This is a delightful tale that is sweetly illustrated, about a young blacksmith's apprentice who learns about the care and study of tea dragons. And tThis is a delightful tale that is sweetly illustrated, about a young blacksmith's apprentice who learns about the care and study of tea dragons. And through her learning, she makes some very interesting friends in her local village. A good story for kids and grown-ups alike, though parents should be warned that there is some blood and fantasy violence in a flashback scene. But it's a great story about showing the value of community and empathy....more
So I read this without realizing it was the second book in a trilogy. It definitely *felt* like a second installment, since much of the plot was a folSo I read this without realizing it was the second book in a trilogy. It definitely *felt* like a second installment, since much of the plot was a follow-up to the events that happened in Book 1. But that being said, everything I needed to know was explained, so I never really felt lost. The book feels so much like watching a season of Sailor Moon that I felt like I knew exactly where I was standing. This is familiar territory to me.
The reference to Sailor Moon is intentional. This felt very much like a good Shoujo action-romance, right down to demons possessing & transforming random objects, karaoke battles for the fate of a city, and women kicking butt while looking flawless and learning to rely on the power of their friends. And it was also nice to get some diversity up in here with an American shoujo-style action story that centers Asian-American protagonists.
Overall, if you are into female-centered, fast-paced action & romance, or are a fan of the shoujo or magical girl genres, definitely give this book a read--though you should probably start at Book 1 :)...more
So I'm starting this review off with a caveat. Not long before I read this, I read the original short story version, which was a perfectly paced, selfSo I'm starting this review off with a caveat. Not long before I read this, I read the original short story version, which was a perfectly paced, self-contained story on its own. So I was curious to see how this expanded version went, but because the shorter version was still in my head, all the added material felt weirdly slow & padded to me.
That being said, once I got past that initial hump, it was a good story, with a lot of twists and turns that I honestly didn't expect. I appreciated the moral complexity of the characters; Ms. Novik really does a good job of enabling us to feel sympathy for people and to understand their choices, even those choices that end with people getting hurt. Those choices aren't necessarily *excused*, but they are understood. It's a fine line to walk and the author pulls it off well.
Anyway! Very solid story, enjoyable characters, good world-building. The plot didn't quite grab me and drag me along as strongly as Uprooted did, but to be fair, that's a high bar to clear. This is still a good book and worth your time, in my humble opinion....more
I simultaneously read two fantasy novels about treehouse kingdoms built in magical forests, and this was by far the superior story. Engaging characterI simultaneously read two fantasy novels about treehouse kingdoms built in magical forests, and this was by far the superior story. Engaging characters, a well-built world, and a constantly shifting plot kept me engaged. I'm definitely intrigued enough to keep reading into this series and find out what happens to the main characters!...more
Okay, my feelings on this book are pretty mixed. The world was interesting and well-drawn, the side characters engaging, the writing solid...and I couOkay, my feelings on this book are pretty mixed. The world was interesting and well-drawn, the side characters engaging, the writing solid...and I could not get behind the main character at all. The story is supposed to set up a character who's proud and overly certain of her grand destiny, and one would expect her to grow past that. But...she doesn't. Not until, arguably, the very end, and even then it's sort of half-baked growth, where she just learns to hate herself and resign herself to her true life with all the sullenness of an angry teenager. I know this is the first book of a trilogy, but all the same, both the heroine's arc and the book's moral message feel incomplete and unfulfilling.
A lucky find in the library's basement fiction collection, this is a charming tale about a mysterious but lovable stranger with magical powers, showinA lucky find in the library's basement fiction collection, this is a charming tale about a mysterious but lovable stranger with magical powers, showing up in a town populated by stage magicians. The writing is vivid and the characters delightful! (I also think it's a book that would lend itself well to a faithful movie version.) Definitely worth a read....more
Very pulpy. It had a few good moments to it, but somehow I got the strong feeling that this premise could have been better served with a thicker book,Very pulpy. It had a few good moments to it, but somehow I got the strong feeling that this premise could have been better served with a thicker book, more careful world-building and a better eye towards pacing. It also took me about two-thirds of the book to realize this was a story with a villain protagonist.
That being said, I liked this book best when it dealt with Jack's relationships with Rosie and Morningstar, because it was in those moments that Jack was most understandable and human....more
This was a really lovely book, and I'm glad I read it. It's full of magic and wonder and colorful characters, and the writing is really well done! This was a really lovely book, and I'm glad I read it. It's full of magic and wonder and colorful characters, and the writing is really well done! ...more
A gem of a collection, full of imaginative sff. What really struck me was the magical-realist style of the stories: we're plopped into these worlds anA gem of a collection, full of imaginative sff. What really struck me was the magical-realist style of the stories: we're plopped into these worlds and some of them are more familiar than others but there's always something weird going on that makes it suddenly and beautifully strange. Some stories are more tragic or beautiful or weird but all feel very real, populated by sympathetic characters and grounded in a Kentucky that is both familiar and alien. But even though the stories all share Kentucky as a sort of base setting, the stories are all very distinct.
Definitely worth the read if you're a lover of truly imaginative fiction....more
A very solid collection of short stories and flash fiction, ranging all across the broad spectrum of SFF. There's a great deal of tonal range too, froA very solid collection of short stories and flash fiction, ranging all across the broad spectrum of SFF. There's a great deal of tonal range too, from the silly to the somber, and Yoachim is a deft hand at playing with structure.
Particular favorites are "The Little Mermaid of Innsmouth" and "Carla at the Off-Planet Tax Return Helpline."...more
I forgot how much I missed the Old Kingdom until I picked this up. I listened on audiobook while I spun at my spinning wheel, and it was lovely to heaI forgot how much I missed the Old Kingdom until I picked this up. I listened on audiobook while I spun at my spinning wheel, and it was lovely to hear again from all of these beloved characters. The narrator really managed to bring the characters to life. Honestly it makes me want to reread the original trilogy!...more
Loading...
