Reviewed by dragononabook on
This book was a mixed bag at times. There were some really, really good things, and some not so great things.
The good!
-Phoenixes! They're such an underappreciated creature in fantasy novels, and I really liked the way he built on the lore
-Specter vs celestial: this distinction between source of power is super interesting, and seeing the ways that powers manifest, and how this affects society.
-Emil: he spoke to me so much as a character, and I think it's super important to have characters like him in fantasy stories
The not so good...
-Brighton: I have to say, I didn't really like his character. He was fairly ignorant of the problems around him, and I especially didn't like his reaction to Emil's reveal, I felt it was extraordinarily selfish.
-the development: I feel like there's so much crammed into this world that could have been built on, but that took a sideline to focus on side characters. I'd definitely tear through a guide to the types of magical beings, or even just phoenixes, in this world.
The ugly (AKA the stuff I'm not sure about)
-Ness: Ness POV chapters start showing up fairly early in the book, and yet I still don't know what to think of him. I get that he's supposed to be that kind of character, and I did appreciate the twist that was revealed, but I also feel like there's a fair bit of development he needs to undergo in a way that doesn't often happen in this age range.
-Maribelle: I think Maribelle was an interesting character, until her parentage was revealed. It all felt a little surprising, especially since it seems fairly unrealistic for her to be a Spell Walker and yet not have her phoenix powers come out in the heat of battle previously.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to fantasy lovers, however I do wish that there had been more development.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- Finished reading
- 17 May, 2019: Reviewed
