Picked this book out because it sounded intriguing, and was hoping to get some interesting character dynamics.
Unfortunately, this really wasn'2.5 / 5
Picked this book out because it sounded intriguing, and was hoping to get some interesting character dynamics.
Unfortunately, this really wasn't anything special. It seems confused about its identity: It is a little bit of political thriller, a little bit of fantasy, and a little bit of young adult romance, and neither of these elements is particularly well done. Its language is decent, but that should be a baseline.
The political thriller aspects didn't work for me because the plot twists and reveals are too predictable, and the main character (who's supposed to have smarts and kindness as her strong suits) is incapable of conducting the investigation - everything has to fall into her lap because she never even thinks about the story's events in a logical, methodical way.
The fantasy aspects didn't work for me because while the world building has interesting concepts, they are never really explored nor explained. There's a lot of potential here, but the story seems really scared to dedicate some time to actually tieing the fantastical elements directly into the story anywhere other than where the fire warlock is concerned. It's also only a single POV, and while the story isn't layered enough to warrant another perspective, the most interesting aspect of this book in my opinion should have been the two main characters, Zaira and Amalia, and their dynamic - but it was never fleshed out at all. Zaira is depressingly absent from large parts of this story.
The romance aspects didn't work for me because it reads like the setup for a smut scene (which isn't a bad thing per se) that never happens, and all you get is a lot of contrived fawning and swooning, and some kisses. My main gripes are that the author seems unwilling to delve into mature relationship dynamics, and that the love interest(s? - a love triangle is hinted at but never explored) is bland as a potato. I've heard people say he's supposed to be calm and principled, but he has one principle that is naive at best (but portrayed as kind) and a sister - that's it.
Overall, I wanted to like the book, and it was alright, but it's just nothing that stands out, and I definitely can't see myself remembering anything in this book with particular fondness. It's average. I can see it being more appealing to a YA audience though. The writing (the language, not the plot) is probably its strongest suit, and on that front it actually delivers....more
What a funny book! Picked this one up on a whim before realizing it's part of a series. Apparently, the books are standalones, however, and not knowinWhat a funny book! Picked this one up on a whim before realizing it's part of a series. Apparently, the books are standalones, however, and not knowing the first book didn't detract from my enjoyment. I will definitely pick up the first book still!
4.2 / 5
The tone is hilarious. It feels like Dame Maggie Smith is recounting her adventures - the British influence is undeniable and works fantastically well.
The characters feel like they're out of a DnD campaign - there's a lot of humour that feels like it happened this or a similar way at a TTRPG table. It wasn't a problem for me (because the protagonist's inner voice is generally truly hilarious), but it might turn some folx off the series. This also means there's some characters that are beyond suspicion when they shouldn't really be, and some characters that are almost never explored further despite seeming like they'd have more to say.
While I truly enjoyed my time with the book, the conclusion and romance elements in it fell a bit flat for me. Might be personal preference - I just didn't like the way the romantic arc was resolved, and the finale of the story felt oddly sudden and not very climactic at all....more
Probably 3.5 for a fairly standard plot, but the world building is cool and the characters are likable. My biggest gripe with it is that the character Probably 3.5 for a fairly standard plot, but the world building is cool and the characters are likable. My biggest gripe with it is that the character power level felt way too high for the plot of this book and the antagonists they were up against - right until the very end, when the overall plan for the trilogy becomes apparent. Still - I liked the investigative nature of the first book and would have preferred for the power level of the characters to match that, for the trilogy to stay more character-driven and not escalate towards world-threatening matters....more
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