Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 08/12/2023
Published by: Tor
ISBN: 9781529001419
Cover:
This striking red design nicely portrays the epic setting and scope of the story. Although I wish the illustrations had taken up more space, the selling point of this book is its author, so the massive font size used for her name guarantees that it is the first thing you take in.
Writing:
A steady stream of descriptions and world-building information create a vivid picture of unfolding events and the elaborate world. However, the abundance of information made the writing style painfully unengaging and dragged the pace of the story down.
power should not be limitless.
Storyline:
Despite being over 600 pages, it seemed like very little happened in this story beyond establishing the expansive characters and political climate. Only the hints of impending danger and various mysteries kept the storyline entertaining. Even so, no answers were provided for any of the questions raised, making the story unsatisfying.
Main characters:
Kel and Lin are strong characters whose struggles give them some depth and help define their personalities. However, due to the thin storyline and little growth they experienced, I struggled to find their narratives particularly compelling or root for them.
We can all be made to do things. It simply requires finding the right way to push.
Secondary characters:
A rich repertoire of secondary characters supports the grand scope of the story. Surprisingly, I did not struggle to keep track of the numerous characters, but I would have loved it if a few had more depth beyond their defined roles.
Romance:
This was the weakest aspect of the story for me, as the connections between the characters seemed confusing and forced. The characters involved also did things that annoyed me and made it difficult to root for the relationships.
Narration & Audio:
Fiona Hardingham and Christian Coulson enhance this story with different voices for the characters and skilful vocal changes that capture the emotions and atmosphere of the tale. Still, I did not find the solemn narration style engaging, and it constantly failed to hold my attention.
Overall, ‘Sword Breaker‘ is definitely different from Cassandra Clare’s previous Young Adult books. The politics-focused tale, with its excessive details and thin storyline, was a struggle to get through but had its moments. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson is a similar epic fantasy read I loved and would recommend to those who enjoyed this.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
To read other book related posts, click here or check out the tag cloud for more options.