Reviews

The Quicksilver Court by Melissa Caruso

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luminositylibrary's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

toolizzforyou's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

biblionerdrflxn's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a finished copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

Each time I read another book by Melissa Caruso, I end up becoming an even bigger fan of her work. The Quicksilver Court was no exception. It was an absolute roller-coaster ride with several huge reveals, compelling character growth, and a rampaging plot that didn't let up until the very last line. At times, it was absolute madness, and the characters experienced some truly nightmarish circumstances while also being faced with terrible truths that threatened to tear the Rookery apart. I did not want to put it down.

I loved that The Quicksilver Court had another closed castle story similar to The Obsidian Tower. I enjoyed getting to know the new court and unravel all of its mysteries. There was just something sinister about the protagonists being trapped in this seemingly beautiful palace with enemies all around them. I liked the heist setup of the initial premise, but things went off the rails in directions I never expected. I loved where the focus of the story went, but I couldn't help also being a little disappointed that the resolution of the initial heist felt so much like an afterthought.

The characters were really put through some things in The Quicksilver Court. Big secrets were spilled, and I came away from this book feeling like I knew the characters so much better. One of my favorites was Severin. In the beginning, he was sort of an outcast on the outer edges of the group, even hostile to being with the group at times. Over the course of the story, he began to understand the need for them all to work together, and his relationship with Ryx was a slow burn that had me wanting to keep shoving them together. Most importantly, Severin's role of leading the animal revolt was cute AF, and him plotting with the cat made me smile.

Ryx definitely had it rough in The Quicksilver Court. In addition to navigating the treacherous dangers of the new court and the strained interpersonal dynamics of the Rookery, she had to come to terms with revelations that shook her sense of self to the core. Her character, and many of the others, too, were used to explore whether people's characteristics are immutable or if everyone is capable of change. So many of these characters carry some major baggage from terrible things they've done in the past. They strive for redemption but struggle with whether they can be better than they once were. Ryx and the others were compelling avatars for exploring these ideas.

Overall, The Quicksilver Court was a phenomenal continuation of this riveting story. The well-developed characters, shocking secrets, and thrilling plot came together to create a story that I found unputdownable. Therefore, I give The Quicksilver Court a rating of 4.75 out of 5 stars. Now I just really hope the last book nails the landing...