Reviews

Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia A. McKillip

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erinla42's review against another edition

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hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

stelladallas's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

Something I really love about McKillip is her vibe-based magic. There's no meticulous description of how it all works; she just trusts that it feels right, and it does. Dream logic. I love the sensuality and instinctiveness of it.

This also has a moment I keep thinking about;

the iconic pronoun change, when Kane addresses her daughter directly for the first time. I think I actually gasped when I read it. It feels so visceral; Kane reached through the page to her daughter but McKillip also did the same to us!

McKillip is a genius.

jadelaporte's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

the_bookster's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

It enchanted me, unexpectedly. I’ll find myself rereading it, still enchanted though I would not call it a favorite. The mysterious nature of the book within the book, that never reveals itself completely, brings me back

lavdisy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The thing I praised the most about this book is the writing style. It felt magical, dreamy, and fairy-like, with lyrical words that enchanted in every chapter. It started off very slowly, which initially bored me, but it was worth the wait because the plot became so interesting. The multiple points of view, the intertwined storyline and history, the angsty romance, and the portrayal of books and magic were all quite well done. I liked how everything finally connected, although I felt a bit sad about the bittersweet ending. There were some aspects that bothered me, such as the magic not being fully explored. It was present in a significant amount, but some elements appeared suddenly without explanation of their origins. I understand that the book is short and under 300 pages, but I had hoped for more suspense and drama, which turned out to be lacking. Additionally, the ending should be in jail because Kane deserved better in every way. She should have received an epic ending to match the sacrifices she made. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and devoured it for the vibes as well as the engaging plot. I would definitely read another book by the author, as I had received a recommendation for a different title, but starting with this one was the perfect choice.