This was my first book of 2025, read as part of my traveling book club activity with the roomies. I was looking forward to it being Sci fantasy, was mildly disappointed to learn it was YA (MC is 16 when the book starts)
Something about the writing was overtly masculine, in a way I didn’t enjoy too much but I also tried to pay attention because maybe that’s something I need to learn to apply to Makoltaverse.
My primary complaints are:
- Darrow’s flaws aren’t really flaws, in that they don’t cause him to fail
- Darrow is given a leg up by his Carving which is understandable, but it’s heavily implied he was already overpowered to begin with. He’s dexterous, strong and intelligent. It sort of feels like he was never disadvantaged to begin with?
- The story is told in first person but there’s a lot of info delivered to the reader that, realistically, Darrow shouldn’t know. Like the motivations and feelings of other characters
I will give it that it was engaging and active throughout, no dull moments especially once he’s in the Institute. I’m also pleasantly surprised that the book was decently self-contained and concluded its main plot instead of leaving major questions unanswered.