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wjlongiii's reviews
107 reviews
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Prey of the Huntress by E.M. Kkoulla
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As with the previous title, Prey of the Huntress is a deftly constructed tale that honors mythology while taking it in both inventive and unforeseen directions. The prose remains excellent as do the characterizations. In this book, supporting characters like Raven and Milo take roles closer to the story's center while Maia moves into the backseat (or so it felt to me).
That is where my concerns with the novel take place. Maia has not been a character to drive the plot in this series, though I feel getting there will be part of her ongoing arc. However, with this book, she is almost a non-factor. The story's events are continuously happening to her and she seems to have little agency. That in itself is not a problem. It works that way with many mortals in ancient myth, only here, as the book continues, the story pulls away from her, beginning a new plotline that, while I found vastly more interesting than hers, has seemingly nothing to do with Maia's plight from this book or the first. I understand the structure Prey of the Huntress holds, it just seemed like another character's novel was intercut between the chapters of this one, and that I found a bit more distracting than I would have preferred.
I still enjoyed my time with the book and if you're looking for a mythological fiction tale, this series is hard to beat. On to the Trials of Neptune... 3.5/5 (rounded to 4)
That is where my concerns with the novel take place. Maia has not been a character to drive the plot in this series, though I feel getting there will be part of her ongoing arc. However, with this book, she is almost a non-factor. The story's events are continuously happening to her and she seems to have little agency. That in itself is not a problem. It works that way with many mortals in ancient myth, only here, as the book continues, the story pulls away from her, beginning a new plotline that, while I found vastly more interesting than hers, has seemingly nothing to do with Maia's plight from this book or the first. I understand the structure Prey of the Huntress holds, it just seemed like another character's novel was intercut between the chapters of this one, and that I found a bit more distracting than I would have preferred.
I still enjoyed my time with the book and if you're looking for a mythological fiction tale, this series is hard to beat. On to the Trials of Neptune... 3.5/5 (rounded to 4)
Arcadia Falls by Ken Stark
4.0
Arcadia Falls has a solid setup and begins with decent premise, but it trips itself up juggling too many characters, social buzzwords and collapses under the weight of trying to do too much.
Law Unto Herself: The Stolen by Jennifer L. Barnes
4.0
I love this book. Miss Barnes has found a delightfully playful, irreverent and visceral flavor and it makes reading about Forest, Hawk, Gabriel...and even Wynn a thoroughly enjoyable affair.
Miss Barnes, grasp on her characters and interweaving plotlines grows stronger and the novel progresses which makes up for some hiccups in the early chapters, so if you hit a few bumps keep going.
I look forward to her next outing. Hopefully, now that introductions are done and the characters are raring to go, she'll can really let loose and show us what she, and Forest can do.
Miss Barnes, grasp on her characters and interweaving plotlines grows stronger and the novel progresses which makes up for some hiccups in the early chapters, so if you hit a few bumps keep going.
I look forward to her next outing. Hopefully, now that introductions are done and the characters are raring to go, she'll can really let loose and show us what she, and Forest can do.