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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
Even though the events in An Inheritance of Ashes are taking place just after a devastating, unnatural war, it turned out to be a much quieter affair than I expected. The biggest bulk of the book consists of the tension between sisters. Hallie spends a lot of time complaining, sulking, and arguing with or about her older sister. That got more than a little annoying. I was more sympathetic with Marthe because between her pregnancy and missing husband, here’s her little sixteen year old sister thinking she can solve everything.
Once the bickering and the whining becomes more bearable, the story does get a little more interesting. The one obvious thing in An Inheritance of Ashes is the identity and whereabouts of the famed war hero John Balsam. It was really that obvious and I’m surprised Hallie didn’t guess immediately. The wandering veteran she hires on her land, his secrets weren’t so desperate. Hallie’s risks weren’t as dangerous as they were reckless. She could have ruined everything for everyone. It was satisfying when others rightfully told Hallie exactly what she needed to hear and to understand. And so in the end, Hallie did grow into an understanding young woman rather than the bitter little girl she was.
There were some things such as the other world where the twisted things came from and the metal ruins of the old cities (they had guns and everything at some point) that puzzled me. That should have been more explored.
The ending really did save this book, but only just enough to be a three star meh.
Once the bickering and the whining becomes more bearable, the story does get a little more interesting. The one obvious thing in An Inheritance of Ashes is the identity and whereabouts of the famed war hero John Balsam. It was really that obvious and I’m surprised Hallie didn’t guess immediately. The wandering veteran she hires on her land, his secrets weren’t so desperate. Hallie’s risks weren’t as dangerous as they were reckless. She could have ruined everything for everyone. It was satisfying when others rightfully told Hallie exactly what she needed to hear and to understand. And so in the end, Hallie did grow into an understanding young woman rather than the bitter little girl she was.
There were some things such as the other world where the twisted things came from and the metal ruins of the old cities (they had guns and everything at some point) that puzzled me. That should have been more explored.
The ending really did save this book, but only just enough to be a three star meh.
Sorry this one does not do it for me at all.
I'd actually rate it 1 star however, the story itself is not terrible - would have made a decent short story but instead it was turned into 390 pages of drudgery.
First of all the book telegraphs so badly...it is so utterly predictable from about 20% of the way into the book.
Second, the main character is annoyingly self obsessed. I realise she is a 16 year old girl, and that comes with emotions and angst etc...but good grief, it's 350+ pages of whining about something could be easily solved.
But the real problem with this book is that it reads like a submission for a high-school English class where the students were told to use as many literary devices as they can in one book and the student goes off the rails with an obsessive use of absurd similes and contrived imagery. The main character and narrator is a 16-year old girl. I have a hard time believing any 16-year old girl relates to the world in way related here in this book - nothing can just be described as it is - EVERYTHING must be described with the use of some annoying and contrived comparison.
The book was hard to finish (but I promised someone I would). Fortunately there are two more minor characters that are somewhat interesting and there is a faint thread that weakly compels you to find out their story. Otherwise there is little reason to continue....
I'd actually rate it 1 star however, the story itself is not terrible - would have made a decent short story but instead it was turned into 390 pages of drudgery.
First of all the book telegraphs so badly...it is so utterly predictable from about 20% of the way into the book.
Second, the main character is annoyingly self obsessed. I realise she is a 16 year old girl, and that comes with emotions and angst etc...but good grief, it's 350+ pages of whining about something could be easily solved.
But the real problem with this book is that it reads like a submission for a high-school English class where the students were told to use as many literary devices as they can in one book and the student goes off the rails with an obsessive use of absurd similes and contrived imagery. The main character and narrator is a 16-year old girl. I have a hard time believing any 16-year old girl relates to the world in way related here in this book - nothing can just be described as it is - EVERYTHING must be described with the use of some annoying and contrived comparison.
The book was hard to finish (but I promised someone I would). Fortunately there are two more minor characters that are somewhat interesting and there is a faint thread that weakly compels you to find out their story. Otherwise there is little reason to continue....
Interesting worldbuilding: I loved the post-industrial, post-apocalyptic feel, the fantasy elements and the nuance with which Bobet portrayed the Dark God, his world, and his prophet, though the god was (rightfully) never the true focus of the novel. I also appreciated the breezily diverse cast. Unfortunately, the siblings' inability to communicate, although rooted in family trauma, grew tiresome and felt gimmicky. Less fraught silence, more visceral action would've appealed to me.
Wow! A dark, different, creepy, emotional story. It takes a while for anything to truly happen, but when it does it’s very interesting. The fragility of the relationships between the sisters, and everyone else, were the highlight of the story.
Beautifully written and very serious fantasy. By serious, I mean the way that it approaches its characters, its emotional depth - a wonderful book.
this was weird and spooky and I liked it! Civil War era aesthetic in a post-apocalyptic America setting with a touch of Stranger Things. there's a war, but it's not about the war, it's about the people it touches and how people become legends and then become humans again. my favorite thing was that Hallie did not feel like the average YA Female Lead to me. she really had her own struggle to overcome and wasn't perfect and has to learn to let people in (her friends and family and neighbors not just her S.O.) and rely on them. and there is NO LOVE TRIANGLE!! I'm only detracting one star for predictable plot twists but I got really into this book and loved it.
Dystopians normally are a turn away for me, but I really enjoyed this one. There was no love triangle and the fantasy element was fantastic. This is a standalone on top of that. It's rather enjoyable.
I received an e-copy of this through Net-Galley for an honest review.
I received an e-copy of this through Net-Galley for an honest review.
I may give it another shot before publication date. But for now I have no interest anymore.