Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 28/05/2022
Cover:
I am not a fan of this cover. I wish the design was more creative and striking.
Writing:
The fascinating concept of shadow magic was what drew me to this book. Sadly, this concept is not well-developed and is slowly established in a manner that had me confused for most of the story. The lack of tension and suspense generated by the writing style also failed to keep me engaged in the unfolding story. However, I did find the transitions between current and past events very smooth, and I thought these added some much-needed depth to the story.
The universe belongs to the curious
Storyline:
The storyline begins with Charlie’s mundane life as she tries to make an honest living and shake off past mistakes. The agonizingly slow pace quickly burnt through my initial interest in the story, and soon my mind kept wandering. Not even the mystery and twists that cause the pacing of the storyline to pick up towards the end could keep my mind focused and engaged with the story. The only thing I found slightly interesting was Charle’s backstory which is gradually revealed during the story. This helped define the motives driving Charle’s character and clarified key aspects of the storyline.
Main character:
From the beginning, Charlie Hall is introduced as a flawed character who makes bad decisions. However, we are repeatedly told and shown this with no growth or development in Charlie’s character. This tedious trait made it hard to relate or connect with her character.
Charlie Hull refusing to learn from her mistakes. Eager to throw herself against the same wall again and again no matter how much it hurt.
Secondary characters:
It was hard to keep track of the parade of secondary characters in this story. Within a few chapters, I was already confused and mixing them up. It did not help that most of these characters were dull and contributed very little to the story. The few secondary characters with significant roles lacked enough personality and depth to make a strong impression on me.
Romance:
My biggest issue with the romance is that the male lead, Vince, is barely involved in the story until the final moments. This made it difficult to connect with his character and grasp his relationship with Charlie. I also did not like that Charlie and Vince’s developing romance is told rather than shown. This did little to make it realistic and satisfying.
Ultimately, I expected to love this book since The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black is one of my favourites. However, this story was disappointing as the writing style, world, and characters failed to keep me engaged. Having been bored and confused for most of the story, not even the slight cliffhanger at the end could make me continue with this series. For those who did enjoy this story, I would recommend The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant.
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