages.
"Stop gawking like you've never seen a girl in a dress before, Matthias."
"I wasn't gawking," Matthias said with as much dignity as he could muster. But for Djel's sake, what was he supposed to look at when Nina had irises tucked between... everything.
"Be quiet, Brekker," Nina said. "I like it when he gawks."
One last thing I want to add is this series's diverse portrayal of disability. Different kinds are shown, from the visible in Kaz's cane to the invisible in Jesper's ADHD, Wylan's dyslexia, and Kaz's PTSD. There's also Nina's struggle with drug withdrawal. They live with their disabilities and find ways to cope, to heal. There's no miraculous cure at the end. As someone uses a wheelchair, it made me unbelievably happy.
A magnificent ride from beginning to end, no pun intended. Funny, seat-gripping, and now one of my favorite series of all time.
"What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren't chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owes you nothing, you demanded something out of it anyway."
"How many people have died for the Boy Who Lived?”
Cynical Natalie: Beware ye who enter. Here there be spoilers the size of Aragog.
Nice Natalie: W
"How many people have died for the Boy Who Lived?”
Cynical Natalie: Beware ye who enter. Here there be spoilers the size of Aragog.
Nice Natalie: What are you, narrating a movie? Don't scare them. All major spoilers are hidden, but really, we recommend going into The Cursed Child blind. Drop by after you finish!
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Cynical Natalie: Alright, let's get down to it. What the flip did we just read?
Nice Natalie: A lovely story about family and threads we didn't know needed to be tied up, but made perfect sense when we read it. I always thought Harry was a little too caviler after the Battle of Hogwarts finished. We finally get to see the guilt-ridden PTSD part.
Cynical Natalie: Stop dancing around the question like One Direction asked about Zayn's departure. You know what I'm talking about. (view spoiler)[Bellatrix and Voldemort's daughter. (hide spoiler)] The brainchild of fanfiction writers.
Nice Natalie: I admit it was a weak plot element, but I liked the parallel. The Cursed Child is ultimately about family and Harry connecting with his son. (view spoiler)[You can't say you didn't feel a little bit sad when Delphi finally thought she was meeting her father. She must have had a lonely childhood—like Harry. I bet if she looked in the Mirror of Erised, she'd see the same thing he did. (hide spoiler)]
Cynical Natalie: Hooray for literature class. But that element is so full of plot holes, logic runs clean through. (view spoiler)[Bellatrix wasn't pregnant in the Deathly Hallows.
Nice Natalie: Rowling didn't plan on writing an eighth story then. And pregnancies in the Wizarding world might work differently. She might have used dark magic to speed up the terms and replenish her body right before the Battle of Hogwarts. You don't know that.
Cynical Natalie: I know it's ludicrous. Given that I accept your tissue-thin rationale, Delphi is a sorry, one-dimensional excuse for a villain.
Nice Natalie: Time constraints. Rowling didn't have seven books this time. (hide spoiler)]
Nice Natalie: Can't you focus on the good for once? What about the trick Albus and Scorpius used to send for help? That's old-school Rowling at her best, disguising useful plot objects as the mundane in the beginning and then whipping them out like a boss further down the line.
Cynical Natalie: Because there's too much bad to focus on the good! Like why is Albus such a fucking idiot? (Those who want to go in the Cursed Child completely blind might want to avert your eyes) Why would he attempt to go back in time and save Cedric? Screwing with time is a bad idea, especially during a period so entwined with Voldemort's existence.
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Nice Natalie: I've had a lot of time to think about that. Remember that interview with Rowling? She said she deliberately smashed all the Time-Turners in Order of the Phoenix, so characters couldn't go back and mess with her plotlines. At the same time, she had Hermione drill into Harry and Ron—and by extension, us—that fiddling with the past was a bad idea.
Albus missed that lesson. He doesn't know the dangers of playing with time. When he made that decision, he was extremely angry with his dad and got a bit reckless. Like father, like son. Harry used to do reckless stuff when he was mad too, like diving into Snape's thoughts or going off to find Marvolo's ring.
I think if it were in book format, we would've gotten a deeper insight into Albus's thought process and rationalized his behavior, like we always did with Harry's.
Cynical Natalie: You're so far up Harry's ass, you can't even see straight.
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The Cursed Child kinda makes me hate Harry. He abused his authority and position. Teenager Harry would've hated him.
Nice Natalie: He never claimed to be perfect. And that moment you're talking about was after Albus and Scorpius went dickering around in the past. It had to have caused ripples in his personality.
Cynical Natalie: While we're talking about the first altered timeline, I can't believe my intelligent, level-headed Hermione turned into a bitter spinster just because she and Ron didn't get married.
Nice Natalie: I didn't read it like that. I read it as a Ron/Hermione moment. She needs Ron's humor to balance out her stuffy side and Ron needs someone who will understand him on Hermione's level.
Cynical Natalie: Oh, I didn't realize Ron mattered anymore. Because he's clearly been downgraded to the comic relief character.
One of the main themes of the original series was to show Ron was more than a sidekick. He was his own person, brave and loyal, and deserves to stand in the light instead of the shadows of his friends.
Nice Natalie: Again, I read it as far more positive. Ron isn't the insecure teenager he was anymore. He has nothing to prove, not to himself, not to anyone else. He's comfortable on the sidelines. After all, according to Rowling, this is the guy who resigned from his job as an Auror to run a joke shop.
His role during the climax was beautiful. (view spoiler)[Harry chooses to stay behind to witness his parents' death and Ron says, "We'll watch with you." That's him; that's the youngest male Weasley to the letter. (hide spoiler)]
Cynical Natalie: There are still a lot of inconsistencies. Why is McGonagall the headmaster? Rowling said she "getting on a bit" in an interview and Hogwarts got a new headmaster after the Battle.
Nice Natalie: She probably didn't want so many new characters. That's partially why Luna, Teddy Lupin, and most of the Weasleys didn't show up. Let it go, will you? It's a tiny thing.
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Cynical Natalie: Fine. What about—to quote the fine folks over on Twitter—the gay panic with Albus and Scorpius?
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We're not the kind of people read homoerotic subtext in everything. We didn't see it with Naruto/Sasuke and we don't see it with Dean and Castiel from Supernatural. It's not until others pointed it out that we saw potential signs. But the sexual tension between Albus and Scorpius was off the charts. I was shipping them from day one. And the shit Rowling has them say... My God.
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Snape's famous declaration and "They belong together"—Right, absolutely platonic.
Nice Natalie: Rowling probably wanted to go for a Lily/James parallel with Rose and Scorpius. You can't please all the shippers.
Beside, like you can hate anything that has to do with Harry Potter.
Cynical Natalie: ...
Nice Natalie: Right?
Cynical Natalie: ...I hate you.
Nice Natalie: But you don't hate Harry.
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Cynical Natalie: This is a sentimental rating, not a logical one.
Nice Natalie: We read on emotion, darling.
Cynical Natalie: Fuck off.
Other Nice Natalie/Cynical Natalie brawls reviews:
"You'll be a rumor. A whisper. The thought that wakes the bastards of this world sweating in the nevernight. The last thing you will ever be, girl,
"You'll be a rumor. A whisper. The thought that wakes the bastards of this world sweating in the nevernight. The last thing you will ever be, girl, is someone's hero."
FREE BEER AND KITTENS. FREE BEER AND KITTENS. FREE BEER AND KITTENS.
Now that I have your attention, run to your nearest bookstore and buy Nevernight. It is a gem of a story. Gothic and layered and absolutely ruthless. The ending will murder you. It will cut your heart into tiny little pieces and blend it into mush.
I was terrified going into Nevernight because Khanh and Emily May, two reviewers I trust and respect, mentioned the writing is really purple. I see where they're coming from, but the prose didn't bother me at all. If any, it enhances the story. Nevernight is set in a fictional land that resembles Venice or Renaissance Europe and the Shakespearean writing further eases out the atmosphere, fully immersing you into this world.
The narrative style is extremely creative as well, switching back and forth from the past and present and drawing parallels between them. In the first chapter, we see Mia losing her virginity as a younger girl and then murdering someone in the present. The shifting of timelines may seem confusing at first, but trust me, you'll get used to it and the flashbacks eventually peter out halfway.
Like I mentioned, the world-building is fabulous.Do not skip the footnotes. They're where the real details are. Krisoff cleverly keeps just enough description and history within the narrative to invite you into Itreya, yet not overwhelm. If you don't want to get bogged down, I recommend reading them during reread. They add so much to the fabric of this world.
And then there's the protagonist Mia. Wily, pragmatic, brilliant Mia.
"Cock is just another word for 'fool.' But you call someone a cunt, well..." The girl smiled. "You're implying a sense of malice there. An intent. Malevolent and self-aware. Don't think I name Consul Scaeva a cunt to gift him insult. Cunts have brains, Don Tric. Cunts have teeth. Someone calls you a cunt, you take it as a compliment. As a sign that folks believe you're not to be lightly fucked with."
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Finally, finally an assassin book where the assassin does some actual killing. The book opens with her doing some floor painting. She is an antihero in the best way. As a child, her father was executed as a traitor and her mother and baby brother were thrown in prison, so she's going to study at the Red Church to get revenge—Arya style.
"A girl some called Pale Daughter. Or Kingmaker. Or Crow. But most often, nothing at all. A killer of killers, whose tally of endings only the goddess and I truly know."
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At the same time, she retains her ability to show mercy. I don't mean to say she's one of those heroines who rag on about their black soul and cold heart, but are about as dangerous as a daisy. Her rationale is the Red Church will take everything from her, mold her into the perfect assassin. Holding onto emotions like pity in quiet defiance enables her to hold onto herself. It's an excellent way to keep Mia in character and add an extra layer of complexity to her personality.
And she's smart, too. God, this plot twist later down the line. Just magnificent.
The romance is deftly written and doesn't overwhelm the plot or the vicious soul of our little assassin. Tric is as dark as Mia, though slightly kinder. Slightly, because this is a school of assassins after all. Entry requires a tithe obtained through murder. He wears his heart on his sleeve, let's just say that. (view spoiler)[I knew he would die. My precious darling was practically a lamb marked for slaughter. I'd hoped he would be the narrator in the beginning, but no. Krisoff likes torturing us. (hide spoiler)]
I should probably mention Nevernight isn't for younger readers. It's upper YA, bordering on NA. Some of Mia and Tric's interactions get... steamy.
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The other characters are brilliant, too. Everyone has their own story and motivations. Mia's best friend Ash is there to fulfill her father's dream. Carlotta used to be a slave. Even the typical bitch archenemy is a bitch for a reason. Jess's dad was a soldier under Mia's dad and when he rebelled, her dad was executed alongside everyone.
"Don't trouble yourself about what that bitch said," Ash whispered, glancing at Carlotta's flawless cheek. "That's not who you are anymore."
"It was never who I was."
Carlotta's hands fell still. Her stare grew clouded.
"It was just who they made me."
Awesome world-building, awesome characters and plot twists that will leave your head spinning. I honestly can't recommend this enough.
"As yet, more of a drizzle," said Skifr. "But we are only beginning."
I've found my new fantasy 4.5 stars
"Thorn nodded, frowning. "I am the storm."
"As yet, more of a drizzle," said Skifr. "But we are only beginning."
I've found my new fantasy fix.
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Half A World is just as good as its predecessor. Taking place a good while after Half A King, it is narrated by two new characters: Thorn and Brand. Yarvi and the old gang appear, but this is obviously, utterly their story.
Ever since she was a child, Thorn has dreamed of being a warrior and avenging herself on the man who killed her father. So despite convention, she toughs it out on the training grounds until she accidentally kills a trainee. Brand speaks up against her execution and he's booted off the war line, too.
Two ex-soldiers thirsting for glory. What do you think happens next? Hint: it involves Father Yarvi.
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I absolutely loved Thorn. She reminds me of Katsa from Graceling without the weird misogynistic undertones. She can kick some serious ass, but never looks down on women who wear dresses or prefer words over weapons. Although she's brash and far from eloquent, she's never defiant to the point of stupidity.
Her journey from Girl Who Can Throw A Few Punches to Captain Badass is amazing. Skifr, her mentor, is amazing.
"You must be quicker to strike and quicker when you do. You must be tougher and quicker when you do, you must always look to attack, and you must fight without honor, without conscience, without pity. Do you understand?"
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Brand grew on me. I didn't like him at first. He seemed like a dullard with boring morals. But his journey at sea tests his courage and moral compass. He fleshes out into a character whose actions and thoughts and I can nod at and think, "Yes, I might have done that, too."
"If we can't hurt the shepherds, we'll have to hurt the flock."
"It wasn't sheep did this, nor shepherds neither. It was warriors."
Together, Thorn and Brand are like Katniss and Peeta. You can imagine how composed I was when reading their interactions.
[Thorn:] "I'm selfish."
[Brand:] "You're... ambitious, I like that."
"I'm bitter."
"You're funny. I like that too."
She rubbed gently at her scarred cheek. "I'm ugly."
Anger burned up in him then, so hot it took him by surprise. "Who bloody said so? Cause first they're wrong and second I'll punch their teeth out."
"I can punch 'em myself."
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One complaint I have is the writing. It doesn't seem as polished as Half A King. I'm already on the final book, Half A War, and the writing's fabulous there, so it's just a one-time thing.
I'm also a little disappointed with how Isruin is treated. (view spoiler)[ It's not like she betray Yarvi out of spite. She was following her father's orders who, in turn, thought he was doing good. (hide spoiler)] In the previous book, she swore revenge on Yarvi and I admit I was praying this book would be a continuation of her story. She's a fascinating and complex character, and I hope we see her again in the final book.
I leave you with this scene. Because Skifr is awesome.
"Your first lesson. Always be ready. If I can hit you, you deserve to be hit."
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Thorn clambered to her knees, shaking out her throbbing arm, to find her old friend Brand standing over her, a sack on his shoulder and a grin on his face.
Skifr grinned back. "Funny, eh?"
"Little bit," said Brand.
Skifr slapped him across the face and he tottered against a post... "Are you teaching me to fight?"
"No. But I see no reason you shouldn't be ready too."
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