I struggled between a 4 and 5 star review like I struggled to get through the first four chapters. I love the story, but characters and dialog are a little weak. The mysteries are deep and interesting, but the alternating tenses and shifts from third to first to second (yeah, really) person is a bit much. It's a gimmick that feels like trying too hard to be different.
There is a lot to love in this series. There are lots of mysteries and wonders. Some are historical, some are functional, and some are about the characters. Secrets unravel as the characters progress through their own stories. It's amazingly well done, and the mystery unfolds at a satisfying pace with satisfaction at the end. The world is built in a way that familiar but wildly different and novel.
The author is quite skilled in her own way. I would have loved some more dialog, and it's interesting to note that most of it happens between people who separate themselves from the group. There's a character who's supposed to be carefree and funny and well liked. He's fairly important to the trilogy. And he says almost nothing. With him we're told he told a joke, rather than just relaying the joke. The author seems to only let the brooding characters speak. The similarities between all the main characters starts to feel a bit monochromatic at the end.
There's something jarring about the casual sarcastic and self-depreciating tone of the book and the overly-artistic prose tossed together in the same book. I don't mind different, but there wasn't really a reason to it. Sometimes the author would just break into something that felt more appropriate at a poetry reading, then slide back into telling the story.
The book was easy to put down at times, but I'm glad I finished the series quickly and I really did enjoy it. I might not recommend it to the most critical readers I know because it feels gimmicky. I don't think the inexperienced reader could stick with it. But for the occasional reader (or readers who can just enjoy and not over analyze) I'd definitely recommend it.
The Broken Earth
(3 book series)
Kindle Edition
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There are 3 books in this series.
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There are 3 books in this series.
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Kindle price
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Items included:
Kindle price
$20.27
+ applicable tax
By clicking on "Buy now" you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of Use
Sold by:
Amazon.com Services LLC
Books in this series (3 books)
1
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Kindle
$6.37
$5.79
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2
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$6.95
$6.32
Price was $6.32. Current price is $6.95.
3
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$6.95
$6.32
Price was $6.32. Current price is $6.95.
