The Dark Elf Trilogy #2 (Legend of Drizzt)
Exile felt like a transition novel. With the exception of the time that Drizzt spends in Blingdenstone, this book mainly consists of a series of random Underdark encounters, with Drizzt defeating the monsters with his bad-assery and then moving on. There is one enemy that Drizzt comes across that he seems powerless to defeat, which was refreshing and provided a nice contrast to his earlier encounters. It makes me wonder if he will cross paths these creatures again in the future.
Overall, I felt the pacing was slow and except for the few glorious chapters in Blingdenstone, which bring depth and growth to Drizzt’s character, the novel was overall kind of boring. The few great scenes in Blingdenstone are actually what elevate this book to a 2.5 (it would be a 2 otherwise), but it’s not enough for me to really recommend this book. Unless you are a completionist, you could probably read a plot summary of this novel and move on.
The Land of Stories #1
What happens after Happily Ever After? That’s what “>The Land of Stories seeks to answer. If you are a fan of classic fairy tales with a new twist, then you’ll definitely enjoy this series. In The Wishing Spell, our young heroes Conner and Alex accidentally fall through an old family story book and end up in The Land of Stories, where all their favorite fairy tale characters are real and living out their happily ever after…or are they? For the most part yes, but there are still dangers and challenges awaiting them, and we get to experience the world through fresh young eyes that are set on an adventure of their own — trying to find their way back home.
I have always been a fan of fairy tale retellings, and The Wishing Spell did not disappoint (though it is not technically a retelling, more like a continuation and reimagining). Colfer breathes new life into the characters we know and love, giving them unique and interesting personalities. A lot of characters make a cameo in these books, which would normally seem overwhelming to young readers, but as many of them are iconic characters from the fairy tales we already know, they just serve to further enhance the world.
I very much enjoyed the world that Colfer built, and the protagonists Conner and Alex and simply delightful. While the writing is simple, its appropriate for the age group and yet still engaging enough to keep older readers interested. Some of the themes explored in the story go much deeper than you typically see in children’s books, with an especially interesting look at the nature of evil. I look forward to seeing the world expanded and going a bit more in depth with the characters as the series continues.
Since I listened to the audio edition of this book, which is read by Colfer himself, I thought I would take a moment to comment on how well done it was. I’m relatively new to the audio bandwagon, but I have heard both good and bad audio renditions, and this is one of the better ones. Colfer transitions seamlessly between different characters voices (and yes, every character has a unique voice), which makes it all the more interesting. While I will likely continue with the series in print (audio is just a bit slow to take in), I definitely recommend the audio edition to those that are interested.
The Dark Artifices #2 (Shadowhunters)
Lord of Shadows was not the book that I expected it to be. While your traditional “evil villain” is still there, causing trouble and waiting in the wings, the true enemy if far more sinister and working in plain sight. This book was much more about the secondary characters, and less about Julian and Emma (though they still play a pivotal and central role), with great character development for those who stuck more to the background in Lady Midnight. Kieran and Diana play larger parts in this novel, and we learn much more about their personality, motivations, and background. The younger generation also gets a lot more attention, especially Livvy, Ty, and Kit, and I loved reading more about them and their unique dynamic. Alec and Magnus also show up in this book, playing a bit of a larger role than I expected (though I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, up till now Magnus has played a large role in all three of Clare’s Shadowhunter series). And we finally meet Jamie, though I hope to see much more of him in the next installment.
Clare’s pacing is excellent, especially for the large ensemble cast that she has established. There are far more threads to maintain in this novel than in any of her previous work, and I felt she wove them together quite well. She shifts back and forth between groups of characters and simultaneous storylines quickly and efficiently, never leaving any group for too long. My only complaint is that sometimes the timeline seemed to get lost between scenes (i.e. is this the same day, a different day, etc), but it didn’t happen often.
My biggest complaint about the novel, was that I didn’t feel like it had a “real” ending. It felt much more like part one of a single story, and not a novel unto itself. Usually Clare’s novels have a distinctive story arc, with the end of the novel seeing the culmination of a particular goal (or at least a large step in the progress to a goal), but Lord of Shadows didn’t have that. Instead we had a series of action and investigative scenes that progress the story, but to not lead to a singular climax (at least not in this book). Then our story ends more on a down note, with a sudden burst of action and cliffhanger end (which I can only describe as a “shit hitting the fan” moment).
Overall, I really enjoyed the character development and the story, though I would have liked a more definitive conclusion. There are a lot of questions left at the end of this novel, and it’s going to be tough waiting two years for the conclusion to be released.
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(2.5 / 5)
(4 / 5)
