artsy musings of a bibliophile

fantasy

Review: The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

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ABOUT THE BOOK

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas

young adult fantasy published by Bloomsbury Childrens on 4 March 2014

prequel to the Throne of Glass series

Celaena Sardothien owes her reputation to Arobynn Hamel. He gave her a home at the Assassins’ Guild and taught her the skills she needed to survive.
Arobynn’s enemies stretch far and wide – from Adarlan’s rooftops and its filthy dens, to remote islands and hostile deserts. Celaena is duty-bound to hunt them down. But behind her assignments lies a dark truth that will seal her fate – and cut her heart in two forever…

THE RATING

THE REVIEW

The best thing about The Assassin’s Blade is how each of the five novellas tell a different story but form a whole arc from when Celaena was an annoying, selfish and arrogant assassin to everything that led her towards her enslavement in the Salt Mines of Endovier. Much is revealed about Celaena Sardothien’s life before the events of Throne of Glass. I am definitely curious about how these novellas will come into extended play later on in the series.

However, The Assassin’s Blade and I seem to have lost some love on my reread as I ended up finding the novellas less enjoyable. Apparently, I had forgotten much of the plot of the novellas and could only wonder at the importance of The Assassin and the Healer and The Assassin and the Underworld. I had the most fun reading The Assassin and the Desert because of Ansel. Still, my favorite novella is The Assassin and the Empire and that’s because of Sam. Obvs. And oh, I liked how the novella cleverly hinted at her true identity.

I was not expecting to like Yrene at all, but her personality is in such a contrast to Celaena’s that I kept rooting for her till the end. Ansel of Briarcliff is just so violent and twisted and please let there be more of her later in the series. Farran and Arobynn are despicable as fuck and I really can’t wait for their impending deaths later on in the series because that needs to happen. Especially Arobynn’s.

There’s no doubt that Celaena Sardothien is a strong character who can be immature and unapologetic as fuck. She can also be gullible which is understandable, I guess, with her not going through the worst of it yet. She’s just so angry at everything and even though I know why she’s angry, I couldn’t help but think that much of that anger is displaced. The only way it’d make sense is if the King knew everything from the beginning and that it all had to go down this way.

Sam Cortland, where do I begin and where do I end? I don’t think there’s anyone who’s read Throne of Glass series and not fallen in love with him. There were legit tears in my eyes at the end. Again. I now see just how important Sam is to Celaena’s arc and story line and that’s really something to take in. Poor Sam.

I’d definitely recommend starting the series with The Assassin’s Blade and not Throne of Glass as that’s the weakest book in the series. There’s also a bit of foreshadowing in each of the novellas which I always enjoy. Despite not being necessary to the main plot of the series, it’s interesting to see just how it all started and then there’s also Sam.

THE QUOTES

‘If you can learn to endure pain, you can survive anything. Some people learn to embrace it-to love it. Some endure it through drowning it in sorrow, or by making themselves forget.Others turn it into anger.’ 

‘Life isn’t easy, no matter where you are. You’ll make choices you think are right, and then suffer for them.’

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

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LBSAS

ABOUT THE BOOK

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
young adult fantasy published by Henry Holt and Co. on June 4th, 2013
second book in The Grisha trilogy

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

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Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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LBSAB

ABOUT THE BOOK

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
young adult fantasy published by Henry Holt and Co. on May 17th, 2012
first book in The Grisha trilogy

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.

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Review: All That Glows by Ryan Graudin

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ABOUT THE BOOK

young adult fantasy published by HarperTeen on 11 February 2014 

Emrys—a fiery, red-headed Fae—always embraced her life in the Highlands, far from the city’s draining technology, until she’s sent to London to rejoin the Faery Guard. But this isn’t any normal assignment—she’s sent to guard Prince Richard: Britain’s notorious, partying bad boy and soon-to-be King. The prince’s careless ways and royal blood make him the irresistible for the dark spirits that feed on mortals. Sweet, disheveled, and alive with adventure—Richard is one charge who will put Emrys’ magic and heart to the test.
When an ancient force begins preying on the monarchy, Emrys must hunt through the London’s magical underworld, facing down Banshees, Black Dogs and Green Women to find the one who threatens Richard’s life. In this chaos of dark magic, palace murders and paparazzi, Emrys finds herself facing an impossible choice. For despite all her powers, Emrys has discovered a force that burns brighter than magic: love.

THE RATING


THE REVIEW

The one thing that comes to mind after reading All That Glows is that while it isn’t bad, it isn’t good either. There are many things that could have been improvised to make it all a little more of an engaging read but, alas, All That Glows fell short.
On the one hand, Emrys is very skilled at making use of her magic despite being young in terms of Fae age. On the other hand, she feels a connection to Richard only because he senses her presence, which later turns out to be because Emrys desired it. Having lived through centuries of history, you’d think that Emrys would have an amazing personality and a badass attitude. You’d be wrong. The one thing that I found interesting was her gripes about mortality and death.
There are many things that are not consistent with the plot and the most striking of all, is the pairing of Emrys with Richard. The core of All That Glows is the love story which is, sadly, weak at best. I couldn’t grasp how Emrys, being an elegant Fae and hundreds of years old, connects with a supposedly ‘notorious, partying bad boy.’
From what I gathered, Richard isn’t notorious at all nor he is a bad boy because getting drunk every other night isn’t the definition of being bad. On the contrary, it makes him ordinary. There is no reason given whatsoever for his being the way he is. It takes the biggest shock of his life to turn him into the opposite of irresponsible and in just a span of a few weeks. I wasn’t sold at all.
All That Glows is overwrought with metaphors that either results in very unpleasant imagery or don’t make much sense. The book picks up its pace, especially towards the end of the book, when the action takes the front seat and Emrys manages to shine for a bit. In all, the execution of an amazing premise is lost in the lackluster romance and an unrestrained use of metaphors.

THE QUOTES

‘At one time, I could count on the world. Winter’s hard freeze, the bitter howls of gray wolves, the colors and laughter of May Day and the bonfires of Samhain, the twines of magic holding me together . . . Things once constant, now suddenly not. Nothing, not even the immortal, is safe from decay.’ 

‘Death — the aftermath of it — is a strange thing to watch from the pedestal of immortality. I’ve seen death in every way: as a thief in the night, as the heat of fever, as the lust of a warrior. Yet I’ve never really understood grief, or what it does to those left behind.’

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge 
young adult fantasy published by Balzer + Bray on 28 January 2014
first book in the Cruel Beauty Universe series

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom—all because of a reckless bargain her father struck. And since birth, she has been training to kill him.
Betrayed by her family yet bound to obey, Nyx rails against her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, she abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, disarm him, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. But even if she can bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him?
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

THE RATING


THE REVIEW

I was almost fully taken with Cruel Beauty. Almost. Despite having been thoroughly intrigued by the enchanting prose, I found something to be amiss from the story. A dark, intricate tale with a gorgeous cover, and raving responses; Cruel Beauty managed to deliver, but not all the way. 
Once, the kingdom of Arcadia was fairly ruled by the heirs of Claudius. But then one night, the Gentle Lord descended upon Arcadia. The Sundering confined Arcadia to exist under a parchment dome for all of eternity. Adorned with a sun that doesn’t come close to the real one and demons that lurking in every shadow to keep the fear instilled, the only hope of Arcadia is Nyx Triskelion.
Leonidas Triskelion struck a bargain with the Gentle Lord and it turned out to be Nyx’s undoing. The bargain left him without a wife and two daughters; out of which one’s fate was sealed from birth. Brought up with a mindset to marry the Gentle Lord, Nyx has been taught the unusual Hermetic arts to nullify the hearts of four elements hidden in the castle, in order to collapse the castle.
But Nyx is indecisive and that indecisiveness goes a long way in overshadowing everything else about her. She resents her father for never loving her, loathes Aunt Telomache for involving herself in their lives, and envies her clueless sister, Astraia. So in her yearning for love, the barest of attention that Shade bestows on her is enough for her to get taken with him. 
Trapped into living a life she didn’t ask for, Nyx spends her days exploring the castle looking for the hearts. However, the haunting castle never stops magically changing its inner layout which I found quite enthralling. Her failed attempts to kill Ignifex has only intrigued him to the point of respecting her efforts. He sees the malice in her heart which weakens Nyx. Haunted by his own demons with no memory of how he got there, Ignifex is enchanting but only to a limit.
Cruel Beauty promised to be dark and vicious with a blend of Greek mythology with a fairy tale retelling. I enjoyed reading the intricate details despite a very complex plot. But I found Nyx to be more clingy and repetitive than wicked and the romance to be off putting. Between an overwhelming world-building and an underwhelming ending, Cruel Beauty turned out to be a majorly bland read with some truly exceptional parts.

THE QUOTES

‘And you. Leonidas’s sweet and gentle daughter, with a world of poison in your heart. You fought and fought to keep all the cruelty locked up in your head, and for what? None of them ever loved you, because none of them ever knew you.’
‘They said that love was terrifying and tender, wild and sweet, and none of it made any sense. But now I knew that every mad word was true.’