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baffledbiscuit's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
gineous's review
5.0
I knew this book was going to be a great one from the first look. The way Vanessa Le wrote Nhika, I could put myself in her shoes. I cheered for Nhika, feared for Nhika, put things together the way Nhika did. Though I haven’t been in the same situations Nhika has been in I could understand where she was coming from at every turn. This book was so well written that I really didn’t wonder why certain things were left out or if they were going to go back to that detail. I could tell it was leading up to answers to questions I didn’t bother asking.
As far as the story goes, every character brought something special to the story. Different characters encouraged Nhika, different characters deterred her, some made her feel welcomed and others made her feel alienated. I found myself reeling at the suspense in situations because I wanted Nhika to be safe, which isn’t unexpected, but I was pleasantly surprised at what situation she was put in. Though I figured things out along the way, it was a completely unexpected journey at first glance.
All in all, I recommend this 100%.
As far as the story goes, every character brought something special to the story. Different characters encouraged Nhika, different characters deterred her, some made her feel welcomed and others made her feel alienated. I found myself reeling at the suspense in situations because I wanted Nhika to be safe, which isn’t unexpected, but I was pleasantly surprised at what situation she was put in. Though I figured things out along the way, it was a completely unexpected journey at first glance.
All in all, I recommend this 100%.
alex_bastow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
k_isadore's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
srbibliotecario's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
steen19's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
I’m sorry…what the HELL was that ending??! It was so good and then it all fell apart for me on the last page. Oh…no.
taralurae's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
justgeekingby's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le, Nhika is a healer, following an ancient tradition using abilities she was born with. Under the guise of a homoeopathic healer, she uses her abilities in secret, accepting payment at clandestine appointments where she heals patients failed by doctors. While doctors rely on science, Nhika can look directly inside a body and seek out the root of an illness or injury. But healer isn’t what people call her; she’s known as a Bloodcarver, feared for her abilities and hunted for them.
When an appointment goes wrong and Nhika gets caught, she finds herself being sold to the highest bidder. Among the buyers is someone who wants to eat her. When she’s bought by a teenage girl who turns up with an absurdly high bid, Nhika has no idea what could happen next. Prepared to run for it at the first opportunity, she’s stunned when she finds she’s been bought by one of the wealthiest families to help heal a man in a coma.
The more time she spends with the siblings and their bodyguard, she realises there is more going on, and she eventually learns that the injured man is the only witness to their father’s murder. As Nhika works to help heal her patient, she struggles with her past, and identity as a Bloodcarver. Her limited training might be her undoing, and as she seeks help, she unwittingly puts herself in danger. Is the enigmatic yet confusing physician’s aide, Ven Kochin, someone she can trust or someone who will destroy her?
The Last Bloodcarver is an ambitious fantasy novel that aims to mix elements of fantasy, folklore and science. It’s a bold task and one that Le accomplishes well. I think what makes it work is that Le doesn’t try to blend the scientific and fantasy elements too much. For example, Nhika’s training, while spotty, is very different to the medical training of a doctor. This means that she has no medical jargon for what is happening in the body, and that allows Le to wash over a lot of science through her protagonist’s ignorance.
While that may seem like a convenient way to avoid dealing with the subject, Le’s character-building is solid, and it is completely fitting with Nhika’s character that she does not know these things. Le also introduces other information that shows further merging of science and fantasy, but that is a spoiler, and you’ll need to read The Last Bloodcarver for yourself to find out more 😉
There are many layers to this book, and through the characters and sub-plots, Le tackles many difficult themes and topics in The Last Bloodcarver. These include but are not limited to grief, trauma, generational trauma and genocide. I’ve not seen anyone else list this as dark fantasy, however, due to some of the content in it, I feel that it fits that genre.
The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le offers unique world-building, characters you will grow to love and a story that will draw you in.
When an appointment goes wrong and Nhika gets caught, she finds herself being sold to the highest bidder. Among the buyers is someone who wants to eat her. When she’s bought by a teenage girl who turns up with an absurdly high bid, Nhika has no idea what could happen next. Prepared to run for it at the first opportunity, she’s stunned when she finds she’s been bought by one of the wealthiest families to help heal a man in a coma.
The more time she spends with the siblings and their bodyguard, she realises there is more going on, and she eventually learns that the injured man is the only witness to their father’s murder. As Nhika works to help heal her patient, she struggles with her past, and identity as a Bloodcarver. Her limited training might be her undoing, and as she seeks help, she unwittingly puts herself in danger. Is the enigmatic yet confusing physician’s aide, Ven Kochin, someone she can trust or someone who will destroy her?
The Last Bloodcarver is an ambitious fantasy novel that aims to mix elements of fantasy, folklore and science. It’s a bold task and one that Le accomplishes well. I think what makes it work is that Le doesn’t try to blend the scientific and fantasy elements too much. For example, Nhika’s training, while spotty, is very different to the medical training of a doctor. This means that she has no medical jargon for what is happening in the body, and that allows Le to wash over a lot of science through her protagonist’s ignorance.
While that may seem like a convenient way to avoid dealing with the subject, Le’s character-building is solid, and it is completely fitting with Nhika’s character that she does not know these things. Le also introduces other information that shows further merging of science and fantasy, but that is a spoiler, and you’ll need to read The Last Bloodcarver for yourself to find out more 😉
There are many layers to this book, and through the characters and sub-plots, Le tackles many difficult themes and topics in The Last Bloodcarver. These include but are not limited to grief, trauma, generational trauma and genocide. I’ve not seen anyone else list this as dark fantasy, however, due to some of the content in it, I feel that it fits that genre.
The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le offers unique world-building, characters you will grow to love and a story that will draw you in.
Content Warnings
bea_reads_books's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Wow okay first of all I listened to this book on audio and I was a little apprehensive when I saw it was eleven hours long because my attention span isn’t great and I struggle with books any longer than nine hours. BUT this book grabbed me right from the jump and did not feel as long as it was at all. I can’t remember the last time I listened to an audiobook this long and didn’t feel like at least the first half was a slog. It wasn’t even particularly action-packed or anything (which I often find exhausting and consequently difficult to enjoy). I think the author’s creative mind and writing style just really worked for me. Additionally, I really thought I had everything figured out. The two major plot twists weren’t that hard to guess (not in a “too obvious” way, but in a “this was set up well so it’s not too hard to follow the clues” way). So here I was thinking it was pretty straightforward and nothing could surprise me, and then the epilogue hit me like a truck 😵💫