Top Ten Tuesday #6

Hi, guys!

Yes, yes, I know. I haven't written anything since my last Top Ten Tuesday.
But I am currently reading The Martian by Andy Weir and I have a lot of thoughts about it - so stay tuned for a review soon!

Top Ten: Characters I'd name my kids after

10) Po from Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Okay, first of all: I love Po.
I had a hardcore crush on him since the day I opened Graceling for the first time.
Back then I was around 11/12, so it's been a while!

The thing is, in the German version (which I have read) he's called "Bo". Guess why.
"Po" means butt in German. So obviously a awesome prince can't walk around being called buttocks.
But: 1) Being German, I wouldn't call my kid Po either. I'd go with the German version of it.
2) I'd not use it as a full first name, I'd go for "Bo" as a nickname.

But out of what names do I get Bo??

(Also, have you seen Bo Burnham? That guy's brilliant! Check him out on YouTube!)



9) Marie-Laure from All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr


I chose this name mostly for its beautiful pronunctiation.
It just rolls of my tounge so easily!
Also: Marie-Laure LeBlanc is such a badass.
But it would probably be pretty awkward to have a very very French name while being German.










8) Augustus from The Fault In Our Stars by John Green


Ever since I can remember I had this weird obsession with emperor Augustus, don't ask me why. I know he was one huge douche.
And then, Augustus Waters came along, who is the exact opposite of an huge douche.
Holy hell.
He has one of the most amazing personalities (even though it may be a bit idealized) in YA literature.












Thanks to Viria for this amazing drawing!


7) Jane from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte or The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater


The first (and only time) I read Jane Eyre, I didn't really enjoyed it. But I definitely want to give it another try! It's been almost a year now and I forgot most of the story, all that stuck with me was the beauty of the protagonist's name.

And well, technically there's nobody named Jane in The Raven Cycle. Gansey just started calling Blue Jane, and so did Malory later on. So, well, it counts (kind of).
Also: Blue is one of my favourite female heroines, together with Hermione.


6) Adam from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater



Adam Parrish is a goddamn cinnamon roll.
He and I had a rough start (speak I hated him) but I came to love him.
Together with Gansey he forms my "Protect at all cost"-babies.

His name sounds really beautiful and is a bit older.
I found out that I prefer older or classic (call it whatever you want) names.










5) Levi from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell or Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

 

Could there be two characters any more different?
While the former is kindness and humour personificated, Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan is...well a problematic fave to say the least. He's  one of the most apathetic and meanest characters I came ever across.
Anyway, I love the name Levi and will always connect it with Fangirl and Cath and Levi's love story.


4) Matilda from Matilda by Roald Dahl



Okay, come on guys, be honest: Is there anybody who did not root for Matilda?
She's so sweet and intelligent! And she loves to read!
Matilda is one of my long time favourite names!


3) Charlie from The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky


Another cinnamon roll, way too pure for this horrible world! I cry everytime while reading/watching the Perks of Being a Wallflower. Logan Lerman did an outstanding job at portraying Charlie Kelmeckis!
I used "Charlie" for almost every protagonist (male or female) I created stories about back in 5th grade.


2) Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen


Oh, I love her and Darcy so much.
But I've been a fan of her name long before I even heard about Pride and Prejudice.

But the awesomeness of Elizabeth's character just added to my love for the name.













1) Helen from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater



Thanks to Azeher for this great pic!
I actually like the version "Helena" better, but Helen sounds great too!
Helen Gansey only appears a few times during the three books but that was enough to get a special place in my heart.

Top Ten Tuesday #5

Hi, guys!
I can't believe another week has passed since my last Top Ten Tuesday!

Today I want to present you guys my

                                                                TOP TEN AUTHORS
10) J.R.R.Tolkien
He was a crazy genius.
Obviously, he does not own a blog (hint: he's dead.) but there are several internet users doing their best to satisfy one's need!
The Tolkien Society   ||   Ask About Middle Earth

"Not all those who wander are lost.”


9) William Shakespeare
I love his sonnettes and Much Ado About Nothing. He had a brilliant mind.
There are some Shakespeare Tumblr Blogs, I really like:
Fuckyeahshakespeare   ||   Shakespeareismyjam

"Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love."

8) George R.R.Martin
Same as with Tolkien, George Martin's mind is full of genius ideas.
His world building in A Song of Ice and Fire is just downright phenomenal.
GeorgeRRMartin.com   ||   Not A Blog

“Sleep is good, he said, and books are better.”


7) Rick Riordan
He's one of the most funny and quirky authors, I've ever heard about!
His Percy Jackson series is hilarious and so is his twitter account!
Rick Riordan - Twitter

“How did you die?"
"We er....drowned in a bathtub."
"All three of you?"
"It was a big bathtub.”


6) Stephen Chbosky
I love him for his most famous work "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". It's one of my most read and cherished books.
I follow his twitter account and you should, too! He posts lots of inspiring, feminist quotes and pictures of his family at a pride parade(?) - it's great!
Stephen Chbosky - Twitter

“There's nothing like deep breaths after laughing that hard. Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons.”


5) Rainbow Rowell
She's probably the Queen of Dialogue. Her books are full of it and she writes it so realistically, it makes you fall in love with her characters (even against all odds).
Her blog   ||   her tumblr

“I choose you over everyone.” 


4) John Green
I think I've read every book John Green has ever written so far. If I'm correct it's the only author about whom I can say such thing!
But it weren't his books that made him become one of my favourite authors, it was his vlog together with his brother and also the Crash Course History videos, which feature him (yes, I'm a huge history nerd.)
Vlogbrothers   ||   Crash Course   ||   fishingboatsproceed

“Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”
 

3) Jane Austen
She's the reason I fell in love with classics. And Mr. Darcy (obviously).
She seems to have been a wonderful and delightful (and oh, so sassy) person, I'd have loved to talk to.
Jane Austen's World   ||   Lizzie Bennet Diaries

"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal."

2) Joanne K.Rowling
She will forever be very near the top of any "Top Author" list, I'll create.
Her books shape(d) my childhood and teenage years so much, there's no way I could thank her for it!
J.K.Rowling.com   ||   Pottermore.com

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default."

1) Maggie Stiefvater
Definitely my favourite author by far! Apart from writing amazing and multi-layered books (check out the Raven Cycle, guys!) and being a skilled artist, she is one of the most likeable and hilarious persons I've ever heard about!
her tumblr   ||   MaggieStiefvater.com   ||   Blogspot

“...she made her home in between the pages of books.”

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J.Maas

Hi, guys!
I finished Queen of Shadows a few days ago and here are my thoughts on it!
It will contain spoilers, tho, so read with caution!
This got oh, so long.

BASICS
Title: Queen of Shadows
Series: Throne of Glass #4
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: September 1st 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
ISBN: 1619636042
Number of Pages: 648
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

MY OPINION

"She looked at them, at the three males who meant everything—more than everything. Then she smiled with every last shred of courage, of desperation, of hope for the glimmer of that glorious future. “Let’s go rattle the stars."

I really wanted to love this book, hell, this book should have been epic looking at its predecessors, but it just didn't do it for me. Well, I enjoyed it in a way of "entertaining read" but it didn't blow my mind as Heir of Fire did.

Speaking of Heir of Fire: All the character development the characters, i.e. Chaol and Aelin underwent in HoF, was just gone. GONE. They both acted like sulky brats around each other, instulting the other whenever humanly possible.
Chaol especially acted like a ass for no apparent reasons, even though he obviously came to terms in book three.
He is almost unrecognizable, actually. I understand that there were some misunderstandings and differences in opinions between him and Aelin, but Maas really got over the top with the picture she drew of him. She ruined Chaol and Aelin's dynamics, which really wasn't necessary.


But it isn't alone his fault of the "Out-of-character dilemma" as I like to call it.
Everybody was so damn aggressive.
Mainly Rowan and Aedion. At first Aedion speaks of Rowan like he's a god and would have probably even liked his shoes, but as soon as "Prince Rowan" actually arrives Aedion acts like a proprietoral dick around him and Aelin. They have staring contests and fights about who serves Aelin better like 80% of the time.
I have to admit, tho: I loved that they called each other "brother" in the end (it made me go awww).

But it weren't only Aedion and Rowan. Just take Aelin. She threatens everybody with death and is the personificated aggression for quite a amount of time.
All through Heir of Fire she learns to control her emotions, and not be controlled by them, and then that? Where did all the character development go????


I'm not sure what to think about Aelin's latest love interest.
One one side, I can work with the new pairing. Their relationship is based on mutual respect and affection, they endured a lot together and never let each other down, they can talk about everything and well...they have a lot of sexual tension. No downside to be seen.

But the thing is: This sexual tension wasn't there all during HoF.
Rowan and Aelin slept in the same bed, saw each other naked, well, there were no boundaries between them, but it all happend on a platonic basis in HoF.
Suddenly, Queen of Shadows comes along and they can't think straight because they want to rip each others clothes off. Like, what?
It seems quite forced to me. Probably I would have been more aboard with this ship, if it had been developed nicer and slower, so that the reader could actually see a change.
Also: I was pretty tired of hearing how perfect Rowan or, especially, Aelin is.

And as I already said: it was a platonic relationship they had before. And it was just wonderful and I cherished them so hard for that.
I never, never ever read about an friendship between a man/boy and a woman/girl which was based on so much trust and concern for each other without being turned into a sexual/romantic relationship.
It's such a rare thing in YA literature, and a part (a big one) wished for it to be continued.
I have no problem with the whole "friendship turns into romance" (I'm a fan of it, actually), I just wanted one friendship for Aelin to NOT involve romance.

Like, there are three male main protagonists (I'm not counting Aedion, because he's Aelin's cousin) and Aelin had/has a romantic relationship with all three of them.
Maas does not allow Aelin to have a PLATONIC relationship with any of them.

Then, sometimes, reading QoS felt like reading fanfiction. Some scenes felt terribly out of character, like Aelin wearing dessous to bed to embarrass Rowan.
It was to amuse the reader, nothing more. It served no purpose and I'm a big advocate of PURPOSE BEHIND EVERYTHING.

One last thing that bothered me:
Aelin planned everything beforehand, without the reader knowing about it (or it being only hinted but one wouldn't think much about it).
Well, and because she thought about every damn possibility ever and planned everything perfectly out, everything works in the end just like she had it planned.
It's a great stylistic device when it's used once, or maybe twice, in a novel, but in Queen of Shadows it was used constantly. Maas used it as a deus ex machina to get her characters out of any desperate situation.

Okay, after this very wordy rant (it got longer than I wanted it to be), I have to list things I liked:

I fell in love with most of the books female characters. Maas is really good at writing strong, empowered female characters.
Namely Lysandra, Asterin and Kaltain (well, more towards the end but I admit I had tears in my eyes).
About both Lysandra and Asterin we learn more about their background and secrets, which I really enjoyed. Especially because I loved the witches since their first appearance and Asterin was one of my favourites besides Manon (who kicks ass as always).
Elide and Nesryn felt too much like cardbox cut-outs to me to really care for them.
Especially Nesryn. She had neither a personality nor a real purpose, apart from serving as Chaol's new love interest. They had no build-up, no tension, it was only so Chaol made way for Aelin x Rowan.

The ending was pretty fast paced and kept me awake reading until waaaay after an acceptable time.
I was surprised when the book didn't end with a cliffhanger, it had quite a nice ending actually.

Ships I'm not a 100% on board:
- Rowan/Aelin: I know they'll probably convince me in the end, but at the moment, I just can't completely love them for reason listed somwhere above.
- Chaol/Nesryn: Way too forced! Also: No tension!! I as a reader need to feel the love! I have to fall in love with their relationship!

Ships I'm a 100% on board with:
- Dorian/Manon: Don't tell me I'm the only one who ships them. They would be a powerful and really interesting couple! Dorian is such a kind person! And Manon is...well, Manon.
- Aedion/Lysandra: I love their interactions! I hope their relationship gets deepened in the following books

To sum the whole rant up in a few words: I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't my favourite. There were a lot of things that could have been handled better, but it would be a lie to say there weren't any things I loved.

Favourite Quotes:

"She was a whirling cloud of death, a queen of shadows, and these men were already carrion.”"

“Behind them, across the hall, the dancers shattered their roses on the floor, and Aedion grinned at his queen as the entire world went to hell.”


RATING3.5 out of 5 stars

Fan Art Friday!

Hi there, guys!

In the last few days I collected fan art of "Dreams of Gods and Monsters", "The Song of Achilles" and "Outlander".
I'm exited to show you what I've found!

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Madrigal drawn by Matchewie


Karou with her chain of thuribles by elakudark



I love the way Liraz looks! Both drawings by lesyablackbirdink





The Song of Achilles by Madeline MillerSo sweet! Drawn by cherryandsisters!


My absolute favourite peace of fan art! Drawn by illustratedkate!


She also drew Thetis and Briseis!


And another version of Briseis, drawn by 0tterp0p!





Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Claire & Jamie by girlfrog




Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser, done by noctemusart




Claire in 1945 and 1743! Drawn by Alex Oliver





Stunning! Thanks, thatartsytype!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Hi there, guys!
I'm back with another obsession review!


BASICS

Title: Outlander
Series: Outlander, #1
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Release Date: June 1st 1991
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0385302304
Number of Pages: 627
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance



MY OPINION

“Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master . . . and you're mine.
Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.” 

I have to admit: at the beginning I felt very intimidated. Really, I actually did not want to start this book/series.
Reason 1) Have you seen this book? It has nearly 900 pages! And the whole series consists of eight books and a spin-off series.

Reason 2) It's taking place in 18th century Scotland. You guys know English is not my first language and I was afraid I wouldn't understand a word of Outlander. (Thank god, I was proven wrong.)

I've started reading Outlander back in June but stopped and waited for my vacation in Spain (back then I just couldn't be bothered with reading that hunk of a book. Call me lazy if you want.)

But suddelny, back in Spain, the story sucked me in and did not let me go yet.
I'm completely obsessed with it.
Currently I'm watching the TV Show and I am in love with the Scottish accent and Claire and Jamie's relationship. And Jamie as well.

This book is the result of an unbelieveable amount of research, not only on the 18th century Scotland but also Great Britain during and post war, mainly 1945, Claire's actual time.
It never felt like info-dumping but I learned a lot about Scotland and England's history!

Outlander's definitely not part of the Young Adult genre, it contains a lot of "sex, violence and violent sex" as my favourite blogger wrote in her review.
Yes, this book contains a lot of sex, but it never turned the book into porn.

The strength of Outlander is definitely the relationship of Jamie and Claire. It's really hard not to fall in love the two of them. Jamie may be a bit idolized but I won't start complaining.

I really loved Claire as a character and the narrator of the story. She's 27 years old, an adult and she has seen her share of blood and terror. She appears as a logical and sensible person. I loved the way Gabaldon wrote her!
Claire has a great sense of humour and oh, her curses.
Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.
The side characters were written very well, too. I really loved Jenny and Mrs. Fitz! They were both hilarious!
But I don't want to talk about the likeable characters only. Geillis and Black Jack were extremely thought-out and complex characters with depth. Maybe too much depth, come to think about it. Randall's cruel fetish and obsession with Jamie still gives me chills.

Sometimes it was quite difficult for me to follow, well not the plot of the story, but the political and social background. I would have liked some kind of genealogy or family tree at the back, to understand relations or clan politics.

The second half of the book really kept me on the edge of my seat. Claire's accused of being a witch, Jamie is imprisoned and Claire turns into a ruthless badass!
This book got me in the mood for everything Scottish!


Can I have my own Jamie now?


My favourite quotes:

“I had one last try.
"Does it bother you that I'm not a virgin?" He hesitated a moment before answering.
"Well, no," he said slowly, "so long as it doesna bother you that I am." He grinned at my drop-jawed expression, and backed toward the door.
"Reckon one of us should know what they're doing," he said. The door closed softly behind him; clearly the courtship was over.”
“Ye werena the first lass I kissed," he said softly. "But I swear you'll be the last.”


RATING
5 out of 5 stars


P.S.:Whoo! This is my 100st post!

Top Ten Tuesday #4

Hi there, guys!
School started today, I passed the theoretical part of my driver's licence and am totally engrossed by Queen of Shadows.
What's your week been like so far?




Top Ten: Series I Have Yet To Finish

10) An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir


The second and final installment in this duology is called "A Torch Against the Night" and will be released on April 28th 2016.

I read An Ember In The Ashes while I had an internship at my local book store.
They had a whole shelf of books, which any of the employees could read, and I was invited to do so too. Well, you know me, how could I say no?
I read a total of three books, the first one being An Ember In The Ashes.










9) The Wrath And The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
 



Book two in this duology is yet to be released, too.
The current release date is May 3rd 2016, only a few days after "A Torch Against The Night".

The sequel will be called "The Rose And The Dagger".

Duologies seem to be rather popular at the moment!










8) The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

The fourth final installment in this series will be released this year! On November 10th to be exact.

It's called "Winter" and adds Princess Winter and the guard Jaqin to the list of main characters.

It may not be the series with the most depth but it's definitely entertaining!





7) Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

So far, I've read the first two volumes!
They were fantastic, and according to the reviews, the next three will be even better.

To be honest, I don't know how many books there will be in this series.












6) The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Only writing that title fills me with shame.
It's been a while since I've finished Never Fade. I really, really enjoyed the second installment, I think I even gave it five stars as a rating.

I loved the characters and was engrossed in the brutality and rawness of Bracken's writing. Still I have yet to pick up In The Afterlight. Why? Don't ask me.



5) Throne of Glass by Sarah J.Maas

If you've read my review on Throne of Glass, you know that I had my problems with getting into the story.

Now, reading the fourth book, I can say I overcame my issues.

I have yet to read The Assassin's Blade but I'm saving that one for the long time until book five.
Book 5 will be published in 2016, book 6 in 2017.


4) Attack on Titan by Hijame Isayama



I think I have read around 14 or 15 volumes, but I'm not sure anymore.

All I know is that I have to catch up upon a lot!

It's an amazing series (you can find it on my "Favourites" page, too!), one you should definitely give a try!





3) A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R.Martin
 

Sometimes I think, I know more about the history of Westeros and Essos than about the history of the "real world".

Damn you, GRRM, for writing captivating stories like A Song of Fire.
I can't wait to get my hands on "Winds of Winter" - just give a release date already!








2) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Oh, Outlander.
It's definitely my latest obsession, well, Scotland in general is.

I finished the first book in the series on Sunday and I am in the physical need of Dragonfly in Amber.
But I have too many books on my TBR pile at the moment, so it has to wait.

I will just comfort myself with binge watching the TV Show instead.

I love you, Jamie. What? What do you mean? I didn't say a word.







1) The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater



Probably my favourite series of 2015, hell, probably even of my life.
It has everything I wanted, everything I didn't know I needed and so much more.

I adore the characters, the story and the author, too.
JUST GIVE ME THE RAVEN KING.
February 23rd is too far away.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Hi there, guys!
I'm back home again and I have another review for you!

BASICS

Title: The Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Release Date: September 20th 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1408816032
Number of Pages: 384
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

MY OPINION

“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”

Ever since my best friend got TSoA as a birthday gift back in April, she urged me to read it. Finally, finally I did.

At first it didn't blow me away as I expected it to do after all the praise. Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed it; liked it really, it just wasn't the best book I've read.
Especially the jumps in time felt off. Hardly 400 pages cover about 18 years in the lives of Patroclus and Achilles. In the end I liked it that way, it just felt really odd at first.

Anyhow, that was "at first", later I was completely engrossed by it. I spent hours looking for Fan Art and squealing over a well-drawn Patroclus.

He's the narrator of this novel. When he was ten(I think, could have been eleven, tho) he accidently killed a boy and is sent into exile by his father, a king. Patroclus is stripped of his title and family - from now on he's a common orphan.
The "exile" is the court of another king, King Peleus, Achilles' father.
Patroclus meets the young Achilles and becomes his confidant and best friend.
I really liked that the boys met as kids and had a platonic relationship first, but became lovers later. In general I like those relationships more than the "instant-lover" ones.

The famous Trojan War breaks out (you guys know Helena and Paris' story?), Achilles is forced to join the battle. Patroclus follows him and, well, we all know how that will end.
Well, everybody who knows Homer's stories will know how it ends.
Even though you know, you still live in denial the whole way through. Or at least it was me who did that.
It is a beautiful but tragic romance. Read with caution.

The plot might me a little bit difficult to follow, mostly because of all the new names and relations, a layman in Greek mythology knows nothing about.
I've read the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series before, so I know quite a bit about it, I'd say. But still, there were names I confused most of the time.

The writing, on the opposite, is very easy to follow. Sometimes, suddenly, there are oh, so beautiful quotes, which I wanted to read over and over again.
As a reader you recognize how much work and research Miller put into this book (it took her about a decade to write this book!), there's no info-dump tho. Even as a completely clueless reader, you will easily understand the main aspects of Greek culture.
Miller keeps close to Homer's original story. Literary scholars always wondered if Patroclus and Achilles were actually in love with each other. They were really close but no offical lovers, as it seems.
Homer never stated their homosexuality, but he never said anything about them being straight either.

I really hope we will get more LGBT-books as good as The Song of Achilles!

My favourite quotes:
“I feel like I could eat the world raw.”

“He smiled, and his face was like the sun.”


RATING
4.5 out of 5 stars

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Hey there, guys!
I'm back from Spain and I worked on a new review.
Have fun!


BASICS
Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3
Author: Laini Taylor
Release Date: April 8th 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
ISBN: 0316134074
Number of Pages: 613
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance



MY OPINION
“Once upon a time, there was only darkness. And there were monsters vast as worlds who swam in it.”

I've read in several reviews that this conclusion is very satisfying and I can only agree.
Everything I wanted to happen, did happen more or less and I could close the book with a content "aaah".

But don't assume it means that there's a lot of foreshadowing.
There were many moments which kept me on the edge of my seat and I feared for the lives of my favourite characters. I even flung myself on the couch once because I just couldn't deal with the emotions Taylor could arouse. Let me tell you, my dad had five pretty hilarious days. He made fun of me a lot because I was so engaged in the story.

The writing style resembles the gritty and bloody "Days of Blood and Starlight" than the light and simple "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" - which is definitely a good thing.

Again, new characters and POVs are introduced, such as Eliza. A girl from the human world with strange nightmares and a mysterious connection to the seraphim.
And Scarab, the queen of the Stelians. She appeared at the end of Days of Blood and Starlight, but she only becomes a complex and acting character in DoGaM.


But with new good characters, there come new baddies.
We all knew Jael was a sick bastard since the torture scene in Days of Blood and Starlight, but he was just one of many evil seraphim. In Dreams of Gods and Monsters he works his way up the ladder and turns into the main antagonist.

Well, apart from the monsters but you can hardly count them as a "character".
Due to Eliza and Scarab we get to know about the failings of several seraphim, thousands of years ago. Those failings include setting free a big number of unstoppable monsters in another dimension(I think it was dimension).
It's an enormous and complicated past and I have to give my kudos to Taylor for creating this big backstory - and explaining it in an understandable way.




Furthermore, I really enjoyed exploring the Stelians! I guess, society now would call them barbaric and they are in fact very frightening. I didn't really come to terms with Scarab and her court, to be honest.

At the end of this review, I have to mention Ziri again. If you have read my older posts, you probably have noticed that I really, really, really like Ziri. He's my favourite. By far.
This was me during Days of Blood and Starlight and Dreams of Gods and Monsters:





Favourite Quotes:
“We haven't been introduced. Not really.”

“Hot, perpetually pissed-off angel seeks living pincushion for scowl practice and general stabbiness. No kissing.”

“Wasn't that what religions did? Squint at one another and declare, 'My unprovable belief is better than your unprovable belief. Suck it.”

RATING
5 out of 5 stars