#ellenreviews

[els-writes]

‘When you know there’s no future, the only thing that’s interesting any more is the past.’ - The Quiet at the End of the World by Lauren James

5 stars!! Read this in one day, struggled to put it down - and that was even though I was at Disneyland!

A wonderful concept, with some really unexpected plot twists. Great diverse cast, the most loveable robot ever, and just a damned good read. It’s been a while since I read pure sci-fi, but this world is incredible, with such a rich look on a London of the future. The details were painted so well, I could see them!

In terms of characters, it’s incredible to havean openly bisexual character as a main, even though their sexuality plays next to no role in the plot. The diverse cast is done really well and respectfully here. Also Mitch is the best. Fight me.

I always struggle with books written in present tense, and I was afraid it was going to spoil the book for me, but after the first chapter, I was so caught up by the plot, I didn’t even notice the writing style didn’t suit me!

Totally reccommend! This is a fantasic book, and I look forward to picking up more of Lauren James’ books soon! ^^ (also, pretty cover).

[els-writes]

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Review

Overall Rating:  ★★★

Woah, okay here we go.  I... have honestly never felt so conflicted over my feelings for a book. Even now, I'm really not sure whether I loved it or hated it? And thus, 3 stars in the middle, because really, I don't know where to begin! Even whilst reading it, I never knew whether I was actually enjoying it or not? I felt frustrated and annoyed at Feyre 99.99% of the time, yet I clearly couldn't put it down! 

More detailed review under the cut! 

Main Characters - ★ 

Honestly? 1 star is being nice. Holy mother, Feyre is by far one of the most irritating, nonsensical, and infuriating protagonists I've ever read about. Really, I honestly just didn't click with her at all. Her character felt like it was trying to be too many things at once, and though I do love stubborn and independent women, I just felt like 99% of her choices and thoughts when she was in the Spring Court were just pointless? Like, I was so desperate for her to stop whining and just try and make life a little better for herself? Yes, she's technically a captive, but she was also putting herself in danger constantly? Tamlin was slightly better, but he was kind of a nothing character to me, despite being the main love interest? He was just like... there? I don't know what he really did? Maybe that was the point - to turn the whole 'damsel in distress' thing on its head, but if that was what Maas was going for, it wasn't consistent enough. And he still was just... there. Secondary Characters -  ★★★★★ Honestly, Lucien and Rhys (and even Amarantha to some extent) were what I was still reading for. They were complex, interesting, they drew you to them, I was never really sure what their intentions were so it was fun to try and guess and see where they went. Villain? Friend? Somewhere in the middle? More than that, the glimpses of their backstories we got were just enough to keep me interested in learning more about them too. Just awesome. If this was a book about just these guys, it'd be a 5 star book, I swear. I loved every second Lucien or Rhys was on the pages, they made the story. Props to Maas for making such incredible secondaries. World-Building -  ★★   

There’s not much for me to say here, really... One of the reasons I picked up this book finally was (firstly because my friend suggested it) but also because the map was so cool. I loved the idea of the different courts and what they all might be. I get this is only the first book, and there’s probably more in the sequels, but for all the words or world-building exposition that were dropped, I never really felt like I was that immersed in the world? Court life wasn’t that much different to when Feyre hopped back to the human side of the wall for a little while. Honestly, I think it is mostly to do with being in Feyre's mind - she ruined the fun of it.  Writing Style -  ★★★ 

This is hard, because I think there were some moments that were really awesome plot devices, or beautiful bits of writing but... then it's ruined by really crude lines in description that came out of nowhere. ‘My bowels turned watery’ quickly became a favourite joke amongst my friends after I read it and sent it to them in horror. The sentence is fine to describe the situation in theory, but after no other hints at cruder language - if anything, until this point, Maas’ writing style was almost a little on the flowery side - the sentences like this just threw me straight out of the moment. 

Plot -  ★★★

This is hard for me because the first two thirds of the book were... so slow. So boring. I just didn’t care about anything that was happening. Lucien was the only thing keeping me reading because I couldn’t stand Feyre and I just... was so bored. But the last third? Suddenly the action finally kicks in and the challenges are fun and interesting and exciting. They move by far too quickly, if you ask me - especially the second trial - and the filler bits between them were still more boring, but they seemed more purposeful at least? I blitzed through the last third. On another note however, whilst I know this is meant to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling, did it have to be so... predictable? There wasn’t a single plot twist I didn’t see coming, and the riddle? I can’t have been the only one who knew the cliched answer in seconds? I wouldn’t have minded it if Feyre had been smart enough to figure it out! 

When I first posted a version of this review to goodreads after reading, I was humming and harring over whether to continue with the series. However, since that, I unwittingly stumbled upon a spoiler (I picked up what I thought was the sequel in the bookstore, and it was like the 4th book or something), and let me just say, if that’s where this series is going: what the absolute fuck was the point of this book? There was none. It was a book of bullshit buildup and tension and even the half-decent last third is left pointless. Wow, I’ve never been this angry about a book series I’ve not even finished reading. I probably won’t continue now. If I wish to remain angry, I might read the synopsis somewhere, but that’s it. Sorry, this just really wasn’t for me.   

[els-writes]

A Darker Shade of Magic Review

Overall Score: 3.5

One of the more unique premises I’ve read in a while, though with some cliched tropes and aspects thrown in for good measure. Predictable? Perhaps, but ultimately quite enjoyable all the same. If you’re into a classic-feeling fantasy with a newer spin on the world, maybe this give a shot! 

More detailed review under cut: 

(All scores are out of 5 - tried to keep spoilers out this time around, but very minor ones might still be ahead!) 

 For clarity here, this is a book that’s been hovering around on my TBR shelf for a while, but something else has always piqued my interest just a little bit more. I picked this up eventually after the whole Crooked Kingdom fiasco, when I was waiting on a replacement to arrive, and wasn’t feeling anything else on my TBR. 

It took me quite a while to get into this book, I found. Not that it wasn’t good or interesting, per say, I just never really clicked with the story. So, it was a slow read, but I got more invested about half way through, and finished it quickly after that. 

Writing Style: 4

This is my first experience with Victoria Schwab’s writing, and I’ll admit, I’m into it. She’s very good at getting us into the character’s head and emotions, and equally as good at keeping secrets secret still, without the reader sensing something’s being held back. I found her very easy to read and get into - even though I was reading it bit by bit this week due to work. I’m afraid there’s not that much more to say here, really! 

Plot: 3.5 

I... am torn over the plot. Overall, it was interesting and engaging. It made sense, there weren’t too many glaring plot holes, and it kept you invested. I did find it, however, incredibly predictable. It followed a pretty classic fantasy/adventure story cycle, though that in itself didn’t make it bad (those cycles can be great fun), but I struggled to find myself too surprised by anything that happened. As a result, it does sometimes take away from the suspense, because I never really felt any. For what it was, I will say that it was done very well - formulaic, yes, but you know what else can be a little formulaic? Baking a cake. And cake’s that are made properly are pretty damn nice. 

Characters: 3

The characters were good. They were interesting, the rapport between the two main protagonists was fun to read, but I did feel they were somewhat lacking. I’m not sure what with. I just couldn’t really connect to any of them. Kell didn’t seem to have that much of a character, or at least, what development he had came a little out of nowhere - he was something of a blank slate during his introductory chapters, and so perhaps that’s why, when the plot got going, it felt like he suddenly had a personality. Matching him up with a character as big and developed as Lila, just highlights how bland he is, though I guess he does provide a good balance to her. 

The two big antagonists felt a little ‘bad for the sake of bad’ to me, I struggled to really see what they wanted other than ‘power and to be bad’, and I’d hoped that the relationship between the two might have been developed and explored a little bit more, as I think it could have been really interesting. The two characters I was intrigued by at the start of the book turned out to be somewhat minor in the plot, and so I was disappointed, especially with how quickly their roles were brushed aside. 

World-Building: 4.5

This is where I’m giving most of the props. I did really enjoy the world - it was what drew me to the book in the first place. The premise of the different Londons being connected, but ultimately leading to different worlds was unique and intriguing, especially with the magic system and how it changed depending on which London/world you were in. It seemed to be really well developed, and I’m extremely curious about the history of the world, especially when it comes to the much mentioned ‘Black London’, so if anything is going to keep me reading ahead in the series, it would be this. 

Overall again: 3.5

It was good. I enjoyed it. Took me a while to get into the story and I don’t think I ever cared about the characters as much as I wanted to, but it wasn’t a bad book. It was just... good. I’m a little disappointed, but only because I wanted to feel really passionately about this book. I think I will still give the next book in the series a go - I’m hoping the characters and world are developed a little bit more, and that the plot is a little less predictable - but I’m not rushing to read it. It’s a low priority read at this point. 

[els-writes]

Girls of Paper and Fire: Review

Overall Rating: ★★★★

So, I got this book in my first Fairyloot box, meaning I had no idea what to expect going into it! I just picked it up after I was recovering from Ship of Magic, and I am pleasantly surprised! 

An intriguing world, a perhaps cliched plot line made unique, and an adorable romance that I really didn’t expect. All in all, a solid book, covering some really important themes that are handled beautifully. I definitely recommend this book!

More detailed review below! (I know this is a new book, so I've kept it as spoiler-free as possible! )

Writing Style: ★★★

For those who don’t know: I’m very particular with what writing styles I enjoy and don’t enjoy, and sadly this is one of those times a book is written in a way that just makes me wince. 

This is entirely my personal preference, but I’m not a big fan of present tense. I really struggle to read it, and it often jolts me out of the book. Girls of Paper and Fire is written in present tense, and whilst I enjoyed the book enough that it didn’t ruin it for me, there were a few times (mostly at the start of chapters, I found) where the present tense jostled me a little bit too much. 

Characters: ★★★★

I really adored the characters in this book. The main character, Lei, in particular was a wonderful POV to have. She was that typical spunky, humorous girl, but what I loved more than her funny quips was that she was always very true to her self, very honest, and openly vulnerable. She didn’t brush off the things that happened to her and the girls around her, and Ngan has managed to keep her character optimistic whilst still being very realistic. 

Wren is another character who I really liked. Without spoiling her, I shall simply say, I was a little concerned that she would be cliche when we found out more about her, but Ngan actually does a wonderful job with Wren.

A lot of the female characters we meet are excellently written (we spent most of the book with females), and pretty much any one that we spend a decent amount of time with is fleshed out just enough to not be a troupe or a cliche. Even Blue, a character who serves the role of the ‘mean girl’, has depth and meaning. We don’t see a lot of it, but Ngan shows just enough flashes for you to realise that there’s more to the story than we’re seeing (understandable, since we’re seeing it through Lei’s eyes). 

I will say the Demon King was a little bit of a disappointment to me. More because of the fact we don’t see him as much as I’d like to. He serves something of a ‘Voldemort’ role, in my opinion: he’s mentioned as the bad guy a lot, but doesn’t actually do all that much ‘on screen’, if you will? What we do see of him, I’m pleased with: again, because Ngan does a wonderful job of showing you those flashes of a story deeper than just Lei’s gaze. I’ll leave it there to save spoilers. 

Plot: ★★★★

I was a little concerned picking up the book that the story would be a bit cliched. Girls are chosen and taken from their homes to become concubines for the Demon King. It could have been very predictable, but it really isn’t. I think the plot is really unique, and there’s so much more to it than just what it says on the cover. I was totally invested, there wasn’t a moment when I wasn’t looking forward to the next chapter and finding out more. 

This book covers some heavy themes, and it does so really well. Reading the author notes and cards that are both in the book, and with the copy I got, I can tell that it was really important to her to address these issues in the novel, and I think she has done a fantastic job. The issues are very relevant to a lot of people, and whilst they don’t take over the story as much as I expected them to, I’m glad for it. Again, trying not to spoil it, but I think it’s really powerful that the issues are there, addressed, and Ngan doesn’t shy away from having her characters deal with them in very realistic and touching ways, but it is not the whole plot. Because these girls and their story is more than that, and I think Ngan has presented it in such a powerful way. 

My only complaint about the plot is the romance. I adored the romance actually, I didn’t go into this book expecting romance - or at the very least, not the romance that I got. I was very pleasantly surprised, and I really really liked the couple and their interactions. My only complaint is that the romance seemed to come out of nowhere. There were hints about the interest from both parties, but it seemed very insta-love, and when they finally revealed their feelings (to themselves, and then to one another), I was totally caught off guard. I was happy about it, but I was confused. 

World-Building: ★★★★

I really enjoyed the world-building in this book. It was a breath of fresh air after having read so many very historic-European-based fantasies recently. The first page of the book sets out very plainly for the readers the three terms for humans/demons in this world: Paper, Steel, and Moon. And I didn’t expect to be as grateful as that as I was. It was surprisingly nice to just have a note saying ‘hey, quick, this is how things work, k read on’ and be prepared for the book, instead of having the narrator (1st or 3rd person) slip it into the exposition, or make the readers work it out. I was dropped straight into the world, and it was nice and easy and fun to be there. I still have a lot of questions about the world, but judging from the ending, I do believe there will be a sequel, and if so, I’m looking forward to it! 

[els-writes]

Overall Rating: ★★

Ship of Magic. Book One of The Liveship Traders Trilogy. Forth Robin Hobb book I’ve read. And bane of my life for the past six months. 

Let me put this out there now: I adored the Farseer Trilogy. I binged those books in about two weeks at the start of this year, and they broke me in the best way possible. I took a month or so to recover after reading Assassin’s Quest, but I was hyped to get started on the next book. 

I started this book in April. I only finished it Halloween night. It’s been a long, long and difficult road. One that I can’t really sum-up as I usually do in my reviews. So it’s all or nothing, guys! 

I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on this book - whether you agree with me or not! It’s a strange book for me, because I really didn’t expect not to like it, so I’m curious as to what others think!

So let’s get into it. 

NOT SPOILER FREE! 

Writing Style:  ★★★

I have a love-hate relationship with Robin Hobb’s writing style. When I first started Assassin’s Apprentice, it took me a good few days to try and get into the book. She is another one of those very wordy authors who I felt said a lot more than she needed to, in a much higher level language than she needed to. That’s not to say I don’t like that writing style, I actually quite enjoy it, but I have to be in the right mindset for it. However, I did so, and the style (thankfully) is consistent through this series so far. 

Ship of Magic, like the Farseer books, took me some time to get into. Especially with the fantasy-heavy language used in the first chapter of the book. It took me a handful of tries before I could manage the style again. 

I love the style. It’s rich, it’s vibrant, it’s full of exposition and imagery and just some really wonderful literary techniques and language. But I hate when I first pick up the book and remember I have to get ready for it. It’s not a style I can read when I’m tired or lazy, I have to be fully invested. So, love-hate. 

Characters: ★

Oh boy, here we go. 

I’m a character-driven reader. You can have the most fantastic, original, exciting, intriguing plot in the universe but I will not get on bored with it if I don’t like the characters. And this is where Ship of Magic was ruined for me, to be honest. This is what pulls down all those stars for the overall rating. 

I hated the characters. 

Now, stay with me. 

Kyle was an incredible character. He is the most vile, most disgusting character I have read in my entire life. I hated him to the point where at the end of the book, I was shaking with fury at him. Even just typing about him now is filling me with such stress and anxiety and hatred that I’m tensing up. He is one of the best written villains I have read, perhaps ever. And I thought Regal was bad in the Farseer books.

Every other character though? The ones I’m meant to like? They just... fell flat. They weren’t one-dimensional by any means, I just didn’t find myself liking any of them. There are a multitude of characters in Ship of Fools, that we follow who might be called a main character or a protagonist: Althea, Brashen, Wintrow, Kennit, and the three Vestrit women to a lesser extent. Some were primarily good, some were primarily bad, but none jumped out to me. I didn’t feel connected to any of these characters. Worse than that, they all kind of annoyed me. 

Althea and Brashen, I will say, I can stand. If the book focused entirely on them, maybe they would have grown on me just that little bit more to make all the difference. I like them, but they’re both kinda frustrating at times. For me, I was only reading it to see if they got together in the end, as it seemed pretty obvious from the start that was where it was going. (Spoiler: they did, I’m on board with it, they’re kinda cute). But I just didn’t really care. I will say I was most invested in the story when they were at the forefront, but it wasn’t enough. They’re characters develop seemingly the least out of all the characters, which is a shame, because they’re the only ones I was even slightly interested in. 

Kennit? To be honest, I don’t remember most of his plot. I know the gist of it, but it wasn’t that exciting, I wasn’t that invested. It just all sort of happened. His goal is cliche, but would be a little more interesting if I knew more about him. Maybe I just missed it, but to me he just seemed greedy and a kinda grumpy and... meh. 

The Vestrit’s in Bingtown: Ronica, Keffria, and Malta. All three were so incredibly frustrating, and so much drama could have been set aside if they’d just talked? Seriously. Just talk. And don’t even get me started on Malta. 

Ah, Wintrow. At the start of the book, he was the only character I was intrigued by. I wish I hadn’t been. 

Before I start, just to put this out there: I have a major soft spot for suffering characters. I often just ache and wish for them to get a chance to sit down and cry and get a hug off someone. 

Wintrow sits down and cries a lot. A lot. And yeah, it’s realistic for a young boy, but this kid is so infuriating that I didn’t even know what to do with myself. He is a complete pain throughout the whole book, doesn’t actually do anything that major for the plot, now I think about it, and then at the very end his character does this massive 180 out of nowhere? I get what Hobb was trying to do, but I might have liked Wintrow a little more in the end if he’d grown in a believable way at least? Not as suddenly and violently as he did? 

Quick note on some of the other very important characters. The liveships. 

Vivacia: Whiny and annoying. I get she’s new and young and stuff is happening to her but come on, she was emotional and unbearable even before the slaves were put on, and I refuse to believe it was all Wintrow’s emotions shaking her up. 

Ophelia: The true queen of this book. I want far more focus on her please, I love her. 

Paragon: LITERALLY THE ONLY THING IN THIS ENTIRE BOOK I CARE ABOUT. AND IT’S THE ONE CHARACTER WHO LITERALLY DIDN’T EVEN MOVE FOR THE WHOLE 838 PAGES. 

Okay, I’m calm again... on we go. 

Plot: ★★★

It was fine. I’m not going to spend too long on this, because I think a lot of my opinions on the plot are tainted by my feelings about the characters. It was predictable a lot of the time, which doesn’t make it bad. A few points got me interested. If I take away all the mayhem of character 180s, the ending was good and strong. But the reason this book took me six months to finish? I just didn’t want to pick it up. I didn’t feel inclined to. There was no point where I put the book down and was thinking about where it was going from there. When I put this book down, it just stopped existing to me. And that rarely happens. 

World-Building: ★★★★

So much potential. I love Hobb’s world building. I practically drool thinking about the world I read about in the Farseer trilogy, it was just fantastic and beautiful and so intricate and exciting! This had elements of it, I could see that. Wizardwood? Liveships? Rain Wilds? Those kinds of things sound amazing - I adore the idea of the ships coming to life. But, because of that big old character section, it fell flat. I’m not faulting the world-building for that though, because I have hope that the next two books go into more depth into it all. 

Ability To Make Ellen Hate Reading: ★★★★★★

I’m not even kidding. This book sucked the fun out of reading for me, and I’m so sad about that. In the past six months, I’ve only read two other books. Nevermoor, because I had to read it for work (loved it). And The Book of Dust, because it’s from my all-time favourite series (loved it). I just didn’t want to read, and it was mostly because I felt guilty picking up another book whilst I hadn’t finished this one. 

After I finished this book, I picked up a new one (review on that coming very soon). I finished it in 4 hours. I literally forgot how easy it is to read because of this book. 

What’s Next?

I don’t usually need this on the end of my reviews, but I kind of have to here. 

The Robin Hobb books were recommended to me by a close friend. I say again: I loved the Farseer trilogy so much. I’d also been warned that out of the trilogies in this world, The Liveship Traders were her least favourite, and she guessed that I might not like them much. I really want to keep reading this world, and I love reading a complete series. I have been told it is not necessary to read this trilogy to read the others, but it will merely help me understand and appreciate certain elements of the other books. I am on the fence about picking up the next book. I have it on my shelf, but I hate the fact that I’m dreading facing it. 

I’m stubborn. I don’t like dropping books without finishing them, which is why I forced myself through this one. So I’m asking y’all’s advice. If you’ve read these books, do you think I should keep at it with Liveships, or give in now and move on? I’d love to hear what you think! 

I am so sorry this review is just words on a page at this point, but I had a lot of feelings and I needed to get them out. 

[els-writes]

Dragonquest Review

Overall Rating:  ★★★★

I swear my ratings aren’t all going to be 4-star! 

The second chapter of the Pern series is even more thrilling and gripping than the first. Honestly, I was fully expecting this to not live up to how much I adored the first novel, but Dragonquest brings so many new aspects of McCaffrey’s immersive and exceptional world to light, that it’s impossible to put it down! 

Though it is an almost direct continuation, Dragonquest brings its own spark to Pern, making it individual in its plot that spins and grows to one of the biggest and most terrifying climaxes I’ve ever read! Another huge recommendation from me, though it would be extremely difficult to start your Pern journey here instead of Dragonflight. 

Read more for an more in-depth review! Some spoilers for Dragonflight and Dragonquest. Read my Dragongflight review here! And I apologise, because most of my Pern reviews are turning into giddy-praise-city. 

Hey, so a lot of the sections I found myself repeating myself from my Dragonflight review, hence why they’re not as detailed so I totally recommend checking that out too if you haven’t already! <3

Writing Style: ★★★★★

McCaffrey’s beautiful prose is just as captivating as it is in the first book, though again, it can be difficult to sink your teeth into. As a bit of a Pern-nerd, I’ve become rather apt at looking past her long descriptions and the world-exclusive phrases and vocabulary that she slips into her writing so easily, and I find some of her made-up words actually wriggle their way into my own speech and writing sometimes! (’Shards’ is now my go-to curse word during working hours, thank you!). This rating is purely based on my bias, because a writing style that holds such a unique tone and brings in world-building exposition so fluidly is something I aspire to having. I’d argue this book’s style is better than the first, but that might just be because once you get through Dragonflight, the rest of McCaffrey’s Pern books are far easier to read. 

Characters: ★★★★

Note: Spoilers for both Dragonflight and minor ones for Dragonquest in this section! 

In my opinion, Dragonquest is greater in terms of characters - their stories, their development, and their number - than its predecessor. McCaffrey takes some of the POV focus away from Lessa and F’lar, and the change really benefited the book, giving it a more defined identity and style, instead of just becoming an extension of Dragonflight, which was something I honestly expected. We don’t lose Lessa and F’lar entirely, however, so if they’re your favourites, don’t worry, they’re still around and get the attention and development they deserve too! The other characters that do take on a bigger role bring a fantastic new outlook to the story, giving a refreshing but somewhat familiar voice to the book.  Our returning characters are more developed, fleshed out, and far more memorable than they were in Dragonflight. 

Okay, I need to talk about F’nor: F’lar’s lovable and loyal half-brother, who already stood out in his own secondary way in Dragonflight, but Dragonquest brings him to the forefront and oh my god am I glad for it. He and Canth (his brown) are so wonderfully different to Lessa and F’lar, who fundamentally share a lot of traits and values, and it’s so intriguing to see how adding F’nor and his thoughts to the mix really gives the plots that we see more depth. Without spoiling too much, for me, F’nor’s journey and place in the subplots make for some of the most memorable and loved moments across the entire Pern series (that I’ve read so far). 

The story of the Oldtimers is one that always really interested me, especially in their shift from Dragonflight to Dragonquest. In Dragonflight, the appearance of these riders that went missing years ago made you adore them and put them high on a pedestal for saving Pern by jumping forwards to follow Lessa. I recall actually cheering when they appeared in Dragonflight, and seeing their fall through Dragonquest into antagonists of the series was not only so interesting, but also a little heartbreaking. (Note: I’m aware I’m lumping all Oldtimers in as one, but I’m referring less to the individuals, many of whom ended up siding with Lessa and F’lar, but more discussing the Oldtimer concept as a group - for the word does indeed carry heavily negative connotations by the end of the book).

Plot: ★★★★★  

Initially, I was honestly reluctant to give Dragonquest 5-stars, and might not have if I hadn’t taken the time to re-read it before finishing this review, but the fact stands: I adored every single section of this book. Every subplot, no matter how minor, kept my attention, and I remember so many more little details about this book because of that fact. I’m perhaps guilty of lumping Dragonflight and Dragonquest into one group at times, but Dragonquest deserves to be seen by itself, because the story is so much more intricate and captivating - and that’s coming from someone who could barely put Dragonflight down. You care about almost every character’s journey, and the way McCaffrey blends it all together is something I admire greatly from her. Subplots that follow firelizards, and Golds rising, and F’nor’s secret quest, and Jaxom’s childish adventures through Benden’s tunnels - all of them work and shift together with the continued overlapping story of Pern’s battle against Thread. 

World Building: ★★★★★

At the risk of repeating myself, I’d suggest returning your gazes to this portion on my Dragonflight review. To keep things simple: McCaffrey is my biggest inspiration and idol when it comes to world building finesse. Pern is gorgeous in every way, and how she has managed to portray such a realistic world in a fantasy setting - with customs, history, social status, problems, currency, language, I could go on - it’s just, to me, a masterpiece. Dragonquest continues with the trend Dragonflight started, but going into more depth and detail, bringing more aspects of this fantastical world alive. The further into the book you get, the deeper into Pern you are, and the harder it is to pull away and come back to Earth. 

My only complaint about her world building is that I find it impossible to go from reading a Pern book, to writing one of my own stories. 

Feels: ★★★★

Oh boy, oh boy, did things develop. After the first book, I didn’t expect Pern to be an emotional ride - but how wrong I was when this book came along. The added depth and larger vibrant cast of characters made it pretty difficult not to get attached to someone. Even now, reading over certain paragraphs really gets me worked up - whether it be out of sorrow, practically feeling the pain (looking at you Brekke), or out of anger and just needing to hurt something - preferably a few of the characters in this book. Likewise, there were times I was elated. Jaxom, who I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for, may not have had an overwhelming role in this book, but damn did his storyline make me giddy. 

And F’nor. I so don’t want to spoil everything but damn F’nor and Canth, you boys ruined me. 

Best Brown Bonded Boyos who won my heart within moments:  ★★★★★★

Read this book for F’nor and Canth if nothing else. 

[els-writes]

Dragonflight Review

Overall Rating:  ★★★★

An exciting and immersing start to the titanic Pern series (you know, without the deadly sinking in the ice cold Atlantic...). Getting into this book took a few tries back when I was a teenager, but McCaffrey’s style is easy to fall in love with, and draws you into the immense and amazing Pern so quickly, you’ll not look back. A massive recommendation from me. 

Note on the stars, however; whilst at the time I first read this, I would have given it a full five stars straight off the bat, upon delving deeper into the series and reading other books, it no longer tops my favourites in the series, and thus I’ll only give it four stars, purely to save the fives for the real high-flyers (in my opinion). 

Read below for a more in-depth review! 

Writing Style: ★★★★

Let’s not beat around the bush, McCaffrey’s style is full of impressive vocabulary, and fantastical-made-up-word-heavy. As an avid fan, I’m not oblivious to the fact that the introduction alone might put off some readers, and the start of the first chapter probably doesn’t help that much either. What I will say is that once you get through a little bit, it becomes a lot easier to read, and my own vocabulary is so much bigger thanks to these books. My own feelings towards this writing style are probably skewed after reading the books for so long, because frankly, I adore it. There’s something very individual about the style, and it’s one that has become almost reassuringly familiar to me over the years. 

McCaffrey is very good at drip-feeding you the information you need, without overloading you with exposition (something I’ll look at more during the world-building aspect, as this is where it mostly comes into play). She doesn’t lead you through the story or the world by the hand, but instead coaxes you from a distance, letting you notice what you think you need to notice. A second reading of this book is where you really start to notice the little hints and pieces of foreshadowing you overlooked at first. 

Some sections of her writing can feel a little stuffy or hard to get through every now and then, but I find this is a result of the book’s age and genre more than anything else.

Characters: ★★★

If I’m perfectly honest, I came into this review assuming the characters would get a much higher rating then this, but the more I look over the ones present in the first book at least, it becomes apparent that in Dragonflight, the characters are not as strong or as fleshed out as they are in other books. 

Firstly, the Pern series as a whole is packed with characters - some memorable, some tiny, all important in one way or another. Any book that has to have lists of characters and information about who they are, clearly has a character-overload problem. That isn’t so apparent within Dragonflight as it is in later books, but there are a lot of characters that don’t get as much ‘screen-time’, if you will, as they probably should. As a whole, I’d say the characters are interesting and individual, but not introduced as fully as I would prefer them to be. The handful of characters that take most of the spotlight do deserve it, but even so, a lot of their development comes in later books, not in this first one. 

F’lar and Lessa probably get the most attention in this book (rightly so, it is named Dragonflight after the mating flight between F’lar and Lessa’s dragons, Mnementh and Ramoth), and as a couple they are extremely well-written. Their personalities mix well, clashing at the right points, and working in perfect tandem at others. The partnership of personalities is the type that keeps you on your toes, as you’re never quite sure whether they’ll match up perfectly or end up burning one another down. The way their characters grow, and learn to trust and care about one another is realistic, though perhaps a little rushed in places. 

Lessa’s fiery passion and her stubborn and independent nature make her an interesting candidate for the role of Weyrwoman, and the reader getting to learn what’s expected of one alongside Lessa helps you connect more with her as you realise just how unsuited to the role she initially seems. 

F’lar’s steady and calm exterior balances Lessa well, as does his sly and tactical way of thinking that, once revealed, shows that F’lar is always just one step ahead of everyone - even the reader. His clever ways giving him an edge over everyone also make it that much more exciting to read whenever Lessa’s impulsive and passionate choices get the better of him. 

Out of even these two, it’s Lessa that gets the development over F’lar, but I can forgive the book for this, as Dragonflight does seem very heavily focused on Lessa and Ramoth’s journey in maturing into the Weyrwoman of Pern. Her character growth is definitely a nice one to see, however; showing her learn and mature, without actually changing those key parts that make Lessa, Lessa. 

Aside from these two, only a few others stand out as memorable, but none are particularly explored or grow in this book. Even more character names are mentioned and then vanish into the mass of Pern names - but with such a large and expansive world, I can’t bring myself to mind that too much (though the lists of names are very much needed). 

Plot: ★★★★

For the first book in a giant series, the plot of Dragonflight is excellent. It’s a tale of someone falling into power, struggling to assimilate, and then committing a heroic act to prove that they were meant for the position all along; it’s a story that could seem cliched or mary-sueish but somehow, with all the twists and the backdrop of Pern, it just works. Lessa is not your typical blushing damsel who has suddenly been given all this power, in fact, she’s already a pretty independent woman who has goals and ambition of her own.

In fact, Lessa’s journey is quite refreshing. She is someone fighting for what is hers by blood right, something she should have because of her family lineage, but the steps she makes in Dragonflight and what she acheives are because of who she is, not who her family were. It’s quite a nice message for the plot to hold. (Yes, it is implied that it’s because of her Ruathan blood that she’s a suitable gold candidate, but we all know that’s not the sole reason Ramoth would have picked her). 

Without spoiling too much of the rest of the plot, because I think it’s a fantastic mystery to delve into and experience by yourself, McCaffrey is great and pulling seemingly unconnected plot points and tying them together. The climax of the book is the perfect mission for the characters involved, pulling you to the edge of your seat and actually making you doubt whether it will all work out or not. 

Perhaps the only problem with the plot of Dragonflight is that it’s very talk-heavy. A lot of debating, conversation, important people arguing over what to do and how to fix it. It’s necessary for the plot however, and though I’m putting it down as a negative (purely because it gets a little difficult for me to get through at times), I wouldn’t know how else McCaffrey could have moved the plot along as she needed to. This is mostly down to personal preference, and it doesn’t really take away from the enjoyment I get out of this book. 

World Building: ★★★★★

Oh come on, I am never not going to give this book the best possible rating for world building. Let it be known, I am hugely biased on this point, because I am so obsessed with the Pern series, so take what I say with a pinch of salt. 

I’d love to know how long it took McCaffrey to build Pern in her mind, because it is so detailed and intricate that it’s unlike any other world I’ve ever read. She’s thought of even the tiniest details, from the words that would end up being used commonly, to tiny parts of history that can be referenced without needing full explanation. Of course, the world becomes fuller and more vibrant the more of the series you read, but Dragonflight along gives you such an in-depth look at Weyrlife, that you feel entirely immersed. 

She doesn’t bombard you with too much exposition about why the world is the way it is, but instead, just sprinkles little things throughout the text that make Pern feel more fleshed out and alive without needing an entirely separate book to explain each part of the world (which... I mean, there is now books like that, but you don’t need to read them). 

Dragonflight in particular is very good at only including details that you need to know. McCaffrey doesn’t overload you with information about the crafthalls or the detailed history of each individual Weyr, because you don’t need to know it for the plot. It makes the reading experience both easier to get through, and means there’s always something new you can learn in the next book. For the first book in a series, Dragonflight gives you just enough of the world to feel immersed, without scaring you off from the rest of the series. 

Feels: ★★

As much as I adored this book, there was never really a moment that I was massively emotionally affected by the plot. I was involved and invested, for sure, but there were no ‘feels’ moments aside from during the very climax - even then, I felt more the effects of an exciting bit of action as opposed any real fear or sadness for the characters involved. Dragonflight has no real heart-wrenching moments, though it doesn’t necessarily lose drive because of that; it simply doesn’t need them. 

What Dragonflight does do, is make you start to feel unfairly attached to the characters you first meet and get to know in this book... because then you’re all the more affected by them in the books that are yet to come... 

Strong Independent Women Who Doesn’t Necessarily Need Any Men, But Might Have One If She Feels Like It: ★★★★★★

Lessa is not the perfect character, but damn, her confidence and independence is a thing of beauty. 

[els-writes]

The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Magic Series: Review

Overall Rating: ★★★★

A quick and addictive read that’s easy to get stuck into, and you’ll end up finishing before you know it. Harper’s trilogy about a lazy witch is both incredibly relate-able to all procrastinators and hilarious to read. Oh, and Brutus is a gift to the written world. 

More in-depth breakdown under cut! 

Writing Style: ★★★★

Harper has a very casual and humorous style that really lends itself well to this sort of series, and especially with a POV character like Ivy. She blends the narrative with Ivy’s thoughts and feelings extremely well, and it’s not often - if at all - you get bombarded with a bunch of exposition or description that feels out of place. It’s an easy read, and considering I do most of my reading at 5am when my alarm goes off, it’s clearly the sort of book that you can slip into the mindset of very quickly. 

Characters: ★★★★★

Each character is very fleshed out, and they come to life on the page and in your mind almost immediately. Harper wastes no time in giving you a sense of who these characters are, and you learn plenty about them just from their first short introductions. Ivy and Winter are excellent counter-parts, working off each other well almost like foils, but not necessarily antagonising one another. Ivy is a wonderfully fresh type of protagonist, and her growth over the series doesn’t drastically change her, or make out as if her original persona was bad. She evolves as any real person does: learning new things and shifting her stance a little here and there, but ultimately remaining true to herself. I don’t really have anything all that negative to say about the characters to be honest - even the secondary characters are introduced and written about in such a way that you quickly get a sense of who they are. 

Brutus is the best character in the entire series, and is the exact picture of what I imagine my cat is secretly thinking. I would read an entire 1000 book series just with Brutus in it. Read it for Brutus, people. 

Plot ★★★★

Each of the three books focuses on a self-contained mystery that Ivy and Winter end up needing to solve together, though series-running plots do join across the books. It lends to a nice series read; the individual plot of the book feels complete and rounded off by the end, leaving you satisfied, but the crossing plots are enjoyable and make you curious enough to pick up the next quickly, without the stress of any massive cliffhangers. It does mean that, whilst I’m reviewing the trilogy as a whole, I have different opinions on each book. The first is definitely the strongest ‘mystery’, in my opinion, whereas the second I found harder to get through, before the third piqued my interest stronger once again. However, this is entirely down to my own personal storyline preferences, and doesn’t necessarily reflect how each of them are written. All three book-centric are well put together and thought out, with no glaring plot holes that I noticed, I just preferred some over others. 

World Building ★★★

Set in a world very similar to our own (you know, aside from a lot of people being witches, and a magical Order existing), the series doesn’t require a large amount of detailed world building like you might see in other fantasy series. What little is needed is slipped into the narration very naturally, and seems realistic (but again... as realistic as a series about magic can be!). The two worlds - the reality of one close to our own, and the created aspects for the plot - do work well together, and it’s a refreshing take compared to heavily built up fantasy universes, but they don’t necessarily blend as seamlessly as I would prefer. Titles of Order members (eg. Adeptus Exemptus) make sense in context, but can be quite jarring and take away from the plot a little when you’re in the middle of reading about people filming a TV show. The times are few and far between, but they do still appear. 

Feels ★★

There’s definitely emotion and drama in the series, but for me, whilst I enjoyed the series massively, I never got as emotionally invested as I do in other books. I laughed more than cried, but perhaps I saw the books as such an easy and humorous read that I even at the sad or emotionally charged moments, I never saw them as long-lasting. It didn’t feel like there were many stakes in this book, and though that’s certainly not a bad thing - it was the perfect book series to read when I wanted something lighter. 

Beautiful and Perfect Creatures ★★★★★★

Brutus wins all the awards. Read it for Brutus. Make him proud. He deserves to be loved.