A really good conclusion to my now favourite trilogy.
I did enjoy the second book more but this was still an excellent read. I've picked up another ofA really good conclusion to my now favourite trilogy.
I did enjoy the second book more but this was still an excellent read. I've picked up another of Canavan's books from the library because I love her writing. ...more
I was so excited to read this and I was not disappointed!! I loved the first book of Age and Five but somehow I loved this one more. I read the last hI was so excited to read this and I was not disappointed!! I loved the first book of Age and Five but somehow I loved this one more. I read the last half of this book in one sitting last night: it was so gripping and the revelations just kept on coming!
I feel more attached and invested in Auraya than ever. Her character is fantastically written and the decisions in this book made so much sense even though I was extremely surprised by them in the moment.
My feelings on a lot of secondary characters and other factions have been all over the place. This is so engaging: one chapter I think somebody is evil, then in another few I start to see their way of thinking.
The characterisation is very good especially for the ones we keep returning to time and time again. However, there are less secondary characters that are very three dimensional but at this point in the story that is okay: the world has already been built and I just want to follow our major characters now.
The plot is much more complex and dense in this instalment: bigger decisions, discoveries and self-realisations happen here and I enjoyed it all. I was so gripped and taken in by the story I'm upset it's going to end already.
I really loved this book. I'm waiting for Voice of the Gods (#3) to come into the library and I cannot wait: it will definitely be one of those books I read in one day if it lives up to its predecessor! ...more
"The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived"
This was a good instalment. I don't think it was an enjoyable as th"The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived"
This was a good instalment. I don't think it was an enjoyable as the 4th book but it came close.
The world is still brilliant. It is extremely vibrant, and this is the book where everything finally clicked for me: if they were talking about a place and the politics surrounding that region I caught on instantly and knew where they were. I'm not sure if this is just familiarity or if it is a subtle change in the writing but it was very welcome!
A lot of combat in takes place in this book and the pacing of it is good. Jordan has a very good grip on writing military battles and sorcery. Also, I feel like the stakes were raised, no character is safe after the events and realisations of this novel and I think is the correct time to increase the stakes.
There is no Perrin in this book which upset me, but Rand and Mat both received some strong character development and I loved how much time was focused on Mat!
By far my favourite storyline was Nynaeve and Elayne. Nynaeve development in this book was strong and she is my favourite character, so I was so pleased to have this much attention on her and I am very eager to see how some of her development is resolved in the next book.
Overall another great book, now onto the Lord of Chaos!...more
This is the second book in the Belgariad. Despite being a good story, the first book (Pawn of Prophecy) left me wanting more of everything and I thougThis is the second book in the Belgariad. Despite being a good story, the first book (Pawn of Prophecy) left me wanting more of everything and I thought the execution could be much stronger.
However, this instalment continued the story in strength. The pacing was much better, the world felt more full and I was so connected to the characters this time around.
The plot was engaging: this is a really good bedtime fantasy adventure. It is not overly complex in the events but I found the characters added the complexity I needed and this worked very well for me.
All of the characters became very three dimensional in this instalment. I loved the twists surrounding a few different characters and seeing the growth of some of my favourites such as Garion and Pol. A new favourite from this book was Mandorallen, at first impressions he appears very simple but as Garion discovers the different layers to him and loses his bias towards the man, so do we as readers. I thought the writing surrounding this was very good, adding an extra level to the story.
We saw more of the world and the different regions in this book which was a pleasure! Eddings world building was one of the stronger points of the first book for me and he continues his winning streak for me in this instalment.
I am so glad I found this book an improvement because I wanted to love this series and I am so excited to pick up the third book now! ...more
I enjoyed the film so picked this up on watching a review of the novel. I read this book in one day which is unlike me, I think that was partly due toI enjoyed the film so picked this up on watching a review of the novel. I read this book in one day which is unlike me, I think that was partly due to the short chapters and I found the writing style easy to consume.
I have never read a memoir so I’m not sure what is the norm, but I thought the pacing was good especially for the subject matter and the nonlinear plot was a good choice for the retelling of Kaysens� time in hospital. Also, Kaysen has a poetic style in her prose but I disliked that in this case despite it being an easy read: I would even go as far to say it was a light read as Kaysen doesn’t really touch on some of the heavier questions about mental health and the mind until nearing the end of the novel.
An interesting thought this did bring me to was about freedom. Kaysen touches on freedom and the price of it: while admitted she is sheltered and protected. She notes this protection comes at the price of her freedom, but while in the “real world� there is no guarantee of protection and nobody has obligation to you and is that the price of freedom? I just thought that was an interesting idea that I will continue to mull over along with some other questions raised.
Looking at other reviews of this book I see that different readers take away a different message or thought to think on from this memoir so I would urge you to read it and see what you take from it.
Overall, I did like this memoir but it is far from a love. I didn’t think it was particularly strong and I think the movie was more entertaining (although far more dramatic and I feel a bit unfair in comparing the two). I will probably return to this once I’m better versed in memoirs or the subject matter. ...more
I read this is audiobook format: the narration was excellent but the story didn't grip me, especially after part 2. However, I do want to the read secI read this is audiobook format: the narration was excellent but the story didn't grip me, especially after part 2. However, I do want to the read second one to see where things go so I am a bit conflicted on this. Maybe I will convert to the TV shows? ...more
I love stories within fantasy that focus heavily on gods, priests, religions etc. so this grabbed my interest as soon as I saw it and it did not disapI love stories within fantasy that focus heavily on gods, priests, religions etc. so this grabbed my interest as soon as I saw it and it did not disappoint.
I love multiple POV in books so I’m very pleased you usually get 2 or 3 POV’s in a chapter and it was not overwhelming either: you are given enough time to get to know a few characters before a new POV is added. There are a lot of characters but that is part of why I enjoyed it so much.
The world building is fantastic. Canavan created such a vibrant world with really rich cultures and races. There are a few different religions that are a major feature in this book and they are very well done. Canavan has also introduced us to two non-human societies in this novel and they are both unique takes on ideas that are not seen much in fantasy.
I am so invested in Auraya, and also many of the other characters. The character growth is a strong point of the book for me as not only Auraya grows for both good and possibly bad but so do others and the possible outcomes of this growth are intriguing and I’m excited to read the next instalment to see where these characters will go next.
There was also a bit of romance in this book which I personally enjoy and I did not see it coming at all! I think the mini-conclusion to the romance was well written: it feels wrapped up in this book but you still know there is more to it.
Something I really appreciate is that the story was actually wrapped up. Sometimes series have a tendency to leave you on a big cliff hanger just before a big reveal and I find it annoying. Canavan wrapped up this story very well but there are plenty of questions I still want answered.
Overall I really loved this story: it spoke to a lot of my personal preferences and had a strong execution. I am so excited to read the next book, just have to wait for my library hold to come in! ...more
This is the story of essentially an arranged marriage between a woman and a hobgoblin to secure an alliance between two nations. I loved that the two This is the story of essentially an arranged marriage between a woman and a hobgoblin to secure an alliance between two nations. I loved that the two protagonists didn’t suffer from insta-lust and instead were repulsed by each other initially.
I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from this book other than some well written romance but there is some excellent character building, including side characters who I’m excited to read more about! The main characters are both intelligent and strong people who are kind despite their backgrounds. I loved how these two people are so similar in values, but their culture and lives differ so much: and most importantly, Draven writes so it is believable.
The bedroom times were very gracefully styled, with just enough detail and sweet at appropriate times. I also appreciated the lack of rapey/forceful implications and alpha maleness.
The world building was surprisingly very good. The world is quite detailed, not distracting from the romance but stands up to scrutiny. I’m a huge lover of fantasy who is trying to delve into the world of romance and this book exceeded my expectations in both romance, characters, world and plot.
Draven also writes combat really well. The portrayal of a few of the skirmishes and fights was interesting, fast paced and strategic.
I really, really loved this novel and will definitely be picking up the next instalment and will patiently wait for the others. I was expecting good romance and was rewarded with an excellent book. Draven really surprised me with her talent for writing fantasy and I'm extremely excited to continue reading the series!!...more
The attention to detail in this novel in commendable. There are lots of small details that add significantlThis is the first Banks novel I have read.
The attention to detail in this novel in commendable. There are lots of small details that add significantly to the world building and make you question the scientific or moral reasoning behind some of these details in world. All these details and questions made me so much more immersed and engaged with this world.
Banks has such an impressive imagination when it comes to alien races, drones, settings and societies. Alien races are not your standard STO races but there has been a lot of time and thought put into creating unique alien species: what grasped me was how differently they think and how strange their thoughts are. The writing and portrayal of alien minds is staggeringly good.
The plot did not grip me: I didn't find the actual events extremely engaging but what did keep me reading was the underlying messages of this book, the interaction with AI and the lore behind the culture. The plot was okay and served the purpose, but I would have liked it to be a bit more engaging.
Initially, I thought I wasn't very connected with the characters, but the conclusion of the book surprised me as I found I was so much invested in these characters than I originally believed. Maybe this was a sneaky trick of Banks? Maybe an accident? Or possibly just how I was feeling but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
I think in his first novel Banks meant to set the backdrop of the Culture for his coming novels while providing a good story and he did that very well. There was plenty of opportunity to make your own decisions about the culture, AI and other issues while still leaving a lot of shades of grey.
On reflection I did really enjoy this read. The writing style and structure was strange at first, but it grew on me and the narration was excellent for the portrayal of this story. This was a pleasure to read and I look forward to my next Culture novel! ...more
The novel starts with a standard gods fighting, earth torn apart prologue which is something I appreciate and will never dislike in my fantasy so I wiThe novel starts with a standard gods fighting, earth torn apart prologue which is something I appreciate and will never dislike in my fantasy so I will say it got off to a fun if not amazing start.
I feel like this book is simply an introduction to the series and doesn’t really merit much attention otherwise: but in it's defense it was a relatively short read for a fantasy installment.
The foreshadowing throughout the book is so obvious and constant, it got annoying fast. By the end of chapter three I predicted 3 of the big reveals. However, I did love Garion. He is very sweet boy, and I love how he doesn’t lose his innocence overnight which is realistic. Some of the other characters were quite enjoyable to read about, Aunt Pol and Silk were some of my favourites and I hope they see a lot of further development.
The ending redeemed this book for me in the sense that I will be reading the second book but hopefully it is a bit more exciting because as it stands I think the story has been a bland adventure so far. In fact, my favourite part were the stories of Garion in his farming community: I found it very heartwarming and interesting. I think that Eddings has set up a few hooks in the first novel though, so I will be excited to see where they end up....more
I read this in one day. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened to Ásta and Olafur and their family and it broke my heart. I think readingI read this in one day. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened to Ásta and Olafur and their family and it broke my heart. I think reading it all in one sitting made the pain harder but I’m not sure.
This novel is about the faith of a woman, a family, a community. Ásta is the wife of Olafur, a reverend: so, we see a lot of ideas about the faith in Christ and god or sometimes the faith in Allah. This book is more than just about the faith in religion. It is about the faith in yourself, family, country, community and love.
The novel is based on a fictionalised event, but Magnusson has done her historical research and she writes about this time and these real people with clarity. If you like historical fiction that is accurate as can be, read this. The fictional embellishment is tasteful and fit for each situation. It’s realistic and that is the pain and excellence in this work.
The characterisation is outstanding. These people were real, and Magnusson does them a great service by giving them a second chance to tell their story. My favourite was Olafur. His determination and apparently unwavering faith and love for his wife was heart wrenching and comforting at the same time. Each character though, is multi-dimensional and I come away from this story feeling like I have a greater understanding and insight to humanity.
The weaving of Icelandic mythology into this was very fluid and not forced like other novels. Sally cleverly inserts it so that these stories entwine with the present plot and it gives a new dimension to the story and meanings.
I write this with a lump in my throat. I won’t say the conclusion was happy or sad because I’m not certain it was either, but this novel was tragic, and I still feel grief. I’m hoping that writing about it will make me feel better.
It is astounding that this novel has made me feel this upset. I finished it at 5am and couldn’t sleep. I went outside to calm myself and reflect but it didn’t help much either. This story, the lives of these people will weight heavy on my thoughts for a long time coming.
And I think that is one of the points. Magnusson wrote this to give a voice to Ásta. She did that and more, giving a voice to that community. I will not forget Ásta and her strength. Or Olafar and his dedication. Or Egill and his bravery. Or Marta and her kindness. Or Jón and his joy. These were real people who were lost to time and tragedy and I will not forget them, and I doubt anybody who reads this book will have the strength to either....more
I think this is the strongest book in the series so far.
Jordan has a really good way of using an underlying theme to connect a book with multiple difI think this is the strongest book in the series so far.
Jordan has a really good way of using an underlying theme to connect a book with multiple different plots at once: without these connections I think it would feel like reading 3 or 2 disjointed, sortof connected stories? Since our characters are really beginning to carve their own paths and we didn't have the final part where they all meet up like in previous books.
I also think the use of setting has really improved in this book. The contrast between the waste and the Emond's field really highlights the changes that our characters and the world has gone through, and the changes to come.
Overall I loved this installement and I'm excited to read more!! ...more
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