Reviews

A Sleight of Shadows by Kat Howard

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kaitlynraj's review against another edition

3.0

I got this book as an ARC and I was finally able to read it after getting to read the first book. I think that the story is great I found it original and interesting. I just found the writing and the plot sometimes hard to follow. There are so many characters and so much back and forth I felt like I had to go back to remember who was who. I also felt like when it got to the good part or the battle scenes or when something tumultuous was happening it was rushed and you are wanting more. The story would be a great movie and I feel reads as a great screen play, just seems a little unfinished and maybe a bit rushed. But honestly a very good book. Original themes, female hero, magic, a little bit of some weird spooky/shadow magic. 3.5/5

timinbc's review against another edition

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3.0

Well, shucks. I picked this up thinking I'd read #1 - but I had confused with with An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon. From what I see in the comments, no harm done. This one stood on its own reasonably well; I've certainly read at least ten books this year that just drop the reader into the story.

So, who's this for? Younger female readers, I think, and I am neither.

The worldbuilding is thorough, although I'm not sure I agree with some of the choices. Bone magic has been done quite a bit recently, and the competing-houses thing is tired. It also puts too many players into the game (alternatively, whenever the author needs a new character, no problem.)

After about halfway, the point-of-view switches started putting me into which-one-is-she-again mode.

Some interesting references. Naming houses after sorcerers? Sure. But Peter Pan shadows? Verenice Tenebrae? And a "Juliet potion" provided by a father-figure named Laurent? I wonder how many others I missed? OK, it's a reward for the readers who paid attention in English Lit - which I guess is a lot of us who read fantasy.

At the end, I feel a bit down because it's such a dreary book. I kept wondering why the magicians didn't have a "what are we doing? This sucks!" moment or two. But then I can allow myself to imagine that it's a political allegory in which, yeah, 40-60% of the players ARE on the doom-gloom-negative track and seem to think a whole buncha centralized power and some killin' will do the trick. So yay for the Sydneys of this world.

kathrynevans's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

The first book in this duologue was a really good book, unique magic that was very creative and beautiful, with the families trying to kill eachother, that had an open ended ending. This book carries on from that, for me this book didn't need to be written. It used the foundation of the first book but was a let down, no epic magic battles, just people scrambling and clutching at straws. There wasn't even a sound ending to the book leaving it open again. But I'm a like to complete series or I would have just DNF'd it.

caitlinww's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

arisofia's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Eh, it was fine. I enjoyed the first book more. The pacing was kind of weird - I have no idea how long events played out, but I think it was a decent amount of time, and yet it also all happened incredibly fast.