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hazeyfails's review against another edition
I basically only liked that we got to see a different ark. It felt utterly disappointing that our heroine was supposedly such a go getter and fighter through everything she survived in the pole and then in this book, two years passed and she was just reading?
Reviews of the 4th book were pretty abysmal. Even the people that "liked" it had several complaints and felt either disappointed or confused. There's too many side quests, too much making Ophelia lose her agency, too much entrapment and bullying to the point it felt like the author's f***sh. Not shaming, just not at all for me. I kept hoping something would pull me back because I loved the first 2 books, like more time with the characters from before at least? but apparently it only gets worse, the author kills off characters and adds too many twists and turns and overly convoluted explanations etc. Since book 4 is an open ending, might as well stop at book 2 and create your own ideas of what could happen.
Reviews of the 4th book were pretty abysmal. Even the people that "liked" it had several complaints and felt either disappointed or confused. There's too many side quests, too much making Ophelia lose her agency, too much entrapment and bullying to the point it felt like the author's f***sh. Not shaming, just not at all for me. I kept hoping something would pull me back because I loved the first 2 books, like more time with the characters from before at least? but apparently it only gets worse, the author kills off characters and adds too many twists and turns and overly convoluted explanations etc. Since book 4 is an open ending, might as well stop at book 2 and create your own ideas of what could happen.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism
e_riahh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Stalking, Murder, and Classism
jstilts's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Very different to the previous books: Ophelia has gone from hiding in shadows to making her mark, and after the last cliffhanger (and a few years basically sulking) is now imbued with drive and purpose to solve eons-long mysteries that threaten her world, her missing husband, and herself.
Set almost entirely in Babel following a single quest, this book greater focus on the rich detailed world building of Babel society allows the overall plot to become fluffier and more mysterious, frankly treading water a little to spoon-feed us the fantasy set-up for the final volume. This isn't criticism as such, it's a very deft bit of furniture moving that's so pleasant an experience I can hardly complain.
It's not however quite as compelling as the second volume, as really you feel Ophelia could just shrug her shoulders and walk away from her troubles for the first three quarters of the book - driven mainly by her desire to reunite with Thorn, which is hard to fathom as while we saw Thorn fall in love with Ophelia in the last book - believable only because I'll accept any insight I to the inscrutable oaf - Ophelia has hardly had reason to do likewise, especially as we're privy to her thought and feelings that she STILL finds hard to quantify (after years!) that her love is a bit hard to believe. I can only put it down to the desperate need to connect during and after disaster, which they experienced together at the end of book two.
Looking forward to the final volume nevertheless - this one was strangely simultaneously better and worse than the previous books, so in a way an interesting diversion on the journey, a side quest and a breather before the finale.
Set almost entirely in Babel following a single quest, this book greater focus on the rich detailed world building of Babel society allows the overall plot to become fluffier and more mysterious, frankly treading water a little to spoon-feed us the fantasy set-up for the final volume. This isn't criticism as such, it's a very deft bit of furniture moving that's so pleasant an experience I can hardly complain.
It's not however quite as compelling as the second volume, as really you feel Ophelia could just shrug her shoulders and walk away from her troubles for the first three quarters of the book - driven mainly by her desire to reunite with Thorn, which is hard to fathom as while we saw Thorn fall in love with Ophelia in the last book - believable only because I'll accept any insight I to the inscrutable oaf - Ophelia has hardly had reason to do likewise, especially as we're privy to her thought and feelings that she STILL finds hard to quantify (after years!) that her love is a bit hard to believe. I can only put it down to the desperate need to connect during and after disaster, which they experienced together at the end of book two.
Looking forward to the final volume nevertheless - this one was strangely simultaneously better and worse than the previous books, so in a way an interesting diversion on the journey, a side quest and a breather before the finale.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, and Murder
dorianablu83's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thorn has me in a chockehold, I want Archibald to be my bestie and Victoria seems so cute.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment
japanasi's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love this story and universe so much! it is so much fun to read these books
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
misszoe's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
grimmdark's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
out of all 3 books i've read so far, definitely my favorite. it's actually really cool to see how much the author improves and where with each tome. loved babel as a setting!!!! so many cool characters!!!! can't wait to read the next and final book. maybe i'll come back for a review later phew!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture
Minor: Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Stalking
emmeviene's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse