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A review by stephdaydreams
Wisteria by Adalyn Grace
5.0
I have to be honest that I remain unsure of where I want this rating to fall. It's teetered between 4 and 4.5, but I think I'll settle (for now) at 4.5, and it's all due to Blythe.
She became my favorite lead of this trilogy. I loved her spunk, wit, kindness, and her resolve. She led heart first every step of the way, and gosh how I loved her for it.
I do not like the reincarnation trope, so I entered with trepidation but left the narrative mostly satisfied (minus a hiccup in the epilogue). I wanted the trope to play out like InuYasha, where Kagome ensures she is respected as her own person, that just because she looks like Kikyo due to the reincarnated soul, she is not confused as such. She is Kagome, not Kikyo. And, for the most part, this narrative ensures Blythe is always Blythe. There is a moment when a character seeks forgiveness for the past, but Blythe is quick to note it's not up to her. It's up to the first Life. Who is only but a small part of soul, a soul that carries many lives, but is ultimately made up of Blythe alone. In a way, it's bit like Doctor Who. So, I was very happy there was no kind of regression into the original life.
Blythe is Blythe. And she wants to be loved for her.
Enter Aris.
The bantering, the bickering, the swoons-- it was all there for their romance!
Almost. So close. But....
Truthfully, I'd consider most of the first three parts of this book 5 stars, but some of the last part fell short and it was hard to overlook some issues I took with it.
Major Spoilers Follow
Enter the rest of the issues.
The final line of the final chapter before epilogue gives what is meant to be poignant moment of Blythe smiling for the first time since Aris' death, but like two pages before, in the same chapter, she's shown smiling. I just felt this final part was representative of an overall issue of being rushed and frankly a bit sloppy.
Speaking of which, Chaos and the Rima thing came and went so quickly. Percy's resurrection didn't really land well for me. It was again...rushed.
I need someone to erase a doubt I have from the epilogue, is Blythe looking like Mila now?! Because that feels like a slap in the face in the rest of the narrative wisely hammering how Blythe is her own person, Mila is only but a fragment of her soul along with all the other lives its lived. So I hope that's nothing more than myth.
But it opened up a well of additional questions that is overflowing from the epilogue.
Is Blythe forever an immortal in the form she is now? Aris gave her his years, so she will never have to experience death unless chosen, right?
And is Aris a different looking human in the end?
Is he still Fate?
If so, for 27 years did he remain the creator Fate?
If so, was he like a baby growing up for 27 years, whilst creating Fate?
Or a man, not aging, slowly recovering his memories?
You're probably looking at this review and wondering why I've given 4.5, but truthfully, I can forgive a lot. I can forgive the Chaos/Rima thing. I can forgive Percy. I am having a harder time with feeling Blythe and Aris' romance was shortchanged. And not understanding what/who Aris is at the end.
But the rest? It was fantastic. I adored Blythe. I was satisfied with how the reincarnation was handled (which was my main worry). I swooned over Aris. My heart warmed over the romance. I loved it more than Foxglove (Belladonna remains supreme, although I dearly hoped this would rise to the top). So there are hiccups, but I'm overall content. Not bursting with happiness, but content-- and hopeful for a spin off, bonus content, novella, sequel, give me anything!
She became my favorite lead of this trilogy. I loved her spunk, wit, kindness, and her resolve. She led heart first every step of the way, and gosh how I loved her for it.
I do not like the reincarnation trope, so I entered with trepidation but left the narrative mostly satisfied (minus a hiccup in the epilogue). I wanted the trope to play out like InuYasha, where Kagome ensures she is respected as her own person, that just because she looks like Kikyo due to the reincarnated soul, she is not confused as such. She is Kagome, not Kikyo. And, for the most part, this narrative ensures Blythe is always Blythe. There is a moment when a character seeks forgiveness for the past, but Blythe is quick to note it's not up to her. It's up to the first Life. Who is only but a small part of soul, a soul that carries many lives, but is ultimately made up of Blythe alone. In a way, it's bit like Doctor Who. So, I was very happy there was no kind of regression into the original life.
Blythe is Blythe. And she wants to be loved for her.
Enter Aris.
The bantering, the bickering, the swoons-- it was all there for their romance!
Almost. So close. But....
Truthfully, I'd consider most of the first three parts of this book 5 stars, but some of the last part fell short and it was hard to overlook some issues I took with it.
Major Spoilers Follow
Spoiler
Let's begin with the almost perfect romance. I have to admit I did set the bar high, expecting Blythe/Aris' romance to outdo Signa/Death. Unfortunately that did not happen (for me!), because their happiness was cut far too short! We see the beginnings of them falling in love, of Aris choosing Blythe over Mila/Life's memory, but then the dude dies and we only get one happy line in the end hinting at a happily ever after. But that's not enough! I needed to see them happily in love! Not scared in love with Blythe's impending doom.Enter the rest of the issues.
The final line of the final chapter before epilogue gives what is meant to be poignant moment of Blythe smiling for the first time since Aris' death, but like two pages before, in the same chapter, she's shown smiling. I just felt this final part was representative of an overall issue of being rushed and frankly a bit sloppy.
Speaking of which, Chaos and the Rima thing came and went so quickly. Percy's resurrection didn't really land well for me. It was again...rushed.
I need someone to erase a doubt I have from the epilogue, is Blythe looking like Mila now?! Because that feels like a slap in the face in the rest of the narrative wisely hammering how Blythe is her own person, Mila is only but a fragment of her soul along with all the other lives its lived. So I hope that's nothing more than myth.
But it opened up a well of additional questions that is overflowing from the epilogue.
Is Blythe forever an immortal in the form she is now? Aris gave her his years, so she will never have to experience death unless chosen, right?
And is Aris a different looking human in the end?
Is he still Fate?
If so, for 27 years did he remain the creator Fate?
If so, was he like a baby growing up for 27 years, whilst creating Fate?
Or a man, not aging, slowly recovering his memories?
You're probably looking at this review and wondering why I've given 4.5, but truthfully, I can forgive a lot. I can forgive the Chaos/Rima thing. I can forgive Percy. I am having a harder time with feeling Blythe and Aris' romance was shortchanged. And not understanding what/who Aris is at the end.
But the rest? It was fantastic. I adored Blythe. I was satisfied with how the reincarnation was handled (which was my main worry). I swooned over Aris. My heart warmed over the romance. I loved it more than Foxglove (Belladonna remains supreme, although I dearly hoped this would rise to the top). So there are hiccups, but I'm overall content. Not bursting with happiness, but content-- and hopeful for a spin off, bonus content, novella, sequel, give me anything!