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Candi's Reviews > The Bird and the Blade
The Bird and the Blade
by
by
Candi's review
bookshelves: fantasy, young-adult, historical-fiction, ni-book-voyage, abandoned
Oct 25, 2019
bookshelves: fantasy, young-adult, historical-fiction, ni-book-voyage, abandoned
DNF.
I really don't like to dump a book. However, if while reading I am fantasizing about the next books on my list and panicking as to whether or not I'll have time to read them or not, then all signs point to 'this book is not for you.' I was hesitant to pick this one up in the first place, only because it's marked as 'fantasy' and 'young adult'. While fantasy can delight me from time to time, young adult novels often leave me struggling to engage. This became evident with this book as I got deeper into the story. Somehow the characters didn't ring true with the setting - they felt like people with modern day sensibilities plunked down in the middle of the thirteenth century Mongol Empire. Likely this would benefit those readers who would find appeal with the modern feel while learning about a slice of history. The first person point of view didn't help matters any for me either. I didn't even get to the romance aspects of the book, but I suspected they would make me cringe. Teenage angst and all...
I gave up on page 174/410 - a fair chance, I think. I apologize to my fellow NI readers that are sharing this book on its journey! I am just not the right audience, and I think this could certainly please many other readers that have better luck with this genre. No rating - just a plain and simple DNF!
I really don't like to dump a book. However, if while reading I am fantasizing about the next books on my list and panicking as to whether or not I'll have time to read them or not, then all signs point to 'this book is not for you.' I was hesitant to pick this one up in the first place, only because it's marked as 'fantasy' and 'young adult'. While fantasy can delight me from time to time, young adult novels often leave me struggling to engage. This became evident with this book as I got deeper into the story. Somehow the characters didn't ring true with the setting - they felt like people with modern day sensibilities plunked down in the middle of the thirteenth century Mongol Empire. Likely this would benefit those readers who would find appeal with the modern feel while learning about a slice of history. The first person point of view didn't help matters any for me either. I didn't even get to the romance aspects of the book, but I suspected they would make me cringe. Teenage angst and all...
I gave up on page 174/410 - a fair chance, I think. I apologize to my fellow NI readers that are sharing this book on its journey! I am just not the right audience, and I think this could certainly please many other readers that have better luck with this genre. No rating - just a plain and simple DNF!
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Reading Progress
September 18, 2018
– Shelved
September 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
September 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
fantasy
September 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
young-adult
September 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
historical-fiction
September 18, 2018
– Shelved as:
ni-book-voyage
Started Reading
October 14, 2019
– Shelved as:
abandoned
October 14, 2019
–
Finished Reading
October 25, 2019
– Shelved as:
abandoned
Comments Showing 1-27 of 27 (27 new)
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message 1:
by
Luffy Sempai
(new)
Oct 25, 2019 08:03AM
You should've given the book a 1 star and be done with it. Otherwise you wrote a well-inspired review.
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It's always helpful to read negative reviews, and I appreciate your honesty, Candi! I have a difficult time engaging with most YA novels too; the characters usually feel one dimensional and the books written on the surface instead of going under and above, if that makes sense.
I love fair and honest reviews 😁
Thanks for the heads up Candi, great review - better luck next time. :):)
Luffy wrote: "You should've given the book a 1 star and be done with it. Otherwise you wrote a well-inspired review."Thank you, Luffy. I'm never sure when to give a rating and when to mark as "DNF". I wish there was a hard and fast rule for it :)
Holly wrote: "You gave it a fair chance!"I thought I did, Holly! Thanks :)
Jenna wrote: "It's always helpful to read negative reviews, and I appreciate your honesty, Candi! I have a difficult time engaging with most YA novels too; the characters usually feel one dimensional and the boo..."Thank you, Jenna. Yes, I know precisely what you mean! I never really felt like I was getting to the heart of any of the characters.
sue wrote: "I love fair and honest reviews 😁"Thanks, Sue! I find all sorts of reviews to be helpful too :)
Peter wrote: "Thanks for the heads up Candi, great review - better luck next time. :):)"Thanks, Peter! I'm engaged in a couple of really good books right now :)
Shaina wrote: "Very fair of you."Thank you, Shaina :)
You nailed it with those first two sentences 😂
Good job, Candi. No point in reading a book if you're not enjoying it.
Candi, good for you. I don’t like giving up either, but if there are so many others to read , it seems a shame to give our precious reading time to a book, we know isn’t for us. Hope you love your next one.
Great, honest review 👍. Enjoy your next read 🔰👸
Felicia wrote: "You nailed it with those first two sentences 😂"A sure sign, right, Felicia!! :0
Anne wrote: "Good job, Candi. No point in reading a book if you're not enjoying it."Thanks, Anne. Nope, I'm getting better at setting them aside :)
Angela M wrote: "Candi, good for you. I don’t like giving up either, but if there are so many others to read , it seems a shame to give our precious reading time to a book, we know isn’t for us. Hope you love your ..."Thanks, Angela. If I had all the time in the world, I'd read them all, but that's not an option! I am loving the ones I'm reading now :)
*TUDOR^QUEEN* wrote: "Great, honest review 👍. Enjoy your next read 🔰👸"Thank you, TudorQueen!!
BattleAngel_Chole wrote: "great review hope get a better book candi! :D"Thank you, BattleAngel! I've moved on to a really good one now :)
A very fair chance! I rarely hesitate to DNF these days. It makes more time for books that are a better fit. I hope you’re reading something wonderful now 😊
I think you gave it a fair shot. Life is too short for just ok or boring books. Onto the next great read!
JanB wrote: "A very fair chance! I rarely hesitate to DNF these days. It makes more time for books that are a better fit. I hope you’re reading something wonderful now 😊"Thank you, Jan! I have shelves full of books at home that are calling my name, and it's difficult to ignore them when I'm not fully engaged in another :)
Sherri wrote: "I think you gave it a fair shot. Life is too short for just ok or boring books. Onto the next great read!"Thanks, Sherri! My reading time is more and more limited these days, so you are quite right :)
I loved this book all the way, but did notice some modern slang that I normally would complain about, when set where this one was set. For me, the good outweighed that so much I stopped caring, but I can see how it would bother someone not otherwise engaged in the story, for sure.
J. wrote: "I loved this book all the way, but did notice some modern slang that I normally would complain about, when set where this one was set. For me, the good outweighed that so much I stopped caring, but..."I'm pleased to hear you liked it so well, J. I thought the setting was fascinating and really hoped to enjoy myself a bit more. I think it would appeal to many others though!
