Book #70 of 2021:Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore (Graceling Realm #4)This has always been a pretty loo

Book #70 of 2021:Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore (Graceling Realm #4)This has always been a pretty loose series, so I don’t mind that we’ve jumped forward four years for this latest sequel, or that it basically spins an entirely new story instead of picking up any existing thread. In the time since, Queen Bitterblue’s people have established diplomatic relations with a distant and more industrialized continent, and when the narrative resumes, her agents abroad have fallen silent, prompting the monarch and a few close allies to investigate.The best part of this novel is probably the worldbuilding, with telepathic fox companions, airships, and mysterious friendly sea creatures, all representing a major change from the previous volumes. The downside is that it feels almost too separate to spark my returning interest — this other landmass doesn’t even have any native Gracelings! — although there are definitely stronger connections back than we had between the first two installments. Yet despite the familiar protagonists, I never quite feel totally invested in this plot as an adventure they need to go on and we need to see.Author Kristin Cashore is great at writing a sex-positive and queer-normalized fantasy setting, but I think I want either more action with higher stakes or a return to the introspective exploration of lingering trauma that makes book three so powerful. By comparison much of the conflict here seems superficial and contrived, which dampens my appreciation overall.[Content warning for child abuse and slut-shaming.]★★★☆☆–Subscribe at https://patreon.com/lesserjoke to support these reviews and weigh in on what I read next!–Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter -- source link
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