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A review by hfjarmer
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
3.0
Kate don't read this:
My honest review: BOOOOOOOO. Waiting three years for this book was a big disappointment, and honestly, *House of Flame and Shadow* feels like a cheap version of what we know SJM to be capable of. I had three major issues with this book. First, everything in the plot lined up way too perfectly. One page they need something to happen so that ___ can occur; the next page, that exact thing they need to happen somehow magically works out. I know it's a book, and books tend to have idealized plots, but this is not the same writing we see from SJM in *Throne of Glass* or even *ACOTAR*, where she plants the seeds early and often for the big payoff. Second, in addition to the plot lacking depth, I felt the writing was cheesy and rushed. Hunt and Bryce were on my last nerve; I honestly never truly liked them as a couple. I think they lack chemistry and emotional maturity, especially compared to the other main couples we see in SJM's other work. If I had to read that one or the other "swelled with pride" one more time, I was going to throw my Kindle across the room. So many things were just repetitive and old. How many times did we have to read about Perry’s cinnamon and strawberry scent? How many times did we need to be reminded that Ruhn, Hunt, Lidia, Tharion, and Ithan hated themselves or didn’t deserve the life they had or whatever they were complaining about? The book would’ve been 100 pages shorter if she had just stopped writing in circles. My third complaint is all the unnecessary side plots. None of it made sense or really had any bearing on the plot whatsoever. If she had cut some of that out, maybe we would’ve seen a better plot and more character development.
This is far from SJM’s best work. I must say I am curious about the next ACOTAR book’s release, seeing as *House of Flame and Shadow* Time will tell; I hope that it is better than this one.
My honest review: BOOOOOOOO. Waiting three years for this book was a big disappointment, and honestly, *House of Flame and Shadow* feels like a cheap version of what we know SJM to be capable of. I had three major issues with this book. First, everything in the plot lined up way too perfectly. One page they need something to happen so that ___ can occur; the next page, that exact thing they need to happen somehow magically works out. I know it's a book, and books tend to have idealized plots, but this is not the same writing we see from SJM in *Throne of Glass* or even *ACOTAR*, where she plants the seeds early and often for the big payoff. Second, in addition to the plot lacking depth, I felt the writing was cheesy and rushed. Hunt and Bryce were on my last nerve; I honestly never truly liked them as a couple. I think they lack chemistry and emotional maturity, especially compared to the other main couples we see in SJM's other work. If I had to read that one or the other "swelled with pride" one more time, I was going to throw my Kindle across the room. So many things were just repetitive and old. How many times did we have to read about Perry’s cinnamon and strawberry scent? How many times did we need to be reminded that Ruhn, Hunt, Lidia, Tharion, and Ithan hated themselves or didn’t deserve the life they had or whatever they were complaining about? The book would’ve been 100 pages shorter if she had just stopped writing in circles. My third complaint is all the unnecessary side plots.
Spoiler
Sigrid? Tharion getting married?? Lidia randomly having kids?? Ithan magically becoming Prime???? Hypaxia’s whole thing???This is far from SJM’s best work. I must say I am curious about the next ACOTAR book’s release, seeing as *House of Flame and Shadow*