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grayreader's review
2.0
Extreme time jump from where book 2 left off made it puzzling at first. The extremely convoluted magic/diety system and shift in characters made it difficult to get into. Not as enjoyable as the previous two books, but still good.
thereadingtrashqueen's review against another edition
5.0
By far my favorite of the series! After the second book I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to read this one, but I can’t just leave things unfinished, and here we are. I was expecting a seriously disappointing ending, but Charlton surprised me by giving me a beautiful ending that I loved, without having to struggle through the build up to get there! I was surprised many times, and saw a few things coning, which just added to my enjoyment.
The only flaw I can think of is some errors in spelling, grammar, and mixing up character names, but I try my best not to think of those too much.
I have to give a shoutout to the handling of what is basically a genderfluid character; bloody well done. Same goes for the gay couple that we eventually discover/meet. Such a shame their story ended the way it did.
All in all I am very glad I decided to read the final installment of this trilogy!
The only flaw I can think of is some errors in spelling, grammar, and mixing up character names, but I try my best not to think of those too much.
I have to give a shoutout to the handling of what is basically a genderfluid character; bloody well done. Same goes for the gay couple that we eventually discover/meet. Such a shame their story ended the way it did.
All in all I am very glad I decided to read the final installment of this trilogy!
simone84's review
3.0
DNF: Was nearly done but felt no urgency to finish before returning to library. Okay otherwise.
weedleeedle's review against another edition
5.0
I will admit I had my doubts about this book.
The entire series reads a bit like something of a philosophical parable. The balance between order and chaos is not necessarily one of good versus evil.
This book especially compared to the first two can be rather... uncomfortable. I don't mean this in a sense of graphic violence, raunchy sex scenes, or scandalous topics. It's just weird. The worldbuilding is incredibly unique and wholly complete in and of itself. It actually provides most of the driving force behind the conflict of the novel. It's awesome, that's all I can really say about that.
I think part of the weirdness is that the main character is a little unrelatable. She makes questionable decisions and her morality seems highly vacillate from one moment to a next. She's willing to do what it takes -- which is good I guess -- but she doesn't seem to have the redeemable qualities to make over it. She does come around in the end with a strong goal and motivation but it may or may not be entirely too late depending on your tastes.
Also her family is literally the most disjunct family ever and it's just kinda sad.
BUT.
By the end, I think this book entirely redeems whatever faults you may or may not have with the book. I really liked that ending. It was a surprise. A good surprise. The prose was beautiful, the conclusion was satisfying. Ultimately I think it was absolutely worth reading through. I'm glad I found this series again and discovered that there was actually a third book!
The entire series reads a bit like something of a philosophical parable. The balance between order and chaos is not necessarily one of good versus evil.
This book especially compared to the first two can be rather... uncomfortable. I don't mean this in a sense of graphic violence, raunchy sex scenes, or scandalous topics. It's just weird. The worldbuilding is incredibly unique and wholly complete in and of itself. It actually provides most of the driving force behind the conflict of the novel. It's awesome, that's all I can really say about that.
I think part of the weirdness is that the main character is a little unrelatable. She makes questionable decisions and her morality seems highly vacillate from one moment to a next. She's willing to do what it takes -- which is good I guess -- but she doesn't seem to have the redeemable qualities to make over it. She does come around in the end with a strong goal and motivation but it may or may not be entirely too late depending on your tastes.
Also her family is literally the most disjunct family ever and it's just kinda sad.
BUT.
By the end, I think this book entirely redeems whatever faults you may or may not have with the book. I really liked that ending. It was a surprise. A good surprise. The prose was beautiful, the conclusion was satisfying. Ultimately I think it was absolutely worth reading through. I'm glad I found this series again and discovered that there was actually a third book!
hawkeyegonzalez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was initially hard for me to get into because of the 30-year gap from the previous book, but once I did, I enjoyed it very much. In this story, Nicodemus and Francesca take a backseat to their daughter Leandra and her godlike companions. Unfortunately, while Leandra is as equally complex as her parents are, she's not as likeable as they are. I didn't enjoy her character very much, and I'm glad the story spends lots of time exploring other characters as well. In fact, this story is more interesting than the previous two, and I would say overall, it is on far or just a little bit better than the previous book.
jontia's review against another edition
3.0
Just didn't live up to the promise of the first two books. I really enjoyed the magic system in the previous installments, but this one just seemed, despite containing the same main character, almost unconnected to the previous works.
eliwray's review against another edition
5.0
After spending a fair portion of this book unsure whether I liked the new main character, I was deeply satisfied when the author used that very tension to masterfully unpack her themes and build to a breathtaking ending to the series, both sad and beautiful. The story illuminated everything I hoped it would about disability, cruelty, hope, fear, language and love.
worldsinink's review
4.0
Full review available at Worlds in Ink
Spellbreaker is a compelling read with a unique magic system, captivating characters, impeccable worldbuilding and the ability to surprise you with its emotional impact and insight into the human condition. While the last book in the trilogy, it can be read as a standalone novel provided you don't mind being somewhat baffled at first and of course you'll lose out on the full weight of the backstory.
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