My overall rating hovers more closely around 3.75 stars. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was a very well-done combination of fantasy and mystery, with an interesting and likeable cast of main characters. The world could have been overwhelming and confusing, yet the author mentioned the quadrants, queens, and values many times, which made it easier to learn and understand this society.
However, I did have some critiques of this book that did affect my reading experience. The first and most major one being the staggered timeline in the story. The different perspectives in the story were happening at different times, which made it very confusing and difficult to understand what was going on. I know that this was trying to save the information for the big reveal, but dates at every chapter heading would have been tremendously helpful to aid in my understanding of what was happening when.
Another thing that irked me was the very deus ex machina feeling to the ending. Arebella was introduced just in time to solve not only the mystery of the location of the missing heir, but also the mastermind behind the royal murders. She just came out of nowhere, leaving the reader completely unaware of her presence until it was convenient to the plotline. I think it would have been much more believable if she had been introduced earlier, which could have been easily accomplished since she and Keralie both worked with Mackiel. This in addition to the introduction of new Eonist technology and the news of the failed murder just added up to a very convenient-feeling ending.
Nonetheless, I did really enjoy the book and Keralie’s character - I thought she was very well developed with her background information and her reoccurring claustrophobia. It was still and entertaining read set in a world that I found to be very interesting.
However, I did have some critiques of this book that did affect my reading experience. The first and most major one being the staggered timeline in the story. The different perspectives in the story were happening at different times, which made it very confusing and difficult to understand what was going on. I know that this was trying to save the information for the big reveal, but dates at every chapter heading would have been tremendously helpful to aid in my understanding of what was happening when.
Another thing that irked me was the very deus ex machina feeling to the ending. Arebella was introduced just in time to solve not only the mystery of the location of the missing heir, but also the mastermind behind the royal murders. She just came out of nowhere, leaving the reader completely unaware of her presence until it was convenient to the plotline. I think it would have been much more believable if she had been introduced earlier, which could have been easily accomplished since she and Keralie both worked with Mackiel. This in addition to the introduction of new Eonist technology and the news of the failed murder just added up to a very convenient-feeling ending.
Nonetheless, I did really enjoy the book and Keralie’s character - I thought she was very well developed with her background information and her reoccurring claustrophobia. It was still and entertaining read set in a world that I found to be very interesting.