So let me start off by apologizing for putting these reviews together. I am only doing so because the first on was SO GOOD that I just had to tear into the second one before I had the chance to write a review. I actually just started the third and knew I had to get to this before all four books were under my belt and ended up getting lumped together.
The Naming
This novel starts out a bit slow. I wasn't sure what to expect, but page by page I realized the beauty in Ms Croggon's writing. Shortly after the two main character's meet, their personalities and histories start unraveling at a beautiful pace. As they get to know each other, the reader gets to know them as well. It's fun exploring the relationship and world alongside them, not knowing or being able to truly speculate what was coming next.
The pacing of the story was interesting. On one hand it was slow and on the other it was action packed. This was accomplished because of the main character's lack of knowledge about everything. The reader is introduced to many details, but they don't bog down the story because they are presented as exciting observations. The mix of summary and dialogue was just perfect. All together, I think that her writing style is incredible.
I especially like that Ms. Croggon includes things that many other writers forget or chose to leave out. For example, the main character starts her period and thinks she is dying because she never had a mother to teach her about menstruation. Not only does she bring this issue up here, but she every now and again will have the main character mention that she had just started her period again and was grouchy because of it. One of my favorite parts (though I don't recall if it was the first or second book) was when the main character was traveling and upset that she had no way to take a shower and clean up after the smell of the bleeding. I have always wondered about just that in any fantasy book that I have read, and I am so happy that she doesn't skirt from such a natural issue.
The Riddle
I can't imagine how Ms. Croggon is going to top this book, it was beyond amazing. Her writing is clear and imaginative and enthralling on the reader. Every page made me want to read the next so much faster, but at the same time I wanted to savor every word. So much happened in this book. I laughed, I cried, I made sneak peaks to random pages trying to find out who was alive or dead. Ms. Croggon explored sexual tensions between the main characters without really exploring them explicitly. She brought new characters into the story that enhanced the existing ones, threw in more than one awesome twist, and made every word in the story count. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that I get confused about what everything is. This is my fault though because Ms. Croggon has a clear map included in the second book, it is just the strange names that I get mixed up every now and again.
I have so much I want to say, but I don't want to give any details of the book away. So, after you read this I need you to either run to your local bookstore and purchase the entire series, or search the net for a copy.
No comments:
Post a Comment