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jenn_bookstitcher's review
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
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
4.0
sbb42's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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
weak_tree's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
random_shoes's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
anacereading's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
maliaogawa's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sorayah11's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
4.0
If you are looking for a nostalgic book that has charming characters I feel like this is a great series to try! I adore these characters and the plot is interesting enough and has enough going on that I am not overwhelmed but thoroughly captivated! I don't know how I managed to get through school without reading these books but I really wish I had because I think I would have enjoyed them even more when I was younger.
The strength of this story in my opinion is really the characters. The main characters are growing and learning from mentors that are just as interesting! There is also a found family element to these books that I suspect only gets stronger as the series goes on. The positivity and growth that these characters exhibit are a part of what makes this such a delight to read. On to the next one!
The strength of this story in my opinion is really the characters. The main characters are growing and learning from mentors that are just as interesting! There is also a found family element to these books that I suspect only gets stronger as the series goes on. The positivity and growth that these characters exhibit are a part of what makes this such a delight to read. On to the next one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Fatphobia
kitsuneheart's review
4.0
The young mages go to war. In the aftermath of a major earthquake, pirates have some to raid Winding Circle, intending to take the mages as valuable slaves. The four children of Discipline Cottage, with a particular focus on Tris, gather their magic together to help in the defenses and eventual battles. Tris gets a chance to face down many demons from her past, including the family who didn't seem to care for her until she showed herself valuable as a mage. Valuable in the worst way.
I think I regard these books as "Tortall Light." Meant for a slightly younger audience, with correspondingly younger characters, they have far less of politics and not much of romance or sexuality, compared with Tortall. There's a similar magical feel, to the extent that I'm always expecting them to cross over, but they remain individual universes. However, the difficulty of the reading material is quite similar, so if you're fine with reading up or down in age, you can jump between the two series with no problems. So long as you can keep them straight in your head!
In general, a recommendation for any fantasy lover looking for a more tween or YA focus. It may be a bit less popular with girl-averse readers, since it does have three girl main characters to one boy, but that's most of Pierce's books, really. She's an amazing author, and hopefully the gender-focused reader on either side can expand their horizons.
I think I regard these books as "Tortall Light." Meant for a slightly younger audience, with correspondingly younger characters, they have far less of politics and not much of romance or sexuality, compared with Tortall. There's a similar magical feel, to the extent that I'm always expecting them to cross over, but they remain individual universes. However, the difficulty of the reading material is quite similar, so if you're fine with reading up or down in age, you can jump between the two series with no problems. So long as you can keep them straight in your head!
In general, a recommendation for any fantasy lover looking for a more tween or YA focus. It may be a bit less popular with girl-averse readers, since it does have three girl main characters to one boy, but that's most of Pierce's books, really. She's an amazing author, and hopefully the gender-focused reader on either side can expand their horizons.
fletchergross's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0