3.5/5. I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. There were a lot of pros, but even more cons.
Pros:
-Cover art and maps are GORGEOUS, and set a really cool Roaring 20s mixed with Dutch old world vibe (yay for Delft ware!!)
- Female voices were strong in this book, and other overarching themes like persecution of witches by churches and governments spoke a lot on humanity’s past
- Magic!
- The first 25% of the novel was FANTASTIC both with character development and world building
Cons:
- The last 75% was a bit of a mess for two major reasons: It was 100 pages too long and the characterizations started blending into one consistent personality.
- Too many POVs and short chapters which added to the previous point.
- Almost every male character was a BAD MAN! Feminist lit doesn’t have to do this to establish a point.
- A ton of repetitive action sequences that lent nothing to the story and made me start skimming.
- Lack of world building and magic development past the first 25%. I’m still not sure if we were supposed to be in a Roaring 20’s time or Victorian London. Was a bit back and forth on this and that really messed with immersion. I still have no idea what concept the magic is supposed to be.
- Finally, the replacement of mothers and fathers with dames and sires. Just. Sigh.
Over all, this WAS a decent edition to the YA fantasy genre and I’m happy I read it. However, overall disappoint means I’m unlikely to pick up the sequel.
Pros:
-Cover art and maps are GORGEOUS, and set a really cool Roaring 20s mixed with Dutch old world vibe (yay for Delft ware!!)
- Female voices were strong in this book, and other overarching themes like persecution of witches by churches and governments spoke a lot on humanity’s past
- Magic!
- The first 25% of the novel was FANTASTIC both with character development and world building
Cons:
- The last 75% was a bit of a mess for two major reasons: It was 100 pages too long and the characterizations started blending into one consistent personality.
- Too many POVs and short chapters which added to the previous point.
- Almost every male character was a BAD MAN! Feminist lit doesn’t have to do this to establish a point.
- A ton of repetitive action sequences that lent nothing to the story and made me start skimming.
- Lack of world building and magic development past the first 25%. I’m still not sure if we were supposed to be in a Roaring 20’s time or Victorian London. Was a bit back and forth on this and that really messed with immersion. I still have no idea what concept the magic is supposed to be.
- Finally, the replacement of mothers and fathers with dames and sires. Just. Sigh.
Over all, this WAS a decent edition to the YA fantasy genre and I’m happy I read it. However, overall disappoint means I’m unlikely to pick up the sequel.