Scan barcode
A review by elijahs_bookshelf
The Talismans of Teregrin by Katy Metzger, Katy Metzger
4.0
Fans of dystopian sci-fi might find a new favorite in "The Talismans of Teregrine", with its high-action pacing and funny characters.
I would call the plot this novel's strongest selling point. Each sequence feels tightly related to what led up to it, every scene moved the plot forward effectively, and the author has an excellent control over when and how they reveal information to us across the novel. We start the book with a lot of unknowns, and we're fed just enough information a little bit at a time to be continually satisfied with each reveal while still feeling suspense while waiting for the next piece of information. Each reveal makes sense: interesting without being contrived, surprising but undeniably fitting.
I really enjoy the character work in this book as well. Gemma and Oliver were written believably as siblings. And, I liked both of their separate struggles they faced while working through their powers. Their growth throughout the book was really compelling to watch. Between the two, though, Oliver has to be the standout character to me--his funny personality gives him the edge in this case. His humor wasn't too much, but it was a consistent force throughout the story that added a lot of necessary brevity, as well as just overall personality to the book.
My biggest critique for the book comes out of my background in biology. Without giving away too many spoilers, as we start to learn more about the framework of the situation the characters have found themselves in, some of the scientific backing to the worldbuilding doesn't work for me. I get the definite sense that the author does not have a strong understanding of genetics or evolution. It doesn't break the narrative, by any means, but if you do know much about science, then certain parts of the premise might break your suspension of disbelief just a bit. (I believed everything about the premise when I was interfacing with this story as fantastical, but the author's attempts to bolster believability by moving the story more into the realm of technological science fiction actually had the opposite affect on me.)
But overall, I'm looking forward to seeing where the series takes Oliver and Gemma next! Anyone looking for a fast-paced story or for their next light-dystopia read should definitely consider "The Talismans of Teregrin."
I would call the plot this novel's strongest selling point. Each sequence feels tightly related to what led up to it, every scene moved the plot forward effectively, and the author has an excellent control over when and how they reveal information to us across the novel. We start the book with a lot of unknowns, and we're fed just enough information a little bit at a time to be continually satisfied with each reveal while still feeling suspense while waiting for the next piece of information. Each reveal makes sense: interesting without being contrived, surprising but undeniably fitting.
I really enjoy the character work in this book as well. Gemma and Oliver were written believably as siblings. And, I liked both of their separate struggles they faced while working through their powers. Their growth throughout the book was really compelling to watch. Between the two, though, Oliver has to be the standout character to me--his funny personality gives him the edge in this case. His humor wasn't too much, but it was a consistent force throughout the story that added a lot of necessary brevity, as well as just overall personality to the book.
My biggest critique for the book comes out of my background in biology. Without giving away too many spoilers, as we start to learn more about the framework of the situation the characters have found themselves in, some of the scientific backing to the worldbuilding doesn't work for me. I get the definite sense that the author does not have a strong understanding of genetics or evolution. It doesn't break the narrative, by any means, but if you do know much about science, then certain parts of the premise might break your suspension of disbelief just a bit. (I believed everything about the premise when I was interfacing with this story as fantastical, but the author's attempts to bolster believability by moving the story more into the realm of technological science fiction actually had the opposite affect on me.)
But overall, I'm looking forward to seeing where the series takes Oliver and Gemma next! Anyone looking for a fast-paced story or for their next light-dystopia read should definitely consider "The Talismans of Teregrin."