Scan barcode
A review by obscurepages
Beyond the Shadowed Earth by Joanna Ruth Meyer
3.0
I received an e-arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Page Street Publishing!
Though I had trouble with the first few parts of the book, Beyond the Shadowed Earth flaunted exquisite story elements such as the writing style, the plot, and the rich world-building. At the end of it, I can say that I enjoyed reading the book!
Brilliant writing style
I adored the writing style of the author. It was poetic, sometimes haunting, and it was definitely atmospheric. The author also did a great job with the imagery, whether that be a description of the various places and cities or the clothing worn by the characters. It was great!
Okay characters
I struggled a lot with the first few parts of this book, mainly because of the main character. I had trouble liking Eda, connecting with her or relating to her. She was selfish, cruel, and probably conceited as well. I understand that she’s a “villainous” lead and I expected as much, but 30% of the time I was just completely annoyed by her attitude and her thinking that I couldn’t read continuously. I didn’t lose hope immediately though. I hoped for some sort of character development and in a way, there was. Her character went through a journey filled with vengeance, betrayals, lies, sacrifices, and friendship. Do I think her character has been redeemed? Not entirely. But I did love that she was finally on the right path at the end of the book.
As for the minor characters, Ileem was an interesting addition to the mix. Rescarin was annoying, but I loved his part as a “villain”. Domin was an interesting kind of character, and I loved the change he went through. I adored Morin and Tainir as well, and what they symbolize what’s next for Eda. And Liah, I wanted to know more about her, I was disappointed that I didn’t get any more details about her and her story.
Intricate plot
I also came to love the plot of this book—it wasn’t the usual “I’m going to save my people” kind of plot, instead it was “I’m looking for revenge” and I found that refreshing. I also loved how it was unpredictable at times. For example, I already expected a few of the plot twists, but there were several that really shocked me and I wanted to scream just a little!
Great world-building
The world-building of Beyond the Shadowed Earth is definitely my favorite part. It was rich and expansive, and I loved the idea of the different “Circles”. And although this is a companion level, I had no trouble absorbing all details about the fictional world it was set in. All the little tales and myths plus the brilliant imagery were just enough to get me falling for the world-building.
I also liked the insertion of religion into the world-building and the story itself! I’m gonna be honest and say that I’m not the most religious person out there, but I loved the way they talked about the gods and faith here. (I definitely have a couple of lines highlighted!)
Overall, this was a pretty decent read. 3.5 stars for me! I know others will definitely love this kind of book!
(This book review was first published on Enthralled Bookworm.)
Though I had trouble with the first few parts of the book, Beyond the Shadowed Earth flaunted exquisite story elements such as the writing style, the plot, and the rich world-building. At the end of it, I can say that I enjoyed reading the book!
Brilliant writing style
I adored the writing style of the author. It was poetic, sometimes haunting, and it was definitely atmospheric. The author also did a great job with the imagery, whether that be a description of the various places and cities or the clothing worn by the characters. It was great!
Okay characters
I struggled a lot with the first few parts of this book, mainly because of the main character. I had trouble liking Eda, connecting with her or relating to her. She was selfish, cruel, and probably conceited as well. I understand that she’s a “villainous” lead and I expected as much, but 30% of the time I was just completely annoyed by her attitude and her thinking that I couldn’t read continuously. I didn’t lose hope immediately though. I hoped for some sort of character development and in a way, there was. Her character went through a journey filled with vengeance, betrayals, lies, sacrifices, and friendship. Do I think her character has been redeemed? Not entirely. But I did love that she was finally on the right path at the end of the book.
As for the minor characters, Ileem was an interesting addition to the mix. Rescarin was annoying, but I loved his part as a “villain”. Domin was an interesting kind of character, and I loved the change he went through. I adored Morin and Tainir as well, and what they symbolize what’s next for Eda. And Liah, I wanted to know more about her, I was disappointed that I didn’t get any more details about her and her story.
Intricate plot
I also came to love the plot of this book—it wasn’t the usual “I’m going to save my people” kind of plot, instead it was “I’m looking for revenge” and I found that refreshing. I also loved how it was unpredictable at times. For example, I already expected a few of the plot twists, but there were several that really shocked me and I wanted to scream just a little!
Great world-building
The world-building of Beyond the Shadowed Earth is definitely my favorite part. It was rich and expansive, and I loved the idea of the different “Circles”. And although this is a companion level, I had no trouble absorbing all details about the fictional world it was set in. All the little tales and myths plus the brilliant imagery were just enough to get me falling for the world-building.
I also liked the insertion of religion into the world-building and the story itself! I’m gonna be honest and say that I’m not the most religious person out there, but I loved the way they talked about the gods and faith here. (I definitely have a couple of lines highlighted!)
Overall, this was a pretty decent read. 3.5 stars for me! I know others will definitely love this kind of book!
(This book review was first published on Enthralled Bookworm.)