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gemstonejasper's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I think this would also be an excellent grandmother/mother/daughter buddy read idea because of the focus it puts on those relationships. I think it would be especially so in families that have one or more adopted members.
I would tell people to consider the content warnings before reading this. It's a middle grade story, so it isn't heavy on gore and violence. But it talks a lot about grief, losing a parent, losing a child, mental illness, kidnapping, confinement, gaslighting, etc. I think these are important themes and topics for kids to learn about (especially in that middle grade range) because if they haven't already, they will experience grief in some form. Just be careful and take care of yourself before anything else.
Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Confinement, Kidnapping, Bullying, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, and Gaslighting
alex_wordweaver's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishfoxes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book was an easy and quick read - if I had my pre-2022 reading abilities, I would've devoured this book in 2 or less days. The chapters were a perfect mix of medium or short, the occasional longer chapter didn't feel too long. It was easy to follow the switches between POVs, even if there was still some mystery around some characters.
The plot was interesting. When I read the summary, I knew I wanted to read this book. It did not disappoint.
However, at some point not getting answers to the dozen questions I had got a bit annoying. The whole time you're aware you don't know the full story, and I know that's on purpose because the characters suffer from magical amnesia, but it gets frustrating. Even by the end it still feels like there are questions unanswered.
Speaking of the end, it felt kind of rushed to me. The whole book is slow to medium paced, and then the last few pages are suddenly very fast. It didn't really give the ending the story deserved. It was over too fast.
I would still recommend this book. While it didn't become an all time favorite like I had expected, I still had fun reading it. I'll still cherish this book, think back to it with a smile.
My rating: 3.75☆
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death and Child death
emma_reading_love's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse
rachelditty's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I think if anything, I wish we had gotten a little more about Fyrian's mother and the witch who stopped the volcano all those years ago. I know there's another short-story set in this universe, so maybe it goes into more of that aspect of the story. There was also a point where, when everything was getting revealed, that Antain kind of repeated everything that had already been said, and I didn't really understand why we got that information twice in such rapid succession. That happened another time too, with Luna re-explaining something, both times which I didn't really think were necessary. We also never really get into the more detailed history between Sister Ignatia ad Glerk, which I was VERY interested in.
But I loved these characters! I was really interested in seeing how Luna, our titular character, was going to end up being the center of everything happening. I loved all the little families we got to see, and even the side characters we only saw a few glimpses of. Ethyne was incredible, I'm so glad we got those scenes of her and the Grand Elder.
Some quotes I liked:
"Yes, child. This is a true story. What other kinds of stories are there?" (p. 58)
"'Death is always sudden... even when it isn't.'" (p. 80)
"'Curiosity is the curse of the Clever. Or perhaps cleverness is the curse of the Curious. In any case, I'm never lacking for either, I'm afraid, which does keep me rather busy.'" (p. 122).
"Anger buzzed through Luna's body, from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. This is how a tree must feel, she thought, as it is hit by lightning." (p. 231).
"The material is less consequential than the intention." (p. 372).
"And she drifted away, loving everything." (p. 379).
"The heart is built of starlight/ And time./ A pinprick of longing lost in the dark./ An unbroken chord linking the Infinite to the Infinite./ My heart wishes upon your heart and the wish is granted./ Meanwhile the world spins./ Meanwhile the universe expands./ Meanwhile the mystery of love reveals itself,/ again and again, in the mystery of you./ I have gone./ I will return." (p. 383).
"She belongs to us, but one day her magic will fade and she will wander back into the Bog and we won't have a witch anymore. Only stories. Perhaps she will find the Beast. Or become the Beast. Or become the Bog. Or become a Poem. Or become the world. They are all the same thing, you know." (p. 386).
Really great read from Barnhill! I will definitely be finding time for the sequel/prequel.
Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment
Minor: Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Blood, Grief, and Kidnapping
captainoliimar's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Confinement, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Child death
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Minor: Violence
skudiklier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Grief, Death, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Murder
Minor: Self harm, Pregnancy, and Death of parent
charmingreads's review
3.5
age rating: 10+
Graphic: Abandonment and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Anyway though, this book was surprisingly dark for a middle grade read, which I kind of loved. The writing is really great and the characters are loveable. Fyrian, the dragon, was such a delightful character and I love him with my whole heart. Additionally, I just thought that the whole story had a certain charm and whimsy about it that I haven't encountered in a long time. I think this book has a lot to say about the power of hope, family ties both biological and found, and coming of age. There were some parts that dragged for me and I don't think it needed to be as long as it is, but in general, I really enjoyed my time with it.
Graphic: Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Body horror, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Murder
ashareadsbooks's review
- 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? No
4.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Kidnapping
Moderate: Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Death