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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
''The Brothers had only known what could be, not what would be" - Rebecca Gomez Farrell
I think this has been one of my favourite books so far, this year. It had such a lovely blend of amazing characters, intriguing world building and a strong plot. It was a dense read, it wasn’t even 400 pages yet it took me over a week but I did enjoy it. I only had the smallest of issues with certain aspects of the books, one of which I am going to start with because it did follow me throughout the rest of the novel.
Please, Rebecca Gomez Farrell, show me a map of this wonderful and diverse world that you have created! Later in the book I did start to understand the general area of some of the major lands but it still would have helped at the beginning when we are being introduced to so many characters from many different and interesting lands. Along this same sort of line, there seemed to be a weird thing in this book where Farrell would write the name of a fantasy creature and then give no explanation or relevance, it just seemed very peculiar and unnecessary.
Right from the beginning of this book I loved all our leading trio; Vesperi, Janto and Serra were all such well-rounded and three-dimensional characters with all had their own arc’s and this was all accomplished while never slowing the pace of the plot. I just loved hanging out with them to be honest and the fact they all had their little worlds before coming together just made me become more attached to them before the climax of the plot. I think this was also because the side characters in this book were incredibly strong too, I’ve looked back and there isn’t one that I haven’t loved, they were all fun and well-rounded and I cared when.
When it came to this triad I enjoyed how equal they all were within the plot, they all needed one another to complete the quest they had set out for. The plot really was one of my favourite aspects. I loved what they were fighting and how they manifested, I thought it was such a great idea and gave some real context as to why the people of Lansera have become like they are. I also liked how the idea of Gods and fate was handled in this book too, although I would have liked more explanation in to the God Wars that was mentioned in the book.
Didn’t like the beginning of the love triangle and I wasn’t a fan of either of the romances that became canon in the end – I’m not a big fan of fate being the defining nature of romances and I just never felt that there was any chemistry between Vesperi and Janto, it was just he had a sexy dream about her and then they were in love? Whereas he and Serra has this long build up friendship and established relationship, I just felt like there didn’t need to be a romance and I really didn’t like that the epilogue chapter, from Serra, was about her getting in Lorne’s pants? Like this whole book has been about friendships and the power of fate and it ends with Serra trying to get her leg over with a man she has just met? No thank you.
Although I’m not usually a fan of fantasy sexism, I saw why it was used in this book because it was, in fact, not seen as the norm by the larger population of the people in this fantasy world and was used by a corrupt religious order to subdue and control his people
So, while I did have little niggles throughout this book it was never even close enough to make me want to stop, I could have lived in this world and with our three main characters and their friends for longer and seen more of their creature killing, ‘I’m taking fate into my own hands’ road trip.
I received my ARC from Rebecca Gomez Farrell, Meerkat Press, and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much.
I think this has been one of my favourite books so far, this year. It had such a lovely blend of amazing characters, intriguing world building and a strong plot. It was a dense read, it wasn’t even 400 pages yet it took me over a week but I did enjoy it. I only had the smallest of issues with certain aspects of the books, one of which I am going to start with because it did follow me throughout the rest of the novel.
Please, Rebecca Gomez Farrell, show me a map of this wonderful and diverse world that you have created! Later in the book I did start to understand the general area of some of the major lands but it still would have helped at the beginning when we are being introduced to so many characters from many different and interesting lands. Along this same sort of line, there seemed to be a weird thing in this book where Farrell would write the name of a fantasy creature and then give no explanation or relevance, it just seemed very peculiar and unnecessary.
Right from the beginning of this book I loved all our leading trio; Vesperi, Janto and Serra were all such well-rounded and three-dimensional characters with all had their own arc’s and this was all accomplished while never slowing the pace of the plot. I just loved hanging out with them to be honest and the fact they all had their little worlds before coming together just made me become more attached to them before the climax of the plot. I think this was also because the side characters in this book were incredibly strong too, I’ve looked back and there isn’t one that I haven’t loved, they were all fun and well-rounded and I cared when
Spoiler
any of them got hurt or diedWhen it came to this triad I enjoyed how equal they all were within the plot, they all needed one another to complete the quest they had set out for. The plot really was one of my favourite aspects. I loved what they were fighting and how they manifested, I thought it was such a great idea and gave some real context as to why the people of Lansera have become like they are. I also liked how the idea of Gods and fate was handled in this book too, although I would have liked more explanation in to the God Wars that was mentioned in the book.
Didn’t like the beginning of the love triangle and I wasn’t a fan of either of the romances that became canon in the end – I’m not a big fan of fate being the defining nature of romances and I just never felt that there was any chemistry between Vesperi and Janto, it was just he had a sexy dream about her and then they were in love? Whereas he and Serra has this long build up friendship and established relationship, I just felt like there didn’t need to be a romance and I really didn’t like that the epilogue chapter, from Serra, was about her getting in Lorne’s pants? Like this whole book has been about friendships and the power of fate and it ends with Serra trying to get her leg over with a man she has just met? No thank you.
Although I’m not usually a fan of fantasy sexism, I saw why it was used in this book because it was, in fact, not seen as the norm by the larger population of the people in this fantasy world and was used by a corrupt religious order to subdue and control his people
Spoiler
and I really enjoyed that because in the end this way of thinking is the Guj's downfall.So, while I did have little niggles throughout this book it was never even close enough to make me want to stop, I could have lived in this world and with our three main characters and their friends for longer and seen more of their creature killing, ‘I’m taking fate into my own hands’ road trip.
I received my ARC from Rebecca Gomez Farrell, Meerkat Press, and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much.
I received an arc copy of Wings Unseen from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5 stars
The first thing that caught my eye about Wings Unseen was the cover. It was beautiful and enchanting. Then I read the description and I was even more drawn in.
Within the first few chapters, I already had a favorite character. Vesperi. I know Vesperi is supposed to be despicable but I loved her from the start. I mean a head strong women trying to make her way in a terrible society but also harbors a secret power? Sign me right up. I loved her POV'S. I was disappointed she didn't have that many POV'S in the beginning. I just wanted more of her and I just got Serra which I hate to say but I didn't like her all that much. She eventually grew on me but never topped Vesperi. Janto was also a great character, he had a lot of potential and wasn't a typical testorone filled male. I enjoyed his sections but Vesperi had my attention.
Overall, Wings Unseen was a good book but, personally, I didn't like it very much. I feel the world building could have been more enhanced especially in the 2nd half. The plot was interesting but I found myself confused and it took a rather long time for me to get my bearings. It feels as if the story starts right off the bat and you have to fill in a lot of blanks. My interest fluctuated constantly throughout. There was a few times where I was riveted but then other times where I was dragging myself to the next part. In general, I think some polishing could be done but Wings Unseen is good.
Rating: 2.5 stars
The first thing that caught my eye about Wings Unseen was the cover. It was beautiful and enchanting. Then I read the description and I was even more drawn in.
Within the first few chapters, I already had a favorite character. Vesperi. I know Vesperi is supposed to be despicable but I loved her from the start. I mean a head strong women trying to make her way in a terrible society but also harbors a secret power? Sign me right up. I loved her POV'S. I was disappointed she didn't have that many POV'S in the beginning. I just wanted more of her and I just got Serra which I hate to say but I didn't like her all that much. She eventually grew on me but never topped Vesperi. Janto was also a great character, he had a lot of potential and wasn't a typical testorone filled male. I enjoyed his sections but Vesperi had my attention.
Overall, Wings Unseen was a good book but, personally, I didn't like it very much. I feel the world building could have been more enhanced especially in the 2nd half. The plot was interesting but I found myself confused and it took a rather long time for me to get my bearings. It feels as if the story starts right off the bat and you have to fill in a lot of blanks. My interest fluctuated constantly throughout. There was a few times where I was riveted but then other times where I was dragging myself to the next part. In general, I think some polishing could be done but Wings Unseen is good.
An oft heard and repeated, yet still overlooked, prophesy comes to fruition and those with parts to play in the events that unfold slowly come to terms with the new realities their roles bring in Wings Unseen by Rebecca Gomez Farrell.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Within a world functioning based on relative peace for years after a civil war that divided them and with tensions remaining between the Lanseran and Meduan societies, the fates of three young people are changed irrevocably when the Brothers as hands of Madel, the religious figure they worship and serve, intervene to present a choice that will determine their futures. Vesperi, a Meduan noblewoman, is to be married off to a suitor as her father decrees, but she’s at least afforded opportunities to meet with them and while she enjoys toying with these men she quickly tires of the game, eager to instead explore the ability she’s acquired of being able to wield a powerful silver flame. Janto, prince of Lansera and betrothed to Serra, prepares himself for his Murat, a competition where he’ll become a man, learn valuable lessons, and receive a vision that will aid him in his future endeavors. Serra, an orphaned lady soon to be princess of Lansera, receives an unusual invitation from the Order to study and after agreeing to go thinking it the only real choice available to her, soon learns that her future is bound to be vastly different than she and Janto had envisioned. As Versperi, Janto, and Serra’s paths become clearer to them individually, their fates and paths are joined together in a fight against a larger threat to their world’s survival; joined by some friends, both loyal and surprising alike, they journey throughout the land striving to stop the threat, learning things about themselves, and their people, along the way.
A story filled with courtly intrigue, plenty of prophesy fulfillment, and plotting by religious figures within a fairly well-realized fantasy world that has and knows magic, but isn’t filled with it, it is driven by character development for the three main characters, whose perspectives rotate with chapters to progress the narrative forward, along with a handful of chapters from stray perspectives that aim to provide more context for where the story is heading, as well as providing some background regarding Vesperi’s upbringing and the kind of world she’s come from, raising some additional questions to be answered while deepening out the level of scheming and stakes of the adventure at hand. Through depictions of Lansera and Medua there’s a dichotomy presented of a world where all are viewed as being of equal worth and another where subjugation of others is common, especially of women who are viewed as objects or property (if viewed at all), frequently demeaned and belittled, leading to the repression of emotions that detrimentally warps their view of self and those around them. While building out the world and what governs how it functions, there’s an element of magic presented that is intriguing and put to practical use during events that occur, but there’s more yet to be discovered about the world and the prophesy that drove the actions of, and bound together, Vesperi, Janto, and Serra; the epilogue hints toward a resolution of their relationship dynamic that had been fraught with tension, though not in a manner that’s satisfactory in addressing how it developed or progressed.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Within a world functioning based on relative peace for years after a civil war that divided them and with tensions remaining between the Lanseran and Meduan societies, the fates of three young people are changed irrevocably when the Brothers as hands of Madel, the religious figure they worship and serve, intervene to present a choice that will determine their futures. Vesperi, a Meduan noblewoman, is to be married off to a suitor as her father decrees, but she’s at least afforded opportunities to meet with them and while she enjoys toying with these men she quickly tires of the game, eager to instead explore the ability she’s acquired of being able to wield a powerful silver flame. Janto, prince of Lansera and betrothed to Serra, prepares himself for his Murat, a competition where he’ll become a man, learn valuable lessons, and receive a vision that will aid him in his future endeavors. Serra, an orphaned lady soon to be princess of Lansera, receives an unusual invitation from the Order to study and after agreeing to go thinking it the only real choice available to her, soon learns that her future is bound to be vastly different than she and Janto had envisioned. As Versperi, Janto, and Serra’s paths become clearer to them individually, their fates and paths are joined together in a fight against a larger threat to their world’s survival; joined by some friends, both loyal and surprising alike, they journey throughout the land striving to stop the threat, learning things about themselves, and their people, along the way.
A story filled with courtly intrigue, plenty of prophesy fulfillment, and plotting by religious figures within a fairly well-realized fantasy world that has and knows magic, but isn’t filled with it, it is driven by character development for the three main characters, whose perspectives rotate with chapters to progress the narrative forward, along with a handful of chapters from stray perspectives that aim to provide more context for where the story is heading, as well as providing some background regarding Vesperi’s upbringing and the kind of world she’s come from, raising some additional questions to be answered while deepening out the level of scheming and stakes of the adventure at hand. Through depictions of Lansera and Medua there’s a dichotomy presented of a world where all are viewed as being of equal worth and another where subjugation of others is common, especially of women who are viewed as objects or property (if viewed at all), frequently demeaned and belittled, leading to the repression of emotions that detrimentally warps their view of self and those around them. While building out the world and what governs how it functions, there’s an element of magic presented that is intriguing and put to practical use during events that occur, but there’s more yet to be discovered about the world and the prophesy that drove the actions of, and bound together, Vesperi, Janto, and Serra; the epilogue hints toward a resolution of their relationship dynamic that had been fraught with tension, though not in a manner that’s satisfactory in addressing how it developed or progressed.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I've been in a rut of reading books that have such great potential and then fail in some pretty major ways, but this book was refreshing in the fact that it didn't do that to me. It was a solid story, made even better by the fact that it was a debut and as of right now, a stand alone.
One of my absolute favourite things about this book is the fact that it doesn't end on the last page in the middle of a sentence in order to force you to come back for the second installment, which conveniently, is already written and suspiciously reads exactly like it was all once one story that someone decided to just split up. Because, you know, you make more money with squeals and series these days. With that though, I think this story proves that if you don't force it on people, they will actually want the story to continue. I wouldn't mind at all, if one day I see this world get revisited.
Wings Unseen brings with it a unique world and a unique plight. The characters are unique and actually have some commendable development put into them, a king who didn't want to be a king, yet rules with compassion and understanding, a prince that is actively doing what he can to prepare himself to be just as good of a king as his father one day, a gentle lady who discovers in herself a desire to be more than what she once thought she would be, and my favoutire: A prickly, mistrusting, violent, and difficult woman, who also happens to be born on the enemy side of the mountains from everyone else in the list above.
I don't want to go into the characters of every cast member in this book, but I feel the need when it comes to Vesperi. If you never make it past the first two chapters of this book then you wouldn't understand why I would call this woman my favourite character. Or maybe you would just rule my opinion out as idiotic and just blatantly wrong. But if you make it past the first two chapters then you can see how she develops, and that's probably the best part of the story, and I think, one of the main ideas behind the book. I read one review that just summed Vesperi up as a murderer and kind of left it at that. What they left out is the world that built her to be what she is.
Medua is its own land now, broken away from the rest of Lansera a few generations back. They are similar to Lansera in the idea that they too have a ruler, (though only really in name), priests, and a God. However in this realm the priests actually control everything, and they do it through manipulation, gruesome murder, and fear. There is also a little magic thrown in, but that only adds to the intimidation. Under their leader: the Guj, everyone in Medua is taught to either live in, or rule by, fear. Women only exist as play things to be "taken" at any mans will, and then expected to slip off without complaint to the kitchen, convent, or exile when the man is through with them. If they don't then they are beaten, further raped, and sometimes killed. Some, like Vesperi are born into a "noble" house. This is the only level of society where the reader will see women titled "wife" or "daughter". And yet, those titles mean very little. The wife is nothing more than the means to a legitimate male heir. She is still subject to being beaten, and raped at will. She is just also expected to be grateful that its one man doing the raping and beating, as appose to any random man from the town coming in to do the same.
Vesperi is the product of this environment. She is violent in thought, (and sometimes action) because that is how she has survived without becoming like the broken women that live in the town, or like her broken mother that lives and slaves in the manor kitchen. Shes learned that its not rape if she seduces them first, and if she learns to read them just right they are less likely to swing a fist in her direction. There is actually a place in the book where Vesperi has to consider which male guard she is faced with because some are more likely to beat her more freely than others. The only person in her small world that she wants approval or even just acceptance from is her father. When she finally has to face the fact that he would exile her without a second thought, she runs. This is what throws her into the journey she finds herself on for the rest of the book. This woman, who was broken in her own way, learns to care about other people. Genuinely care. She not only learns to care about people she knows personally, but she cares about people in general. She learns what its like to be safe in the company of other people, especially a man, for the first time in her life. Her character development is huge considering where she starts and where she is by books end.
If I were to fault this book, it would be on one thing. It feels too much like the foundation to a story. It is so good at getting in the minds of the main characters, and even though some of them aren't as interesting as others, I feel that a good effort is made in this regard. However, there is so much examination of the characters and the dynamics of the group that there isn't much story outside that. For a story that brags of a mysterious enemy that this trio and their friends must defeat, its only really in the last few chapters that this side of the story starts to get interesting. In the end, I felt like the whole book could just have been the set up for the real adventure coming.
Overall though, it is a lovely read. The writing is clean and not convoluted. The characters are dimensional and, for the most part, complex, and the world they live in is explained in some depth. I was happy with what I got out of it, and I would come back if a sequel was every presented.
One of my absolute favourite things about this book is the fact that it doesn't end on the last page in the middle of a sentence in order to force you to come back for the second installment, which conveniently, is already written and suspiciously reads exactly like it was all once one story that someone decided to just split up. Because, you know, you make more money with squeals and series these days. With that though, I think this story proves that if you don't force it on people, they will actually want the story to continue. I wouldn't mind at all, if one day I see this world get revisited.
Wings Unseen brings with it a unique world and a unique plight. The characters are unique and actually have some commendable development put into them, a king who didn't want to be a king, yet rules with compassion and understanding, a prince that is actively doing what he can to prepare himself to be just as good of a king as his father one day, a gentle lady who discovers in herself a desire to be more than what she once thought she would be, and my favoutire: A prickly, mistrusting, violent, and difficult woman, who also happens to be born on the enemy side of the mountains from everyone else in the list above.
I don't want to go into the characters of every cast member in this book, but I feel the need when it comes to Vesperi. If you never make it past the first two chapters of this book then you wouldn't understand why I would call this woman my favourite character. Or maybe you would just rule my opinion out as idiotic and just blatantly wrong. But if you make it past the first two chapters then you can see how she develops, and that's probably the best part of the story, and I think, one of the main ideas behind the book. I read one review that just summed Vesperi up as a murderer and kind of left it at that. What they left out is the world that built her to be what she is.
Medua is its own land now, broken away from the rest of Lansera a few generations back. They are similar to Lansera in the idea that they too have a ruler, (though only really in name), priests, and a God. However in this realm the priests actually control everything, and they do it through manipulation, gruesome murder, and fear. There is also a little magic thrown in, but that only adds to the intimidation. Under their leader: the Guj, everyone in Medua is taught to either live in, or rule by, fear. Women only exist as play things to be "taken" at any mans will, and then expected to slip off without complaint to the kitchen, convent, or exile when the man is through with them. If they don't then they are beaten, further raped, and sometimes killed. Some, like Vesperi are born into a "noble" house. This is the only level of society where the reader will see women titled "wife" or "daughter". And yet, those titles mean very little. The wife is nothing more than the means to a legitimate male heir. She is still subject to being beaten, and raped at will. She is just also expected to be grateful that its one man doing the raping and beating, as appose to any random man from the town coming in to do the same.
Vesperi is the product of this environment. She is violent in thought, (and sometimes action) because that is how she has survived without becoming like the broken women that live in the town, or like her broken mother that lives and slaves in the manor kitchen. Shes learned that its not rape if she seduces them first, and if she learns to read them just right they are less likely to swing a fist in her direction. There is actually a place in the book where Vesperi has to consider which male guard she is faced with because some are more likely to beat her more freely than others. The only person in her small world that she wants approval or even just acceptance from is her father. When she finally has to face the fact that he would exile her without a second thought, she runs. This is what throws her into the journey she finds herself on for the rest of the book. This woman, who was broken in her own way, learns to care about other people. Genuinely care. She not only learns to care about people she knows personally, but she cares about people in general. She learns what its like to be safe in the company of other people, especially a man, for the first time in her life. Her character development is huge considering where she starts and where she is by books end.
If I were to fault this book, it would be on one thing. It feels too much like the foundation to a story. It is so good at getting in the minds of the main characters, and even though some of them aren't as interesting as others, I feel that a good effort is made in this regard. However, there is so much examination of the characters and the dynamics of the group that there isn't much story outside that. For a story that brags of a mysterious enemy that this trio and their friends must defeat, its only really in the last few chapters that this side of the story starts to get interesting. In the end, I felt like the whole book could just have been the set up for the real adventure coming.
Overall though, it is a lovely read. The writing is clean and not convoluted. The characters are dimensional and, for the most part, complex, and the world they live in is explained in some depth. I was happy with what I got out of it, and I would come back if a sequel was every presented.
You can find this review on my blog.
Disclaimer: Netgalley gave me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating: 1.5/5.
Wings Unseen by Rebecca Gomez Farrell sounded quite intriguing. Fantasy is a genre I tend to orbit around and I was keen to be immersed in a new fantasy world. I did enjoy some parts of the book and I though the magic was pretty cool, but overall I was rather disappointed.
First off, the aspects of magic and religion were interesting.
I enjoyed Farrell’s ideas of a female god and the forces of magic working together in this society she’s created. However, there was a lack of context or explanation when necessary. I understand that in fantasy we’re usually left to fill in the gaps ourselves, but these gaps were too wide and it was hard for me to comprehend what was happening in some moments. I did enjoy the use of magic towards the end of the book more so.
The characters have specific voices, which was great in guiding the story across three perspectives.
Wings Unseen features three voices: Janto, the heir to the throne; Serra, the prince’s betrothed; and Vesperi, the daughter of a Meduan lord. I had a lot of hope for these characters considering the trials they were about to face, but there were inconsistencies with their development and I found the short and quick shifts between them to be jarring. Their development was better towards the end though, and I particularly liked reading Serra’s perspective. Also, a couple of the plot directions and changing relationships added an element of surprise I enjoyed.
The lack of world-building and descriptions was frustrating.
It could be because there was no map, but I found this world to be completely messy and confusing. There wasn’t much in regards to orienting the reader with the land, or longer descriptions about the Meduans, the Lanserim and the other races. The politics between these countries was also left to the imagination.
Basically, this book is in need of further polishing as quite a few sections were convoluted. I had to reread many sections to fully understand what was occurring simply because sentences were too long or descriptions were confusing. An example of a description I questioned is: “Uzziel waved the club so lustily that he drooled.”
Furthermore, the opening chapter simply does not work. It will either turn readers away or leave them confused. Upon reading, it felt like walking into the middle of Game of Thrones season 2 and being expected to know the politics, relationships and issues within the world. Also, it is marketed to young adults, yet some sections feel like they were closer to New Adult, whereas other parts catered to more Middle Grade. It was all over the place and I found it difficult to pinpoint the audience.
Overall, Wings Unseen has an interesting story that would benefit from more descriptions about the world itself and polishing of the text so it’s more comprehensive for the reader. Farrell has created some really cool characters and I would love to see them fleshed out more and given longer sections for us as readers to settle in. The use of magic and religion was also fascinating and it would be great to see this with some more explanation or context.
Disclaimer: Netgalley gave me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating: 1.5/5.
Wings Unseen by Rebecca Gomez Farrell sounded quite intriguing. Fantasy is a genre I tend to orbit around and I was keen to be immersed in a new fantasy world. I did enjoy some parts of the book and I though the magic was pretty cool, but overall I was rather disappointed.
First off, the aspects of magic and religion were interesting.
I enjoyed Farrell’s ideas of a female god and the forces of magic working together in this society she’s created. However, there was a lack of context or explanation when necessary. I understand that in fantasy we’re usually left to fill in the gaps ourselves, but these gaps were too wide and it was hard for me to comprehend what was happening in some moments. I did enjoy the use of magic towards the end of the book more so.
The characters have specific voices, which was great in guiding the story across three perspectives.
Wings Unseen features three voices: Janto, the heir to the throne; Serra, the prince’s betrothed; and Vesperi, the daughter of a Meduan lord. I had a lot of hope for these characters considering the trials they were about to face, but there were inconsistencies with their development and I found the short and quick shifts between them to be jarring. Their development was better towards the end though, and I particularly liked reading Serra’s perspective. Also, a couple of the plot directions and changing relationships added an element of surprise I enjoyed.
The lack of world-building and descriptions was frustrating.
It could be because there was no map, but I found this world to be completely messy and confusing. There wasn’t much in regards to orienting the reader with the land, or longer descriptions about the Meduans, the Lanserim and the other races. The politics between these countries was also left to the imagination.
Basically, this book is in need of further polishing as quite a few sections were convoluted. I had to reread many sections to fully understand what was occurring simply because sentences were too long or descriptions were confusing. An example of a description I questioned is: “Uzziel waved the club so lustily that he drooled.”
Furthermore, the opening chapter simply does not work. It will either turn readers away or leave them confused. Upon reading, it felt like walking into the middle of Game of Thrones season 2 and being expected to know the politics, relationships and issues within the world. Also, it is marketed to young adults, yet some sections feel like they were closer to New Adult, whereas other parts catered to more Middle Grade. It was all over the place and I found it difficult to pinpoint the audience.
Overall, Wings Unseen has an interesting story that would benefit from more descriptions about the world itself and polishing of the text so it’s more comprehensive for the reader. Farrell has created some really cool characters and I would love to see them fleshed out more and given longer sections for us as readers to settle in. The use of magic and religion was also fascinating and it would be great to see this with some more explanation or context.
The description of this book was really intriguing. General plot can be found in description of the book; I don't need to hash it out here.
What I found extremely frustrating was the lack of world building, which stood out more in the first half than the second. Taking a bunch of made-up names for creatures and countries without really giving descriptions of them is confusing and frustrating. Especially to have regular things like butter and apricots thrown in. It's sort of like starting to watch Game of Thrones in Season 3 without having seen the first two seasons, but at least there you have visuals to guide you.
It would help a lot if there were a map.
But, on the plus side, once I started to keep the characters straight, it is a good, compelling story, and it did keep me reading to the end. I appreciate the fact it wasn't a cliffhanger ending very much. The ending may have been a little easy, but the characters went through a lot. I really liked that the characters grew as the book progressed. I'm normally not very interested in religion as an agent of change (although it really could be argued that the religion was really a means of better introspection in the grand scheme of ones place in the world). I was genuinely surprised by one of the characters whose role seemed uncertain. I did like Enjoin and the concept of different "planes" of existence.
The thing that really bothered me the most was the lack of world building, but I think by the second half I just paid attention to the characters and didn't let it get to me as much.
Early Reviewers ARC copy from publisher.
What I found extremely frustrating was the lack of world building, which stood out more in the first half than the second. Taking a bunch of made-up names for creatures and countries without really giving descriptions of them is confusing and frustrating. Especially to have regular things like butter and apricots thrown in. It's sort of like starting to watch Game of Thrones in Season 3 without having seen the first two seasons, but at least there you have visuals to guide you.
It would help a lot if there were a map.
But, on the plus side, once I started to keep the characters straight, it is a good, compelling story, and it did keep me reading to the end. I appreciate the fact it wasn't a cliffhanger ending very much. The ending may have been a little easy, but the characters went through a lot. I really liked that the characters grew as the book progressed. I'm normally not very interested in religion as an agent of change (although it really could be argued that the religion was really a means of better introspection in the grand scheme of ones place in the world). I was genuinely surprised by one of the characters whose role seemed uncertain. I did like Enjoin and the concept of different "planes" of existence.
The thing that really bothered me the most was the lack of world building, but I think by the second half I just paid attention to the characters and didn't let it get to me as much.
Early Reviewers ARC copy from publisher.
I received an arc copy of Wings Unseen from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating 1.5 stars.
The cover and blurb got me interested in reading this book. There are different POV's which worked well, particularly for a fantasy setting. There is a lot going on when the story starts, which makes it quite confusing to work out what is going on and who everyone is. Due to this, I only read to about the 20% mark, and then skim read the rest. This is currently classed as young adult, but there was some content and language here that would make me uncomfortable recommending it to teens e.g. the use of the "c" word.
The author has created an interesting world and magic system, but it feels like it needs stronger editing to make it easier to read.
Actual rating 1.5 stars.
The cover and blurb got me interested in reading this book. There are different POV's which worked well, particularly for a fantasy setting. There is a lot going on when the story starts, which makes it quite confusing to work out what is going on and who everyone is. Due to this, I only read to about the 20% mark, and then skim read the rest. This is currently classed as young adult, but there was some content and language here that would make me uncomfortable recommending it to teens e.g. the use of the "c" word.
The author has created an interesting world and magic system, but it feels like it needs stronger editing to make it easier to read.
Wings Unseen by Rebecca Gomez Farrell was excruciatingly slow. It had great potential but it was lost in way too many details and nonsense. The characters were all pretty boring, except Vesperi who had a good overall character evolution. I wouldn’t waste my time for this one. I almost DNF’ed a couple of times.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free ebook.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free ebook.
*3.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
How to summarize this?.........
Welcome to Lansera and Medua. These two places used to be one before they were separated, putting the bad people in Medua and the nice ones in Lansera.
Veseri lives in Medua. She’s the daughter of Lord Sewyll. As a woman in Medua, she has no rights. She basically belongs to her father and should be spending her days in the kitchen with all the other women.
But Vesperi doesn’t like to keep her mouth shut and do what’s expected of her, and her father, to keep her out of his hair gives her “some freedom”. It actually helps that Veseri can reduce someone to ashes with just a wave of her fingers; though no one but her knows it.
In Lansera, the prince, Janto, is about to get married to Serra but first, he has to go do his Murat (some kind of weird ritual thing that make boys grow into men I guess?).
As she waits for her betrothed to come back from his Murat, Serra is asked to go to a convent of sorts, where she finds out she has a weird ass destiny.
Our three characters turn out to be linked in more ways than one and have to find a way to get along to save the world and shit.
I mostly enjoyed this. I had A LOT of trouble getting into it but once I was, I had a great time and flew through the chapters.
The characters were well painted and even if it took me some time to get attached to both Serra and Janto, they grew on me.
At first, I was living for the Vesperi chapters who I immediately fell for. But I found them to be too rare and short.
There were a couple clichés but they didn’t really bother me.
What did bother me was that the romance was central to the story but seemed rushed; like it was just an afterthought. I didn’t really feel what the characters were supposed to feel…
All in all, a classic-ish story set in an interesting but enraging world with loveable characters.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
How to summarize this?.........
Welcome to Lansera and Medua. These two places used to be one before they were separated, putting the bad people in Medua and the nice ones in Lansera.
Veseri lives in Medua. She’s the daughter of Lord Sewyll. As a woman in Medua, she has no rights. She basically belongs to her father and should be spending her days in the kitchen with all the other women.
But Vesperi doesn’t like to keep her mouth shut and do what’s expected of her, and her father, to keep her out of his hair gives her “some freedom”. It actually helps that Veseri can reduce someone to ashes with just a wave of her fingers; though no one but her knows it.
In Lansera, the prince, Janto, is about to get married to Serra but first, he has to go do his Murat (some kind of weird ritual thing that make boys grow into men I guess?).
As she waits for her betrothed to come back from his Murat, Serra is asked to go to a convent of sorts, where she finds out she has a weird ass destiny.
Our three characters turn out to be linked in more ways than one and have to find a way to get along to save the world and shit.
I mostly enjoyed this. I had A LOT of trouble getting into it but once I was, I had a great time and flew through the chapters.
The characters were well painted and even if it took me some time to get attached to both Serra and Janto, they grew on me.
At first, I was living for the Vesperi chapters who I immediately fell for. But I found them to be too rare and short.
There were a couple clichés but they didn’t really bother me.
What did bother me was that the romance was central to the story but seemed rushed; like it was just an afterthought. I didn’t really feel what the characters were supposed to feel…
All in all, a classic-ish story set in an interesting but enraging world with loveable characters.
Review:
I received this book from NetGalley for review.
Welp, that was the most confusing book I have read all year.
I don't know if I can call it "bad" outright, as there were some things that I did like about the book, yet the plot as a whole felt a little underwhelming. The opening felt like the middle of the book rather than an opening. None of the characters in the first few chapters really grabbed me they were all fairly flat. Vesperi was interesting in the opening, but her sections of the book were not what I was expecting in a YA book, I don't mind reading content like that but I just don't expect it from YA.
The writing was just okay in my opinion. It took far too long for the "big bad" to show up, and I had already started to not care how things turned out at that point. The politics were a little confusing, and the world building was a little weak beyond not covering the politics the way they should have been.
It took me a long time to get through this book, and I must say that I don't really remember details of what happened, things started to blur together at some point.
I received this book from NetGalley for review.
Welp, that was the most confusing book I have read all year.
I don't know if I can call it "bad" outright, as there were some things that I did like about the book, yet the plot as a whole felt a little underwhelming. The opening felt like the middle of the book rather than an opening. None of the characters in the first few chapters really grabbed me they were all fairly flat. Vesperi was interesting in the opening, but her sections of the book were not what I was expecting in a YA book, I don't mind reading content like that but I just don't expect it from YA.
The writing was just okay in my opinion. It took far too long for the "big bad" to show up, and I had already started to not care how things turned out at that point. The politics were a little confusing, and the world building was a little weak beyond not covering the politics the way they should have been.
It took me a long time to get through this book, and I must say that I don't really remember details of what happened, things started to blur together at some point.