Review: WINTERKEEP by Kristin Cashore

 

Rating: 4/5 stars

I love the Graceling books, and I was so excited to hear that a fourth book was being published. This was truly my most anticipated book of 2021 and I only just heard about it two months prior to its release.

Bitterblue is one of my very favorite books, so I’m glad that Winterkeep partially continues Queen Bitterblue’s story while also introducing us to new characters and new lands. This book takes place five years after the events in Bitterblue and follows the POVs of not only Bitterblue but also her advisor Giddon, and Lovisa, a girl from Winterkeep and daughter of two powerful political figures, among some other characters.

The coolest of these characters is a treasure-hoarding sea creature! Winterkeep starts out from her perspective as she’s living life underwater and watching the divers up above, and I loved it. It was a very engaging way to start the book, in my opinion.

In this book, Bitterblue has sent envoys to the new land of Winterkeep across the ocean, and they ended up dead under what Bitterblue believes is suspicious and malicious circumstances, so she and Giddon and Hava travel to Winterkeep themselves to investigate. But upon arrival, Bitterblue gets kidnapped, leaving Giddon and Hava to solve the mystery on their own for most of the book. The story also largely follows Lovisa as political tensions rise and she gets wrapped up in some mysteries of her own. 

I love how Bitterblue and Giddon both have fake conversations with the other in their minds while they are separated to help them remain level-headed and get through the trials they’re facing. It’s so wholesome to see how much trust and faith they put in each other. I loved their relationship so much. 

It’s really neat to see the new land of Torla, the continent where Winterkeep is located, and see how they’ve been developing independently from the Royal Continent during the first three Graceling books. They have airships and trains and different technology and language and animals. One of my favorite features of this series is how each book covers a different protagonist in a different country, so the further you read in the series, the bigger the map gets! Plus it’s also cool to see cameos from other characters in each subsequent book. I was hoping here we’d maybe see Katsa and Po again in this story, but we didn’t. The only previous characters who make an appearance in Winterkeep are Bitterblue, Giddon, and Hava. 

What I love about Kristin Cashore’s books is how well she writes political intrigue. Bitterblue has some of the best political intrigue I’ve ever read in any book ever, and Winterkeep is also up there on the list, but not as good as Bitterblue. I could see threads early on in this book that had me giddy with excitement because I could sense all the lies and betrayal and political machinations that were to come. It especially helped that there were so many POVs in this book because one character would mention something that another character previously mentioned, and I was just like, “Oh! I see how that connects!” and then I couldn’t wait to see it play out.

While there was a lot I liked about this book, there were also some problems I had, which is what kept me from giving it the five-star rating I had so hoped to give it. 

There’s a general air of mystery surrounding Lovisa’s brothers (Viri, Vikti, and Erita) that I never understood. They’re kept in the attic and constantly punished and would get in more trouble if Lovisa was seen helping them in any way, and I wish that all was explained. Like I don’t know if something with her brothers was a subplot that got cut out or if the story surrounding them was always intended to be as confusing as it was, but I just could not understand what was going on with them and why they were constantly being punished for seemingly nothing. I sort of feel like this was supposed to be a portrayal of neglect and abusive parenting, but it wasn’t clear if this was actually the case. 

And my biggest complaint: Whyyy was there so much unnecessary sex in this book?? Literally, this book is filled with sex. Lovisa is obsessed with it, and not only that but sixteen-year-olds are talking about sex like they’re experts. . . . That is the only thing I didn’t like about Winterkeep, that Lovisa uses her body in this way to manipulate others to get what she wants. Why does it feel like every young adult book has sex nowadays? It doesn’t need to be there! Not all teens are sexually active, you know! Teens should be learning about the importance of building morals instead of using seduction to get what they want. It’s really frustrating to me, and I’m sad to see this series succumb to that. Why can’t people just court and kiss and have that be enough? Meet in the middle of the night to see each other, sure, but why does it always have to lead to sex in the books? There’s a time and a place for sexy time in stories, and this story did not need it. I’d really like to know what was going through Cashore’s head while she was writing this book because I cannot understand why she would write so many scenes about children thinking about sex and also having sex so frequently. Cashore is so good at writing political scheming that I’m sure she could have devised another way for Lovisa to get what she wanted without her deciding to sleep with half the city. I cannot count how many times sex is brought up in this book, not just when it occurs but because characters talk about it all the time. It felt completely unnecessary to the plot, and the book would not have suffered at all without it. 

That was my main issue with this book, but that’s not all. The last few chapters of the story felt a bit rushed, and there seemed to be some loose ends that weren’t tied up all the way. Some of the most important details that we were waiting during the entire book for them to come to light were left as an afterthought, not even discussed but simply implied that such-and-such would happen. Literally the last two pages of the book I was so stressed because I was like, “How is she going to wrap up this and this and this in only two pages??” And of course she didn’t, which was really frustrating to me that I had read the entire book just for what I was waiting for to be relegated to an unwritten epilogue, so to speak. This book honestly didn’t feel like the end, like there’s more to come about Lovisa’s future and also about the future of the nations of Winterkeep and Monsea with the newfound technology and alliances presented at the end of the book. All of the other Graceling books felt wrapped up at the end like a complete story, but Winterkeep felt left open for more to come. 

I would love to see more stories in this world in the future, like maybe what Lovisa is doing with politics in fifteen years, Bitterblue’s future as a queen who now knows about her bounty of natural resources in her land, maybe a story about Bitterblue’s future heir growing up and discovering even more lands in this realm. Anything would be cool. I will read anything in the Graceling Realm because I love these stories and lands and characters so much. 

Overall, I’m very conflicted about my rating for this book. I loved the character work and the setting and all the political machinations, but I disliked the unanswered questions, the confusing details about Lovisa’s brothers, and the prevalent and unnecessary sex in this book. Winterkeep was still a solid installment in the Graceling Realm series though, full of so much political intrigue and many secrets and lies. I enjoyed it, but I still love Bitterblue more because of the characters and the ciphers present in that book. This series has become one of my favorite young adult series, and I will read anything Kristin Cashore writes in the future, whether another Graceling book or not, although I do hope we get more books in this world eventually. It feels like the kind of world that can be infinitely expanded, as each book is a self-contained story that follows a different character and covers a different location. Winterkeep could be the last, or there could be four more books, who knows?

Review: AMONG THE BRAVE by Margaret Peterson Haddix

 Rating: 3.5/5 stars

In this book, we follow Trey. I like that this series ventures between different characters’ perspectives. Luke is the ultimate main character, but it’s nice to see some of Luke’s friends getting their own books as well.

Trey and Mark, Luke’s brother, are on a mission to save Luke, who we’re not really sure where he is at the start of the book.

Trey is terrified of the outdoors (it’s unclear if this is because he’s agoraphobic or because he literally did not go outside for twelve years and it’s all new territory for him), so he really has to overcome his fears to save his friend. 

There is non-stop action and suspense in this book, every scene ending at surprising points that I did not expect.

This is probably my least favorite of the books so far, just because it felt the most unrealistic. There are definitely more antics and conveniences in this installment than in the first four. A lot of times, things were just a bit too easy for Trey, too many times in a row. There were still some pretty intense moments, but I think because this is a middle-grade title instead of an adult title, the author was able to take some shortcuts that wouldn’t have worked for an older audience.

For example, there was one instance when a thirteen-year-old suddenly knows how to drive not only a car but a stick shift on his first try with exactly zero instructions or help. I highly doubt that. Unrealistic moments like that were purely to move the plot forward and pulled me out of the story, so I didn’t like seeing that happen, but I do think it would work for the target age range here. 

It wasn’t just those moments though; I was also less interested in the plot of this book than I was during the other books. Ultimately this book was about Trey learning to be brave. He took lots of risks to save his friends, and he learned a lot about himself along the way. Self-discovery is great for middle-grade readers, so it’s nice that Trey had such a dynamic character arc here. 

Among the Brave was the darkest and most intense book of the series so far, and also the longest. It also had the most lasting implications for the rest of the series. I really enjoyed the ending and can’t wait to read the last two books. 

Review: THE WINTER OF THE WITCH by Katherine Arden

 

Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Much like my experience with the first two books, The Winter of the Witch left me disappointed and underwhelmed. I am very much in the minority here, and I’m mad about it; I really wanted to like this series! 

This book was honestly a struggle for me to get through. It started mid-action, yet I found myself so detached from both the characters and the plot that I just didn’t care what was going on. I probably should have just DNFed this series after The Bear and the Nightingale, but I pushed myself to continue to the end as I had heard that the first book is the slowest and the story gets more exciting in the later installments.

I don’t really agree with that as there was never a moment when this series was working for me. 

Although the plot does have more of a structure in this book, the slow, melodic folklore writing style remains the same, and I think that was my main problem. Regardless of a story’s characters or world-building or plot, if I don’t jive with the author’s writing style then I likely won’t enjoy the book.

I honestly think the first book can be read as a standalone novel as the ending wraps up nice enough with only the hint that Vasya’s story continues on. But I wasn’t compelled then to continue, and I probably shouldn’t have. I need to get better about knowing when to quit a book or a series when I know I won’t like it, but I wanted to finish the whole series because I already owned the entire trilogy in the beautiful UK editions and also because some of my friends from work were doing a read-along together. And, of course, I am the only person who gave the books less than five stars. . . . 

I feel guilty giving this book only 1.5 stars because I don’t think it was a bad book, I just think it wasn’t for me. But I rate books based on enjoyment and I didn’t enjoy my time reading this. I was mostly just so detached from the characters and the story at this point in the series that I don’t think there was any hope for me actually enjoying this book, unfortunately. 

I also hate to read about sexual assault in any manner, and each book in this series has a small scene that involves sexual assault, which undoubtedly soured my view on the books. 

Overall, know your own reading tastes, and if a slow-burn Russian folklore historical fantasy sounds like something you’d enjoy, then give this series a shot. I’d likely still read other books from Katherine Arden in the future, but it really depends on what they are about before I can say for certain. 

Review: AMONG THE BARONS by Margaret Peterson Haddix

 

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

This book was probably the most unexpected of the series so far. We were introduced to a lot more characters and there were kind of two parts to the storyline. The first half is about Luke being at school and getting to meet Smits, and the second half is about Luke actually being among the barons, like the title says. 

Among the Barons takes us back to Luke’s point-of-view, like in the first two books. At this point, Luke has taken on the identity of Lee Grant, and we get to see him come more into that persona. It was especially interesting when we got to meet Lee’s family, who all know his secret, when we previously didn’t think they’d ever make an appearance in this series. 

I really enjoyed the character of Smithfield Grant, AKA Smits, and I thought he had a great character arc, even across this short of a book. As Lee’s brother, he knows that Lee is really dead, but he suspects foul play was involved. Can Luke really trust Smits? This book has a lot of secrets and mistrust and false alliances, moreso than in the previous installments, which I loved to read about. 

As a reader of primarily adult books at this point in my life and used to the subtlety of clues presented in those books, some of the foreshadowing here seemed a bit heavy-handed to me, but I think it would be great for someone actually in the 8-12 age range who’s still getting used to solving the mystery along with the book. And I will admit that there were still some reveals that caught me off-guard, so kudos to Haddix for that. 

I can’t decide yet which book in this series is my favorite so far as they are all pretty much equally awesome, but it might be this one if I was forced to choose. Each book in the Shadow Children series is so gripping and fast-paced and entertaining. It’s clear to me the direction the series is taking and what the overall ending will be, but I’m still looking forward to reading the next three books and seeing how it all plays out. 

Review: AMONG THE BETRAYED by Margaret Peterson Haddix

 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Unlike the first two books that follow Luke's story, Among the Betrayed follows Nina, who was a minor character in Among the Impostors. 

I’ve noticed that the titles of the books kind of foreshadow something about that book. In Among the Hidden, Luke was hidden and was with another girl who was also to remain hidden. In Among the Impostors, Luke was with others who were impostors (third children with fake IDs) like him. And now in Among the Betrayed, Nina is with others who are betrayed. It’s a theme, and it has me speculating about the direction the series will take based on later book titles. 

Nina is given the opportunity to spy for the population police in this story. Forced into it is more like it because she can either spy, or die. It was interesting following her instead of Luke, knowing Luke is still out there somewhere doing his own thing. 

I’m glad Nina’s storyline intersected with Luke’s storyline in the end. (This isn’t really a spoiler because it was obvious and implied this was going to happen in the beginning.)

I can’t wait to read more of this series!

Review: AMONG THE IMPOSTORS by Margaret Peterson Haddix

 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Something’s wrong with me when a book written for 8-12 year-olds is more appealing to me as a 25-year-old woman than some of the adult books I’ve read.

I loved Margaret Peterson Haddix when I was younger, and while I read and enjoyed Among the Hidden back then, I never managed to read any more books in the series until now, over a decade later.

I didn’t really enjoy the beginning of Among the Impostors. It starts out with Luke at a new school and he’s constantly being bullied and so much stuff doesn’t make sense, like why are there zero friendly kids, and why are none of the teachers even remotely nice or helpful, and how can they let Luke continue to be bullied and just ignore it. That part read very young and felt rather immature and unrealistic to me. But as I continued reading the story, things started to make more sense, and I started to understand why the school is the way it is and why teachers and students act the way they do. You really have to get through the beginning and get to some of the reveals before you can appreciate and understand why the beginning is the way it is. 

There’s an underlying mystery that starts to surface as well, and Luke gets more comfortable in his new life, and it didn’t feel so unrealistic anymore. And I gotta say, the mystery had me genuinely curious and guessing what would happen, which I appreciated. 

Among the Impostors was highly engaging and I flew through it. Like I stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish it, which I rarely do because I’m never that invested in what I read, apparently. If it wasn’t for the drag at the beginning, this book would be getting five stars. I’m very excited to continue on with the series now and see how Luke’s story progresses. 

Review: AMONG THE HIDDEN by Margaret Peterson Haddix

 

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Margaret Peterson Haddix was one of my favorite authors when I was little, and I read almost all of her books. I remember thinking this one was about average, liking it more than some but also less than some other of her books. For some reason though, I never continued the series beyond Among the Hidden.

Now, thirteen-ish years later, maybe longer, I don’t really know, I finally decided to reread this book. And it was so much fun! I ended up liking it better now than I originally did.

Luke is the third child in a society where having more than two children is illegal and forbidden. He must stay hidden, for no one outside his parents and two older brothers can know that he exists. But then he meets another third child next door. . . . 

Luke was an enjoyable character and the plot was engaging throughout the novel. I actually forgot most of the details of the book, including the ending, so it felt like I was reading a brand new book.

I’m so glad I reread Among the Hidden, and now I’m ready to finally continue on and finish the Shadow Children Sequence. And maybe I’ll reread some more of Margaret Peterson Haddix’s books while I’m at it because her books never fail to entertain me. 

Review: THE GIRL IN THE TOWER by Katherine Arden

 

Rating: 3/5 stars

After being disappointed with The Bear and the Nightingale, I wasn’t sure how much I would like its sequel, The Girl in the Tower.

The first book had a lot of set up and character introductions, so I had hoped the second book would be more plot-focused now that we know the setting. The beginning, for me, was still pretty slow. It wasn’t until part two that it started to pick up, and then I did start to enjoy the story more.

I liked seeing Vasya masquerade as a boy, especially during a time when that was seen as scandalous and unaccepted. She has turned into a BA heroine that we all love to see in fantasy stories.

I loved Vasya’s relationship with her horse, Solovey, and I enjoyed her being able to communicate with him. 

One thing that intrigued me was the phoenix on the cover of books two and three, and we finally get to see what that means toward the end of this book. I love phoenixes. It was a very interesting character that obviously will be more present in the final volume. 

Even though I liked this book slightly better than the first, I still didn’t love it. I think my problem is that the slow and melodic storytelling present in folktales and replicated here just isn’t my style. I like to see more detail than what we get here, and I prefer a more engaging and quick-paced storyline. Like I mentioned in my review of The Bear and the Nightingale, this series reads a lot like Uprooted and Spinning Silver to me, both the same atmospheric fairytale-type story. And I didn’t like either of those books. I think it’s just something about this style of writing that doesn’t work for me. Instead of now wanting to read more Russian folktale-inspired literature, I specifically do not want to read such, if they’re going to read like Katherine Arden’s books do.

I still do plan to finish out the trilogy and start The Winter of the Witch pretty soon, and I hope that one will be more to my liking, but I suspect it will be more of the same and only a mediocre read for me, unfortunately.