If I'm being honest, this was probably closer to 3.5 stars, but I decided to round up to 4.
EDIT: rounded down to 3. In retrospect it didn't deserve 4.If I'm being honest, this was probably closer to 3.5 stars, but I decided to round up to 4.
EDIT: rounded down to 3. In retrospect it didn't deserve 4.
The writing was just kinda ... janky; I would reread sentences and paragraphs over and over again but had a very hard time following the action. Large portions of the book was fight/battle scenes, and I don't think Butcher portrayed them particularly well. There was a bit of a pacing problem - tension kept ratcheting up and up and up but there weren't enough 'quiet' moments to let the sheer scale of events sink in and settle and just be felt.
And a few editing problems:
- would have been helpful if there was a couple of sentences of recap/exposition at the start of the book, reiterating the main events of the end of the last book; it took a while to figure out what was even happening in this book because I read the last one a few months ago now
- Dresden met up with Detectives Bradley and Rudolph early in the evening/book, and then met up with them again later, closer to the climax. During the second meeting, it didn't seem like any of the characters remembered the first meeting that had taken place just hours before; there was no continuity between the two scenes.
- Many minor characters (some from half a series ago) showed up, which was fun when I remembered who the characters were, but I sometimes just couldn't place the character or where we'd had met them previously. A sentence or two reminding the reader who the character was/when we had last encountered them would have been helpful
- When Harry met the Erlking and Vadderung, they each got introduced/described twice in about two pages, using very very similar language; it read like the introduction/description got moved a few pages but the old version didn't get removed, which just felt like bad editing.
(view spoiler)[Also, the stakes never feltreal - there was no doubt in my mind that Harry and the nominally good guys would ultimately prevail.
Also the 'wedding' Mab proposed between Harry and Lara in the last few pages felt wtf-y and came out of nowhere, and I didn't really like that. (hide spoiler)]
Things I enjoyed:
- There were a couple of big twists. One was a sucker-punch that I kinda half-expected but still surprised me. The other I should have seen coming.
- I feel like Harry has grown throughout the series, and it really became obvious in this book. His world has changed too, and the stakes, and watching that transformation has been fascinating. I'd say the status quo changed in this book almost as much as it did in Changes.
- Molly had more screentime, and also really grew as a character
- I enjoyed the 'aftermath' scenes
- The Christmas Eve short story
- As I mentioned above, loads of minor characters reshowed up, which was fun
- Enjoyed Marcone's screentime
- Enjoyed the characterization of Mab
- Some 'minor' mysteries were either answered or were progressed
- Butters continued to be a badass
I guess overall I view this is as an important book in the progression of the series, and enjoyed the plot in broad strokes, as well as the focus on some of my favorite side characters, but the book was lacking in a technical sense....more
I enjoy the main setting/worldbuilding ideas that define this series, i.e.:
- that several main characters have conspired3.5 stars, rounding up to 4.
I enjoy the main setting/worldbuilding ideas that define this series, i.e.:
- that several main characters have conspired to create a fake religion in order to obtain political power - how science and religion interacts - that the all-powerful king guy is a True Believer of the religion being duped by most of his advisors, and it's fascinating to see how religion motivates him and how other characters use it to manipulate him
But on a micro level, characters frequently make dumb choices in order to further the plot. Other than Marqel, Alenor, Antonov, Belagren, and Dirk, most of the characters are really, really flat and unmemorable. Contrived coincidences happen all the time, and too much time is spent on the Baenlanders, who are just kinda boring and I largely dont care what happens to them.
Krish, Misha, and Tia are insipid and I find their POV's quite boring....more
4.5 stars, not quite 5 stars, so I rounded down, but a very good and enjoyable book nonetheless.
You kinda have to suspend a bit of disbelief to, like4.5 stars, not quite 5 stars, so I rounded down, but a very good and enjoyable book nonetheless.
You kinda have to suspend a bit of disbelief to, like, get the premise of the setting. (Apparently attending the deadly school that is literally attempting to kill the students is a better option than not attending ???)
But once you've accepted the setting and the rules of the world that Novik sets, the book (and setting!) was quite fun. And the setting was rather imaginative and detailed, which I enjoyed.
Galadriel is a fantastic narrator, and a very well-fleshed out character. I enjoyed her darkly humorous tone throughout the book, and her perspective was rather refreshing. She's a rather nuanced character, and I enjoyed her perspective.
There were quite a few horror elements in this book, and I like that Novik made up new terrors, instead of falling back on the familiar monsters that we all know so well.
Great characterization throughout, even in more minor characters.
The book did ultimately fall into the typical YA romance, but it was a fairly minor part of the book, at least. The last line of the book was kind of egregious and felt like a sequel hook, which I didn't really like; as far as I can tell, the warning came out of the blue, and nothing happened in the book that would have prompted such a warning. ...more
Meh, it was OK. 2.5 stars, I'll round up to a generous 3.
The good part is that the characterization of the side characters was very well done - I felMeh, it was OK. 2.5 stars, I'll round up to a generous 3.
The good part is that the characterization of the side characters was very well done - I felt like I understood each member of the Brigantine's crew, and that each was a completely fleshed-out individual.
The main character though didn't really grow or change as a person. She remained static throughout, and then falls in love with a guy she knew for like five days, and I was largely unimpressed.
The plot was kind of clunky ... I didn't understand (view spoiler)[why exactly the parasite was created in the first place? It seems there was some monetary reasons but I didn't get what they were trying to accomplish, why the parasite was being shipped to various crews, or what the parasite was even meant to be (hide spoiler)]. I got kinda bored about 60% through the book and forced myself to finish it....more
Fantastic. The book's brilliant framing and setting enabled the author to explore key issues that people in our own, non-zombified world grapple with Fantastic. The book's brilliant framing and setting enabled the author to explore key issues that people in our own, non-zombified world grapple with on a daily basis.
I love Jasper Fforde's writing for the most part, but this book felt almost too satirical, at the expense of charI'm not sure how many stars to give.
I love Jasper Fforde's writing for the most part, but this book felt almost too satirical, at the expense of characterization and readability. I largely just ... didnt care about the rabbits, about their plight, about Peter. Peter was neither interesting nor sympathetic, and he did not change really throughout the book. He had little agency, and was a sidekick to the rabbits' scheming for the most part.
Similarly, Pippa didnt feel like a real character, but rather as a vehicle to explore Fforde's views on various contemporary social issues.
And Constance was just too good, and too perfect, to be of much interest....more
**spoiler alert** Enjoyed the premise, and the chatacters of Bela and Antonov. Some of the other characters fell rather flat (and Tia was simply insuf**spoiler alert** Enjoyed the premise, and the chatacters of Bela and Antonov. Some of the other characters fell rather flat (and Tia was simply insufferable and seemed to exist so the book could have a Strong Female Lead)
Dark themes/moments (rape accusation, murder shown on-scene, people getting drugged, etc)
Overall enjoyed, will probably continue the series....more
Enjoy the melancholic, yet funny, tone. Great characterization. I enjoy that Parker's books take into account realistic pressures of politics, engineeEnjoy the melancholic, yet funny, tone. Great characterization. I enjoy that Parker's books take into account realistic pressures of politics, engineering, supply chains, and economics.
Set 7 years after 'Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City', and is a sequel, but I don't think it's necessary to read 'Walled City' first, but it would be helpful.
Not quite 5 stars, but definite enjoyable, and would recommend it. ...more
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