Author: Mary E. Pearson
Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult
Rating: 8.5/10
With a dark force threatening the entire realm, challenges await the sons and daughter of 3 rivalling kingdoms at every turn, as they struggle to live up to grueling expectations and protect their people.
And that’s a wrap on a beautiful story!
Let me start by talking about my reading experience for this book, which was quite odd. I essentially read bits and pieces of the book over 4 months due to an insanely busy school schedule. And once the year-end exams ended, I sat down and read the book again, from start to finish. I can definitely say that this rereading has made me pay deeper attention to its craft and the pacing.
When I read the book previously, I remember being enthralled by the setting, the lush descriptions, and the mystical writing style, sprinkled with excerpts of age-old stories. It felt very atmospheric, and really helped to make the world come to life in my mind’s eye. And I definitely felt similarly during this reread.
However, one thing I noticed was how the descriptive writing style also became languorous at times – that is, there was a barrage of descriptions that tended to slow down the plot quite a bit, especially in the first hundred pages. In fact, I found that the main action seemed to only begin past the 300-page mark. While I adore this author’s writing style, and understand the need for buildup and giving sufficient context, I also found myself rushing through the front part of the book. Moreover, the slow pacing stopped me from completely immersing myself in the story, and I found my mind wandering as I read.
That being said, the pace of the plot definitely picked up in the second half, and I flew through the pages. I liked how the various characters’ development arcs were referenced every now and then, and how we could see this growth affect the direction of the story in realistic and tangible ways. I also loved the way the story itself ended, as I felt it gave a satisfying closure that aligned with the new people that the characters had become. Overall, it felt like the plot had come full circle.
“I hated things being for the best. They never really were. It was a phrase that sugarcoated the leftover crumbs of our options.”
Moving on, the romance in this book was personally not my favourite. There were a few scenes which were heartwarming, and the conflicts in their relationship were written realistically, but I did feel some aspects fell short. For instance, there were certain traits that Lia and Rafe loved in each other, but we couldn’t really see these play out in the story firsthand; hence it felt more of a “tell” rather than “show”, which built a slight disconnect between the reader and the characters. I did root for these characters, but I can also see why some people wouldn’t have enjoyed the romance arc.
Ultimately though, this series to me is the book equivalent of comfort food, simply because I absolutely love the vibes and atmosphere of this fantasy world. I would definitely recommend any fantasy lover to give this series a shot!
“Were any losses worth the gains?”
Reviewed by: S.R. Scribbles (3rd reading)
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