Reviews with content warning for Death - Kartiks Schicksal

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Kartiks Schicksal by Libba Bray

5 reviews

bzliz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Gemma along with her friends Felicity and Ann continue their adventures in the realms and somehow it has never been less clear who can be trusted. The various tribes in the realms are brewing trouble and the groups in the mortal world all seek to control magic just as fiercely. Gemma’s dubious control over it wavers as she struggles to find the truth of the matter and do the right thing.

In the end, it is proof that we’re all human and trying to do our best to make sense of the chaos and look forward to a better future.

I’m immensely satisfied with the end of this trilogy. Gemma grows into a woman with her own mind without trying to fit the rigid mold of those around her, as do Felicity and Ann, and it feels correct to leave them exactly where we do.

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laurenleigh's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This was the final installment of the Gemma Doyle trilogy. There were certainly some great parts of badass feminism that I appreciated, but the first book is still the most magical. I think I was a little burnt out on this series and should have given myself a break between books. But I’m glad I finally got the resolution to all the loose ends! This narrator is also quite fabulous. She was so good at all the different character voices, and especially after three books, you start to recognize each voice with ease. I love when that happens. I definitely recommend the first book, A Great and Terrible Beauty, but if you don’t absolutely love that one, you can leave off books 2 and 3.

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emilylovesgoodbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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zombiezami's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-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

4.0

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peytonktracy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

Man oh man, what to say about this book? Mostly, if I were to be short, I would be like "It's about time..." because for two and a half books in this series, there has been next to no character development, the plot just feels More of the Same, More of the Same, repeated three times, and if I hear one more girl complain about corsets I'm gonna barf. But, finally, in the last half of this book, we finally get some character development. Gemma finally starts taking risks, finally starts taking responsibility for her role in the world and in the realms, starts looking inward at her strengths and flaws and stops flitting about sulking and wantonly using magic she never bothers to understand. She also starts actively trying to see her family in the three dimensions she desperately wishes they would see her in, a trait that bothered me endlessly this entire series. The hypocrisy of teenagehood. I also found constant pacing issues, things taken too quickly that seem super important or whole chapters wallowing in angst and boredom. Because of all that, I found the first half of this book a bit of a slog. And because of how long these three books are, I'm not 100% sure that the resolution at the end was fully worth the haul to get there. I also felt by the conclusion, there were so many ends to wrap up, that some of the ones I cared about the most - especially Felicity, Ann, and Pippa's stories - felt rushed and too easy, too perfect, and that was disappointing. I'm satisfied that I got any good plot and character development, but I feel so much of it came at a pretty high cost.

Speaking of high costs...

Kartik. I honest to god do not understand the point of him sacrificing himself for Gemma aside from providing Gemma the out. Like, I guess?? But also, there had to be another, more creative solution?? Like this felt lazy and pointless heartache I didn't even feel because it was all so rushed?? What a bummer.

And while I'm at it,

one of the big critiques I saw in other reviews I looked at was people being pissy about Felicity and Pippa. That it was tokenism, that it didn't make sense, but Felicity had the fling with Ithal, why make them be lesbians, etc. First of all, bi-erasure right there, cool your jets... Second, I remember thinking in the first book "Man it would be cool if they were sweet on each other." While I do take issue that their close friendship for two books suddenly became much more obviously romantic in this one, and I also take issue that yet again, that one of the (could be) cute gay couple got killed off, I don't find is as utterly unbelievable as so many reviewers. Get ahold of yourselves.

Anyway, I am pleased to be done with this series. I would maybe skip this one and if you want to read fun historical YA fantasy, just read the Diviners Series, it's way better.

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