A review by sssssoup
Once & Future by Cory McCarthy, A.R. Capetta

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

This book was so much fun. It was a great experience and reading it was a treat. The plot, characters, and world building all felt very well developed and it felt very different than a lot of other YA I’ve read.

The main cast members were all interesting and likable with distinct personalities and a variety of identities. There wasn’t a ton of development during the story for them - except for Merlin - but it didn’t really bother me. I wish some of the characters in the main group got more page time, but I was pretty happy with them for the most part. Overall I really liked the found family dynamic the group had.

The plot was definitely been done before, and it wasn’t the most interesting one I’ve ever read. I was definitely more invested in the characters themselves than what they were trying to accomplish. That being said, the last hundred pages or so felt very strange to me. Everything got pretty confusing and I wasn’t a fan of the direction the authors went with some of the characters and their dynamics.

Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it, especially to someone who’s looking for a lot of representation. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings