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fatimareadsbooks's review
3.0
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my views and opinions below.
So, I found this book very easy to read. It wasn't the best; it wasn't mindbogglingly awesome, but I certainly didn't hate it. Sure, I had a few issues but... we'll deal with them later. There were so many amazing elements - the world, the characters... They were so refreshing to read about!
As always, we'll talk about the protagonist first. I found Brock to be a very pleasant character, to say the least. He was so agreeable and nice, I had no problems reading about him. It's just that, his character kind of lacked depth. He read more like an 11 year old to me. He seemed one-dimensional. I wanted to see what really went on inside him. I just thought his motivations were shallow; I wanted to actually connect, but unfortunately that did not happen.
The cast of characters was so charming, though! The bond between Tipper and Brock was really something special and I actually felt like their friendship had an amazing dynamic. What I thought didn't have an amazing dynamic, however, was Brock and Ashland's relationship. I didn't like how fast Brock found himself infatuated with every single woman he met. I mean, come on. Their relationship was so predictable, and the moment she was introduced I was all, "Yep, we're doing this again." I just wish more effort was put into building up their romantic relationship instead of it just being an afterthought.
The world-building and setting were very refreshing, though. They weren't very complex, and they made this book just what I wanted to read at that moment. The world is very nicely fleshed out - but not too detailed -which I thought was perfect. I loved the overall undertones of adventure and mystery and friendship in this book. To me, it slightly echoed Harry Potter. Also, the author does leave many things to be desired at the end of the book. So many unanswered questions and loose ends... I'd love to know what happens next!
Overall, I thought this was a pretty solid read. It was well-written and had an appreciable amount of action. It has great potential and lots of intriguing questions that I must know the answer to. The main character is kind of too underdeveloped, so what I'm hoping for is that he grows more as a character in the sequel. (:
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So, I found this book very easy to read. It wasn't the best; it wasn't mindbogglingly awesome, but I certainly didn't hate it. Sure, I had a few issues but... we'll deal with them later. There were so many amazing elements - the world, the characters... They were so refreshing to read about!
As always, we'll talk about the protagonist first. I found Brock to be a very pleasant character, to say the least. He was so agreeable and nice, I had no problems reading about him. It's just that, his character kind of lacked depth. He read more like an 11 year old to me. He seemed one-dimensional. I wanted to see what really went on inside him. I just thought his motivations were shallow; I wanted to actually connect, but unfortunately that did not happen.
The cast of characters was so charming, though! The bond between Tipper and Brock was really something special and I actually felt like their friendship had an amazing dynamic. What I thought didn't have an amazing dynamic, however, was Brock and Ashland's relationship. I didn't like how fast Brock found himself infatuated with every single woman he met. I mean, come on. Their relationship was so predictable, and the moment she was introduced I was all, "Yep, we're doing this again." I just wish more effort was put into building up their romantic relationship instead of it just being an afterthought.
The world-building and setting were very refreshing, though. They weren't very complex, and they made this book just what I wanted to read at that moment. The world is very nicely fleshed out - but not too detailed -which I thought was perfect. I loved the overall undertones of adventure and mystery and friendship in this book. To me, it slightly echoed Harry Potter. Also, the author does leave many things to be desired at the end of the book. So many unanswered questions and loose ends... I'd love to know what happens next!
Overall, I thought this was a pretty solid read. It was well-written and had an appreciable amount of action. It has great potential and lots of intriguing questions that I must know the answer to. The main character is kind of too underdeveloped, so what I'm hoping for is that he grows more as a character in the sequel. (:
Follow me on my blog, Book Whizz | Bloglovin' | Twitter
so_stephi's review
4.0
Overall I enjoyed the book. I think the character relationships could be a bit more indepth and more overall back story but that could be my preference as well.
secty's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Oh wow. Where to begin? Basically if you enjoyed The Name of the Wind and wanted to read a series that is seemingly complete then this might be for you… if you can get past the one-dimensional and uninteresting characters.
Brock is our protagonist, and if I have to read about him telling another person “I’m Brock,” I might fling my kindle against the wall. Every. Single. Fucking. Introduction to a new character involved a painful and unnatural interaction. The overall dialogue too was difficult and stunted… far too difficult for me to read. Brock and Ashland announcing their love for each other? Jfc.
The plot is so-so. It’s TNotW with a few unique qualities. The whole thing about the Unchosen was initially interesting but then fizzled into nothing. There was very little of the stress and anticipation I was expecting when I read the blurb. And everyone is so *good*… there’s not a trace of moral greyness in sight. We get detailed explanations of how good these characters are, and it’s just so difficult to enjoy reading about someone without internal conflict.
I so wanted to enjoy this book. I own the entire series (courtesy of Amazon Kindle and their sale). I don’t think I will be back to read more… unless someone can hand on heart tell me it gets better.
Brock is our protagonist, and if I have to read about him telling another person “I’m Brock,” I might fling my kindle against the wall. Every. Single. Fucking. Introduction to a new character involved a painful and unnatural interaction. The overall dialogue too was difficult and stunted… far too difficult for me to read. Brock and Ashland announcing their love for each other? Jfc.
The plot is so-so. It’s TNotW with a few unique qualities. The whole thing about the Unchosen was initially interesting but then fizzled into nothing. There was very little of the stress and anticipation I was expecting when I read the blurb. And everyone is so *good*… there’s not a trace of moral greyness in sight. We get detailed explanations of how good these characters are, and it’s just so difficult to enjoy reading about someone without internal conflict.
I so wanted to enjoy this book. I own the entire series (courtesy of Amazon Kindle and their sale). I don’t think I will be back to read more… unless someone can hand on heart tell me it gets better.
socorrobaptista's review
4.0
Um mundo imaginário no qual alguns são escolhidos para crescer na sociedade, enquanto outros são relegados à própria sorte, uma narrativa na qual o protagonista luta para escapar do destino pré-traçado para ele e seus amigos. Uma história bem interessante.
camam4's review
I didn't care about any of the characters and thus didn't care about the story. The main character seems to just float through the journey for 100 pages with stuff happening around him and it never feels like there is a plan. You seriously walk days to a magic school with no actual thought about how to enroll? The final straw for me was when he possibly was going to face an obstacle and then some random person offers to fix everything for him. I think I could've overlooked some of these issues if the story had hooked me or the characters resonated with me.
emsterino19's review
3.0
I enjoyed this quick fantasy about Brock as he finds his way in a world where he started as an outcast. I would have liked a little more depth; sometimes it felt like details were skipped over in order to keep the story moving. I do look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a Kindle copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
I received a Kindle copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
rat_queen's review
3.0
This is a very simple, straight forward book. It reads very much like a younger YA book. The characters are fairly one-sided, and the plot is simple. I really like the magic system. I probably would've enjoyed this more as a teen. This is not to say the book is bad. It's enjoyable and great for a palate cleanser or if you want something that doesn't need you to really focus on the details.
writeramyshannon's review
4.0
Tantalizing quest!
Brock isn't the only one on a quest, the reader also joins for the magical journey. Brock is a strong character, and is never willing to run and hide. He discovers many secrets, including something powerful and magical. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next story. Never settling for what seems to be fate or destiny keeps the reader engaged with this story. Kohanek is a remarkable writer and tells a great tale.
Brock isn't the only one on a quest, the reader also joins for the magical journey. Brock is a strong character, and is never willing to run and hide. He discovers many secrets, including something powerful and magical. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next story. Never settling for what seems to be fate or destiny keeps the reader engaged with this story. Kohanek is a remarkable writer and tells a great tale.