Solid 4.25

God it was better than I thought...
SGE book 4 actually took me a while to get into when i first started reading it. I was even going to ditch the series completely!
But I'm so glad I didn't. Although it may not have had the incredibly action-packed start I wanted it to have, it was soo good as you get further in the book. The plotline was amazing but I wish we got to see more of Hester (my absolute fav) and some of the other side characters.

Overall it was a pretty good read and I'm so glad I picked it up again! The book is very frustrating and Tedros's character goes a bit downhill, but apart from that, it's definitely worth checking out.

Thriller. Twisting. Hilarious. Relevant. Heart-wrenching. Rollercoaster. These are all words that describe Quests for Glory. I do not say lightly that this is one of the best books I have ever read, especially as the hype for it was astronomical. And boy, did it deliver.

The standout feature of this book (and series too) is the way it highlights the fluctuating boundaries between Truth and Lies, Good and Evil. It's extremely relevant to today's (and I guess most of history's) political climate. People like to believe what feels True. Every villain believes they are the hero of their own fairytale.

[B]eware trying to bend the Truth to fit your story instead of facing it head-on. That was your father's mistake. And that's how a Snake becomes a Lion and a Lion becomes a Snake. Because the more you bend the Truth to fit a story, the more it turns into Lies without you even realizing it.

Is it really a Lie if someone is unwilling to see the Truth?

I love a book that makes you think, and every book in this series has done so for me. [b:The School for Good and Evil|16248113|The School for Good and Evil (The School for Good and Evil, #1)|Soman Chainani|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490529205s/16248113.jpg|21599439] left me questioning Good and Evil, and subverted the sexist tropes of many fairytales. [b:A World Without Princes|18172465|A World Without Princes (The School for Good and Evil, #2)|Soman Chainani|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1379015944s/18172465.jpg|25268036] brought discussions about femininity, masculinity and the co-existence of multiple kinds of true love. And [b:The Last Ever After|18004320|The Last Ever After (The School for Good and Evil, #3)|Soman Chainani|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1421947451s/18004320.jpg|25268052] highlighted the confusion over what makes a Happy ending happy. Is it you that's Happy? Or what other people expect?

The second thing I loved was how damn twisty this story was. No one is safe. And the major twist left me REELING. I was actually out of breath from the breakneck pace of the finale. Let's just say I did not know who to trust, and at every turn, Chainani had me second-guessing what I suspected about the Snake and his plans. This twistiness made for some extremely gut-wrenching moments. Two scenes -

Spoiler

Chaddick's *sob* death and Lancelot's (why do I have to grieve here as well as in Merlin)

- I had to actually stop reading and have a moment of silence. I'm still in mourning.

The characters were so compelling, and the character development as well. Amazing. Special mentions go to the original trio, of course, but also Nicola of Woods Beyond. She is on her way to cementing herself as one of my favourite fictional females of all time! This book was the first in the series with specific character POVs, rather than what was more omniscient narration in the previous trilogy. This succeeded, upped the mystery and suspense, and each character voice was impressively distinct.

I also liked the increasing diversity, with more characters from what seem to be non-European regions, and also the hint(?!) of a potentially queer pairing (

Spoiler

William and Bogden

), which was an area lacking in the previous three. The humour was class, as always, and the romance was to die for. Hopefully not literally, but from what Quests for Glory was like, I am steeling my Reader heart.

Very, very impressed. Delivered on everything I'd hoped for and more. Highly, highly recommend!

My review of The School for Good and Evil

My review of A World Without Princes

My review of The Last Ever After

Uhhhhh plot twist. That was not what I expected.