review to come if & when i am emotionally ready...
look, i don't know what to say or write besides me not liking this book is one big & unwelcome twist. having loved every TRC book and book 1 and 2 in this dreamer trilogy, i wasn't even worried about not loving this. ah. what a fool. the more i read the more i struggled to reconcile myself with the existence of this book and that it wasn't something from a half-arsed dream of mine. no. it exists. it is the canon. anyway, i liked nothing about it. stiefvater's stiefvaterism, which i usually eat up, struck me as contrived, i was frustrated by how the trilogy's supposed central character is sidelined for much of this book, carmen farooq-lane really annoyed me and so did jordan & hennessy (all of whom i previously was fond of), declan too was kind of a let down in this one. bryde...after the previous books establish him as a such a key figure, well, i was confused by his purpose. adam, a character that i have come to love, see med very out-of-character, and not even in a 'he's grown/changed from the boy he used to be' way. ronan, my favourite character of all time...well, he is painfully underused and the scenes he is in are too purply and abstract. argh. i did not like any of it. the plot is meandering and confused, which could have worked, but then we get these reveals that just did not convince me at all. not only do they add inconsistencies to the trc universe but they seemed desperate to be 'clever'...i could go on. if i could brainwash myself into having a different response to this book i would which may sound extreme sure but ragazzi miei i can hardly articulate what these characters mean to me. that epilogue was cheesy in a very odd way that didn't fit the tone of the series at all. that ending scene especially just struck me as fan-service. okay, i'll actually stop now.
i still respect stiefvater as an author and i will always love the characters and the world that she has created however i will do my utmost to erase this book from my head. if you vibed with it i am super jealous but pls don't send me hate comments. like i said, if could change my perception of and perspective on this book i would. i am giving this a 3 stars but if i were honest i am only rating so high because i am super biased when it comes to stiefvater....more
“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”
Part cute/steamy romance, part historical| | blog | tumblr | ko-fi | |
3 ½ stars
“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”
Part cute/steamy romance, part historical fantasy romp, A Marvellous Light is a (mostly) delightful debut novel.
A Marvellous Light is likely one of the best romances to come out in 2021. I really had a blast with this novel! While Freya Marske’s historical setting and the magical system is not quite as detailed & complex as Susanna Clarke's in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell or Zen Cho's Sorcerer Royal series, its setting is vibrantly rendered and the fantasy aspect was a lot of fun and gave me some serious Diana Wynne Jones/Ghibli vibes. The main characters make the novel, and I found them incredibly endearing. The plot itself is fairly conventional, and it is Marske’s engaging style and her compelling protagonists that steal the show.
“You woke me up. You're incredibly brave. You're not kind, but you care deeply. And I think you know how much I want you, in whatever way I can have you.”
Set in Edwardian England, A Marvellous Light follows Robin Blyth and Edwin Courcey. Recently orphaned Robin is in his late twenties and despite his newly inherited title, he’s in urgent need of an income. A clerical mishap lands him in the position of ‘Assistant in the office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints’, his predecessor, a certain Reginald Gatling having gone suddenly MIA. On his first day on the job, Robin meets Edwin Courcey, who is the special liaison to the Chief Minister of the Magical Assembly. Robin, baffled by the discovery that magic is indeed real, is sure that someone more suitable should be taking his place. While Robin and Edwin are not keen on working together, after a certain altercation with some dubious individuals, the two decide to join forces in their effort to find out what happened to Reginald. Much of the narrative takes place in Edwin’s family home, where we learn more about how magic works and we see the bond between the two men solidify in something resembling a friendship.
The narrative’s scope remains rather narrow, and the story is very much focused on the blossoming romance between Edwin and Robin. The growing sexual tension between them complicates their ‘mission’, as the two men will be forced to confront the magnitude of their feelings for each other. The dynamic between Edwin and Robin is truly charming. By switching between their perspectives we learn more about their personal histories, their relationship with their family members, and their previous romantic ‘exploits’. Edwin is a brilliant scholar, and he possesses vast magical knowledge. However, he does not possess much magic, and this has made his family treat him with open contempt. His older brother, who has a lot of magic, is a horrid bully, and his sister and parents have always turned a blind eye to his relentless tormenting of Edwin. Because of this Edwin is slow to trust, guarded to the point of rudeness. While Robin was never particularly close to his parents, who were not nearly as charitable and selfless as they liked to pretend, he is far more open and carefree. Of course, after a certain ‘event’, Robin too begins to have a lot on his mind. At Edwin’s family home the two grow closer, and as they attempt to find the truth behind Reginald’s disappearance they find themselves growing attached to one another.
While we don’t learn much about the Magical Assembly or of the history of magic in England (other than a snippet here and there), the author does a fairly decent job when it comes to world-building, avoiding info-dumps and overly complicated explanations. The mystery storyline is perhaps the novel’s weakest element. There is an attempt at a twist villain but I’m afraid that it was fairly obvious that that person was indeed a ‘baddie’. The last 30% is slightly repetitive, and maybe I would have found it more gripping if the villains had been more fleshed out (we also get the uber cliched line: “Come on board, you'll have the power you've always wanted”). Speaking of secondary characters, they are somewhat one-dimensional. I kept confusing the people at Edwin’s house, as they all have ridiculously posh sounding nicknames and behaved in varying degrees of obnoxiousness. I did however like Miss Morrisey and her sister, I mean: “And we are but feeble women,” said Miss Morrisey. “Woe.” They were a fun addition and I wish they had played a bigger role in the story (hopefully we will see more of them in the sequel!).
The romance between Edwin and Robin is the cherry on the cake. Their chemistry, banter, and flirting make for some thoroughly enjoyable and surprisingly sweet passages. I wasn’t really expecting the story to be quite this smutty and I have to say that the sex scenes did feel a bit overlong. I don’t mind sex scenes but smut...eeh, it does nothing for me. I either find it unintentionally funny or boring. But this is clearly a ‘me thing’ so I’m sure other readers out there will be *ahem* more appreciative of these scenes.
While the plotline is somewhat predictable (we have those fairly obvious twists, the usual misunderstanding that occurs around the 70% mark in romances) Marske does have a few tricks up her sleeves and she leaves quite a few questions unanswered (hopefully the sequel will resolve some of these).
Overall this was a very entertaining read. It has humour, mystery, plenty of magical hijinks, and a lively Edwardian backdrop. Robin and Edwin are guaranteed to give you ‘the feels’, and I really liked their character arcs. And, last but not least, their romance. While I could have done with fewer sex scenes and more plot, Robin and Edwin’s relationship was great. The author doesn’t rush it, so we have quite a decent amount of longing/yearning….which I have always been a sucker for (especially in historical fiction). I am super excited to read the sequel and I thoroughly recommend this, especially to those who are looking for a sweet-turned-sexy queer romance + the perfect blend of fantasy and historical fiction.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
First things first: that cover. I mean....words cannot describe how beautiful it is.
“My stepmother had broken me. She'd cast me away from my brothers, my family, my home. Even from myself.”
Ever since watching early 2000s Barbie movies reading Juliet Marillier's spellbinding books I've had a soft spot for retellings and I'm happy to say that Six Crimson Cranes makes for a truly wonderful take on “The Brothers Who Were Turned into Birds” type of tales (which include the six swans, the wild swans, and even marillier's daughter of the forest). Fans of Ghibli, xianxia, and even Disney should definitely consider picking this up as Six Crimson Cranes is a truly magical novel.
“We were seven, and seven was a number of strength. An uneven number that could not fold unto itself, large enough to withstand many threats, yet small enough to stay devoted.”
In Six Crimson Cranes Limm transports her readers to the Chinese and Japanese inspired kingdom of Kiata. Here Princess Shiori, the only daughter of Emperor Hanariho, is not looking forward to getting married to the son of Lord Bushian, someone Shiori considers to be a barbarian. In spite of her sheltered upbringing, Shiori's adventurous streak (read: foolhardiness) often lands her in trouble. Thankfully for her, she has six brothers who dote on her (even if they do enjoy teasing her now and again) and are more than happy to watch out for her. On the day of her betrothal ceremony, she uses magic—which is, you guessed it, forbidden in this kingdom—to cheer herself up. And then her magical friend lands her into the palace's Sacred Lake. Luckily, Shiori is saved by Seryuu, a dragon prince (okay, this whole dynamic gave me some strong spirited away vibes) who offers to help her with her magic. Shiori's lake mishap raises her stepmother's suspicions. And it turns out that mysterious & aloof Raikama also dabbles with magic. When Shiori witnesses Raikama getting up to no good she runs to her brothers to warn them about their stepmother's true identity. Alas, the siblings don't stand a chance against Raikama who uses her dark magic to curse them. Shiori's six brothers are transformed into cranes. Shiori too is cursed: no one will be able to recognise her and if she were to utter a single word one of her brothers will die. Voiceless and alone, Shiori travels the lands hoping to find her brothers and a way to break the curse.
“Ironic, wasn't it, that I—a girl who always wanted to make her own choice—now for nothing more than to surrender to fate?”
What follows is a compelling tale of resilience. Lim has spun a truly enchanting fairy tale one that feels at once familiar and unique. While her story implements quite a lot of archetypes (the protagonist on a quest, a curse, a magical companion who offers wise words of advice, hidden identities, evil stepmothers) she also subverts quite a few of them. Lim's storytelling is so engaging that even if I predicted most, if not all, of the twists and revelations that occur along the way, well, it didn't lessen my enjoyment of her story. In fact, I actually found myself looking forward to Shiori figuring things out for herself. Shiori is a truly lovable heroine. To start she's a bit of a hothead and until her curse, she was leading a rather cushy lifestyle (okay, the arranged marriage wasn't great but it was also very much the norm in this kingdom). After the curse, Shiori endures quite a lot of hardships. Her love for her brothers and her desire to set them free sees her overcoming the many trials that come her way, and by the end of the narrative, Shiori has undergone quite the character development. I loved the setting, the magic, Shiori's voice, her bond with her brothers, the folktales and myths Lim incorporated within her story.
“I would not have you be alone, […], not in your joys or your sorrows. I would wish your strand knotted to mine, always.”
Six Crimson Cranes is a truly delightful and dazzling novel. Not only is Lim a fantastic storyteller but I felt really invested in Shiori and her brothers. There is a hint of romance which added a sweet note to the overall narrative (i am just praying it won't turn into a love triangle...) but the story's focus remains very much on Shiori's quest. Marillier herself described this novel as a “gorgeous” take on an old fairy tale, and “a must-read for lovers of folkloric fantasy”...and well, she's spot on.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
i'm going to put this on hold...there is just so much exposition and i'm finding the 'hollow' heart thing cheesy, esp the whole 'other nirrim' thing. i'm going to put this on hold...there is just so much exposition and i'm finding the 'hollow' heart thing cheesy, esp the whole 'other nirrim' thing. and that earrings scene? that scene was desperately trying and failing to be 'edgy'. i will give it another shot in the next few weeks....more
“Trust me, her face said. That was the problem with making allies. At some point, inevitably, there came a moment when a decision had to be made: Could this one be trusted? Had their loyalty been won? Was their generosity a façade for a hidden knife?”
I more or less inhaled this 500+ page novel in two days. Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne may be one of the best high fantasy novels I've ever read. Superbly written The Jasmine Throne presents its readers with an evoking Indian inspire setting, A+ world-building, a cast of compelling and morally ambiguous characters, a sapphic romance (think Fingersmith by way of Marie Rutkoski), and plenty of intriguing storylines that will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat. In other words, The Jasmine Throne is high fantasy at its best. It is exceedingly original and utterly captivating.
“But some men dream of times long dead, and times that never existed, and they're willing to tear the present apart entirely to get them.”
The Jasmine Throne transports us to Ahiranya a nation plagued by a peculiar disease known as the rot. Ahiranya was conquered by Paraijatdvipa which is ruled by the fanatical Emperor Chandra. Between the 'rot-riven' and the growing discontentment towards the harsh Paraijatdvipan rule, Ahiranya is a nation on the verge. Priya who works in the household of the regent of Ahiranya tries to help 'rot-riven' children. Although she does her best to hide her true identity and past the arrival of Malini, Emperor Chandra's disgraced sister, complicates things, especially when Malini witnesses her powers.
After refusing to be burned at a pyre, in order to be 'purified', Malini is sent by her zealot brother to Hirana, a treacherous temple that was left abandoned after the deaths of its 'children'.
Once Malini sees Priya in action she requests her as her maidservant. The two feel pulled to each other but both are aware that their desires may not align.
The Jasmine Throne provides its readers with a fantastic cast of characters. First, Priya and Malini. These two young women have been through a lot (and when I say a lot, I mean it). They have every reason not to trust one another but they cannot deny the nature of their feelings. To call it 'love' doesn't feel quite right given the positions they are in. Malini's brother is responsible for many horrific things, many of them which have left their mark on Priya and her homeland. Also, both at one point or another end up using the other. Yet, their relationship is *chef's kiss*. There is yearning, lust, hate, understanding... Of course, I found each of their character arcs to be just as captivating as the relationship that develops between them. They face many impossible situations and we may not always agree with their choices. The characters around them are just engaging. From Bhumika, the regent's wife, to Rao, Prem, and even Ashok. I loved the tension between all of them, as well as the betrayals and revelations we get along the way.
The world-building is top tier stuff. From the religions (we have the nameless god, the yaksa, the mothers of flame, each one is truly intriguing) and tales that shape each empire (the nameless to the magical elements. I found Suri's storytelling to be truly immersive. There are many beautiful and haunting passages (“Family don't have a duty to be kind to you. They have a duty to make you better. Stronger.” and “The first time Malini learned how to hold a knife was also the day she learned how to weep.”), as well as insightful discussions on power, revenge, and forgiveness.
It had been a while since I'd read something that gave me the so-called 'feels' but The Jasmine Throne sure did. Suri has crafted an engrossing tale that made me feel as if I was riding a rollercoaster. And that finale...wow. I have yet to recover from it. Suffice to say, I am anxious about the sequel (please Suri, be gentle on us!).
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
“Your Boyfriend Called, He Thinks You’ve Joined a Cult, Please Advise.”
A brief summary: Mister Impossible = 300 pages or so of mindfuckery Mister Impossible may be Stiefvater's trickiest novel. I inhaled it in just a day and part of me knows that I need to re-read in order to truly absorb everything that went down. This is the kind of novel that leaves you feeling pretty devastated. It seemed like nothing and everything was happening. Plot-wise, well...Ronan, Hennessy, and Bryde go galavanting across Virginia while committing ecoterrorist acts. Sort of.
Ronan and Hennessy are pretty chaotic characters who have a predilection for self-destructive behaviours and self-loathing (a great combo). Ronan's chapters in Mister Impossible are particularly elusive and extremely unreliable. I read somewhere that Stiefvater's said that this trilogy was about the stories we tell ourselves and ouch...that is exactly what we are getting in Mister Impossible. This was as intense as The Dream Thieves but far more brutal. Things don't get better, people don't always learn from their mistakes or know how to break away from vicious cycles...I don't know, this has me rambling already. Ronan is such a conflicted (and conflicting) character and I found myself wanting to shake him because he does and says some really fucked up shit and whisk him away from Bryde and anyone else who hurts/messes with him. Declan, Jordan, and Matthew's chapters were welcome respites. Matthew is struggling to adjust to the fact that he is a dream and is understandably sick of being treated like a child by Declan. I really liked how Jordan and Declan's relationship developed, their scenes were truly a salve to my weary soul. Their chemistry, their light banter, their art talk. I just loved them together.
The narrative is very much about self-divide, art, forgery, reality vs dreams, miscommunication (or even 0 communication), loneliness, chronic illness, and not so great coping mechanisms. A sense of unease permeates the narrative, Ronan’s chapters were especially anxiety inducing.
The writing was Stiefvater-levels of clever (funny, exhilarating, surreal, fairytalesque), the pacing was relentless (even if nothing seems to happen...tis' a mystery how she does it), and the characters are as compelling as they are frustrating (Ronan, please, stop breaking my heart).
SPOILERS And that ending,ｗｔｆStiefvater, who told you to go all Fight Club/Mr. Robot on us?...more
This novel is incredibly engaging. I found myself desperate to read it as often as I co| | blog | tumblr | ko-fi | |
4 that-was-bloody-intense stars
This novel is incredibly engaging. I found myself desperate to read it as often as I could, because I was involved by the story Kuang has so vividly rendered. The storyline might seem a bit predictable at first - orphan goes to a special school, discovers 'uncanny' abilities, yadda yadda - but the way in which Kuang delivers this trope-y story made it seem anything but clichéd.
It might sound daft but one of the aspects that pulled me into this story is that Kuang made me believe in Rin and her tumultuous and often hostile world. The many physical and inner conflicts she faces made me deeply weary. I grew increasingly apprehensive. Kuang does not sugar coat the brutality of war and the inevitable horrors brought by such conflicts. Yet, Kuang’s prose could deliver such beautiful and elegant phrases that I could not find anything she wrote distasteful. Her style would often come across as simple but it is this apparent simplicity that makes Kuang’s words all the more effective. There is a raw almost visceral aspect to her writing that makes it hard not to be affected by what she writes of. The Poppy War offers plenty of action, tense showdowns, constantly shifting power dynamics, and an arresting storyline....
As much as I loved this book there are a few things that I thought could have been “better” or that I hope can be more developed in the next instalments.
Here are a few thoughts:
✔The way in which Kung depicts a moving body is simply captivating. I was in awe of her descriptions of combat. Even when during these fighting scenes the “eyes” seem to be a bit overdone (everyone seems to have very arresting eyes, especially those who fight well or are shamans).
✔Rin, this girl, this young woman, frustrated the hell out of me. She is a act first, think later, kind of person. Also, you know how some say that there is no such thing as a stupid question? Well, I disagree, because Rin asks a helluva of stupid questions. And the she is ‘stunned’ or suprised by the unfavourable reactions these often insubordinate questions illicit. She enragers her peers, and her superiors, with her words and her obtuseness. Yet, in spite of my not liking her or her attitude, I still cared for her. Especially since she seems to be treated like a pinata by most of the characters.
And yes, I do mean that she is treated as something that should be bashed about. Her mentors are not upfront enough, pushing her to make stupid decisions. Her friends...well, I don’t think that there is one healthy relationship or friendship in this book. The relationships she has verge on or are of an abusive (physical and non) nature. Given the world Rin lives in it’s hardly surprising that this should be the case….still The path that she takes feels sadly unavoidable. It's refreshing to read about a female character who longs for power....but the damage caused by Rin's newfound thirst for revenge...well...mmmh...there is no coming back from that.
✖A lot of characters tell Rin the classic “you don’t know what I’ve been through” line. I mean, they are all living through a war, so I don’t think Rin should just let others bemoan their own tragedies, especially since before this new explosion of violence, Rin was already an outcast.
✖The few female characters that make an appearance are all very negative depictions of femininity. They are shrill and or unnecessary mean, especially towards - surprise surprise - Rin. They seemed very “flat”. They were either jealous or callous, treating Rin in a cold or aggressive manner. Hopefully new female characters in the following instalments will change this but…
✖I think the novel would have benefited from having a few more descriptions of the characters’ surroundings. I know it is an action focused novel but a more delineated landscape would have made Rin’s world all the more vivid.
Overall, I recommend this very much to both historical and fantasy fans. If you love the trope of the “tragic hero/ine” whose thirst for revenge and power bring about their own destruction...look no further. Rin is an Anakin Skywalker in the makings...
I know quite a lot of people are worried by the “trigger warnings” but this book is never gratuitously violent. The violence depicted is both brutal and necessary, and because of it, we can better understand Rin and those around her. I need the sequel now...more
“We have lived in our armor for so long, you and I. And now I am not sure if either of us knows how to remove it.”
Holly Black’s sensual and lush writing style perfectly complements the menacing world her heroine inhabits. Black’s silvery prose brims with lavish descriptions: she renders the extravagances of the fairy realm, from their wild and deadly revels to their taste for grandeur and riddles. Whether she is describing their dresses or foods Black truly succeeds in conveying how decadent and unpredictable the faerie world is. Black's depicting of the fae and their ways is simultaneously alluring and threatening. Regardless of their appearance—whether they are painfully beautiful or possess disturbing attributes (I'm fairly sure there were a few fae who resembled spiders in here)—and personality, Black's faerie's speak in an invitingly mellifluous language. Given their inability to lie there is an emphasis on how they phrase things. Even when making threats or bargains the fae retain their ability to form beautifully articulated phrases. Black's faerie world is thrumming with the tantalising presence of magic. While this world offers many glamorous and temptation we are always aware of the danger it poses (to mortals in particular it's definitely not all fun and games).
“[I]n the great game of princes and queens, I have been swept off the board.”
Jude is a compelling main character and her arc is one of the most interesting aspect of these novels. Perhaps this is due her being the narrator of these novels but she is definitely the most fleshed out character in this series. In this last instalment we really see how much progress she has made. Her resilient nature is stronger than ever. She is brave, if occasionally foolish, and can definitely spin a tale or two. Rather than letting herself be blinded by her thirst for power and revenge, she demonstrates how much she cares for her siblings and the faerie world. The other characters, although entertaining enough, struck me as occasionally being a bit one dimensional. Jude's sisters in particular. Taryn is given a sort of 'redemption arc' (similarly to other previously 'wicked' characters in this series) that just didn't convince me. Her personality is...pretty bland. Vivi seemed to be the series' comic relief...which in some ways worked, given that most of the other characters take themselves rather seriously.
“It’s ridiculous the way everyone acts like killing a king is going to make someone better at being one,” Vivi says. “Imagine if, in the mortal world, a lawyer passed the bar by killing another lawyer.”
Cardan is as amusing as ever. I was once again not entirely convinced by some of the reasons we are given about his 'wicked' past...I'd preferred for him to have grown into a better person rather than having been somewhat misunderstood. Nevertheless, I still loved his presence in this volume (still not a fan of his tail though, my best friend and I had a similar knee-jerk reaction when we read this: “His tail lashes back and forth, the furred end stroking over the back of my calf.”)
“Mortals are fragile,” I say. “Not you,” he says in a way that sounds a little like a lament. “You never break.”
Usually romances are not my favourite aspect of a story or a series but in the case of Jude and Cardan...well, their chemistry is off the charts. Their scenes are just pure enjoyment. It was also refreshing to see the way their relationship changes and develops throughout the course of this series. Their deadly romance is the perfect combination of angsty and dazzling. Now this is how you portray a convincing enemy-to-lovers romance.
“It wasn’t an accident, his choice of words. It wasn’t infelicitous. It was deliberate. A riddle made just for me.”
While the scope of this series is rather narrow Black has plenty of tricks up her sleeves and the dynamics between the various characters are always shifting. The fast paced plot of The Queen of Nothing has quite a few surprises along the way (maybe not as twisty as the ending of The Cruel Prince but still...). The resolution felt too neat (the epilogue was particularly cheesy) but I still enjoyed seeing (or reading) how things unfolded. At times I craved for a more leisurely pace amidst the heart-in-throat action, the many double-crossings and face offs.
While I did prefer The Cruel Prince to its follow ups, I would still heartily recommend this series (even if The Queen of Nothing makes for an entertaining, if rushed, finale).
“Who got to decide what made somebody an American? America, the ideal of it at least, was its own form of elusive magic.”
I hate to say it, or write it, but The King of Crows wasn't a very satisfying conclusion to The Diviners series. While it isn't as drawn-out as the finale to the Gemma Doyle series (which was around 800 pages) it struck me as being similarly anticlimactic. In The King of Crows the pacing of the story is all over the place and the characters have very rushed and unsatisfying arcs.
Nearly three years have gone by since the release of Before the Devil Breaks You. Given that this series started back in 2012, it isn't all that surprising that I'd forgotten a quite a few major plot-points. Still, I remembered the diviners, their personalities and powers, as well as their group dynamics. Libba Bray doesn't spend too much time recapitulating old events, and once I caught up or remembered what was going on I found the first few chapters of this novel to be promising enough. Once the diviners are scattered across America however the story's upbeat pace comes to a halt. What follows over the course of the next three-hundred pages is a tedious repetition of similar scenarios. The diviners encounter good folk, who are willing to help them or understand what it means to be different (such as the members of a circus), as well as horrible individuals and groups of people (the most noticeable being the KKK). They all come to terms with their simultaneously beautiful and terrible country/world. All the while we get random chapters showing us that ghosts are coming (phrases such as 'ghosts are coming' and 'this country is full of ghosts' are repeated so many times as to loose the initial sense of danger and urgency that they carried). The confusing showdown between our good guys (aka the diviners) and the baddies is crammed in the last hundred pages. The narrative in The King of Crows lacked the mystery-factor that made the other volumes in this series intriguing.
In short: the story is just padding.
Characters behave as flimsy versions of their former selves (Evie and Ling, both of whom I previously really liked, were simply irritating) and had very rushed storylines that seemed to add very little to their overall arc. Take Henry. Most of his scenes revolve around the way in which his sexuality is deemed abnormal by his society. That's pretty much it. Ling's sections also often emphasise her sexuality. Whereas those scenes that focus on characters such as Memphis and Theta seem to focus on other aspects of their lives (their general desires and fears, etc). Jericho has the most eye-roll worthy storyline which sees him (view spoiler)[ becoming a martyr....the only way in which the narrative could 'forgive' him after his having assaulted Evie. He also has a very superficial romantic relationship with a character that is so memorable that I have forgotten her name...what was the point in that? (hide spoiler)]. Even the banter between the various diviners felt unimaginative. At times their conversations and discussions seem to rely on their catchphrases (Evie says something 'scandalous', Sam says something flirty, Jericho doesn't get whatever is going on, Ling is disapproving...). None of the romances were interesting. They mostly revolved around cute nicknames (such as baby vamp) and on scenes featuring some very uninspired flirting.
The King of Crows is a Disney type of villain. I remember that the first instalments of this series presented us with creepy or fascinating antagonists...but this guy is just dull. He has a few cameos here and there, scares our protagonists, does some mayhem, and is very much the novel's boogeyman.
The setting too seemed to lack its usual spark and vibrancy. Previously I loved the way in which Bray brought 1920s New York to life. In this volume however most of the 'action' is outside of New York, and we read of a series of small and forgettable towns...which do not make very intriguing backdrops.
The plot was full of convenient coincidences. What frustrated me the most was a 'revelation' towards the end, which came as no surprise whatsoever (view spoiler)[...the creepy child was actually working for the King of Crows? I say! (hide spoiler)]
Bray draws an unsubtle parallel between the rampant racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism, othering, and other forms of bigotry of the 1920s and today's political climate (there are phrases such as 'get out of our country'). Her approaches to some of these topics came across as rather on the nose. For example when Theta learns that someone she likes was raised by slave-owners she has such an unbelievably naive 'how could she?' reaction.
The epilogue struck me as predictable....(view spoiler)[they loose their powers. Jericho dies. And yes, Hitler. Of course.... (hide spoiler)]
All in all...this was an incredibly disappointing followup to Before the Devil Breaks You. While Bray is an undoubtedly brilliant writer The King of Crows simply lacks the glamour and electricity that made the other instalments so much more engaging and atmospheric. It had a meandering narrative, with lots of repetition regarding the importance of storytelling and stories, a passage from Nietzsche which felt rather out of place, some lacklustre cosmic horror, and a cast of one-dimensional characters.
A very underwhelming follow up to the both magical and interesting The Bear and the Nightingale. The Girl in the Tower shares little with its predecessor. Yes, Arden's writing style in undoubtedly gorgeous, made up by pretty phrases and vibrant descriptions. But, it didn't make up for a slow story, one that involves a silly and overused plot-line as well as offering one-dimensional characters. What happened to the complex themes of the first novel? The tension between different believes? And Vasya's own inner struggle? This sequel just abandons those elements which made the original story so intriguing. The plot revolves around the 'gender-bender' trope: Vasya dresses as a boy, many pages are wasted on her fearing to be discovered, as well as 'near-discoveries', and the final 'reveal'. And Vasya...well. She was a rebel for the sake of being a rebel. There was nothing deep to her and or her behaviour. She becomes an exaggerated version of herself: certain aspects of her character take over completely and rendering her somewhat ridiculous. She was irksome and forgetful. Her 'sort of romance' with Morozko felt forced and ended up seeming like any other YA romance. Their scenes were eye-roll worthy. Vasya's siblings act in such a predictable way that made most of their interactions forgetful. The magic from The Bear and the Nightingale. The Girl in the Tower might be written in an enchanting style but it only offers an array of clichés. The uniqueness is gone. We are left with a dull novel that is set in an oversimplified Russia.Vasya's 'specialness' is the limelight of the story and I did not care for it. I was hoping that Arden had written something as compelling as The Bear and the Nightingale but...not in this case....more
This mystery is character-driven and engaging from the very start. Roxane's grit charmed me from the get go. She is a bit of a mess, grieving the rece This mystery is character-driven and engaging from the very start. Roxane's grit charmed me from the get go. She is a bit of a mess, grieving the recent loss of her father – a cop – and given that their relationship wasn't the easiest, she isn't really coping well. When she is contacted by Brad's sister she finds herself drawn to the girl's small town, and Roxane soon begins to wonder wherever the case is bigger than she'd imagined. We follow both Roxane's investigations and her private life. Her character is the true force of the story, her imperfect methods and headstrong personality make the novel truly captivating. There is a focus on her actions that makes the story feel fast-paced rather than rushed. The dialogues, various scenarios and characters all feel incredibly believable and realistic. I hope we will have more of Roxane!...more
“It was hard for me to tell what was real. Lies made it worse. It is a midnight lie, she said. A kind of lie told for someone else's sake, a lie that sits between goodness and wrong, just as midnight is the moment between night and morning. ”
Having loved and agonised over Marie Rutkoski's 'The Winner's Trilogy', I had quite high hopes for The Midnight Lie. Set in the same universe as her previous trilogy, this book is narrated by Nirrim who lives on an island divided by strict social classes (High Kith, Middling, Half Kith, and Un-kith). As a Half Kith Nirrim is forced to live in the Ward, forbidden to wear certain colours or materials and foods. No one seems to question why there is such a social divide, nor do they question their city's history, and rather than wondering why they live in such an unjust system they say to themselves and others: 'It is as it is'.
“We had been taught not to want more than we had.”
Nirrim, an orphan, has been subjugated and oppressed her whole life. An encounter with a mysterious a traveller called Sid dramatically alters the course of Nirrim's life. Sid, who is unapologetically unabashed and outspoken, is unlike any person Nirrim has met. To the disapproval of Raven, the woman who raised her and her employer, Nirrim finds herself tagging along Sid's quest for magic.
“It can be hard to imagine things beyond your reach. It feels like you will be punished just for wanting what you'll never have.”
While the premise is not very innovative, the romance in this book is simply off-the-charts. Usually, I find romance in YA fiction to be...dull. From their very fist meeting the chemistry between Nirrim and Sid is simply...sizzling (these lines: “Nirrim, I can't be good to you.”, “Then be bad.”) . Given that they have been raised in completely different circumstances it takes them some time to understand each other. Readers quickly realise that Nirrim is in more than one toxic relationship and that she does not deserve happiness or freedom. Sid however challenges Nirrim's worldview and encourages her character growth.
“There is no possible way to understand fairness and guilt when your world has already determined a set of rules that doesn't make sense.”
The scope of the story is definitely far more narrow than the one in the 'The Winner's Trilogy'. Given that the characters themselves do not know why their city is the way it is, the world-building remains vague. The novel depicts the way in which those in Nirrim's position can be indoctrinated and abused. The narrative also does not shy away from revealing just how horrifying systematic oppression is. As Nirrim begins to question the system, she comes more into her own and her relationship with Sid develops in a beautiful way. The plot as such is a rather slow burner yet the dramatic finale will undoubtedly leave readers desperate to read the next instalment. The story is very much about Nirrim: coming to grips with the nature of those around her, realising her self-worth, and her search for answers.
“I had never felt or seen anything so beautiful, and it was only then that I realised how starved I had been for beauty.”
Marie Rutkoski writing is as beautiful as ever. From her metaphors to her insightful observations. Her prose perfectly reflects Nirrim's worldview. I also appreciated the Ancient Greece inspired setting and the allusions to Sappho.
While part of me wished for the ending to have provided us with some more answers, I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel. In spite of the swoon-worthy romance the story deals with many serious issues. It was also interesting seeing the way in which the world-building slowly unfolded. Heart-rendering and engaging, The Midnight Lie is a must-read for fans of 'The Winner's Trilogy'.
luce (cry baby)
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