Post by nightstep on Sept 4, 2018 19:58:30 GMT -5
It's me again, I'm the one with terrible opinions (I quite liked Tigerheart's Shadow, and I really hate AVoS 1/2). I've read Crowfeather's Trial and I have some opinions! Let me know what you think.
Overall, I liked this book. It kept me interested enough to continue reading it since the moment I picked it up. There were lots of things I liked and lots that I didn't like. I don't know exactly how I would rank it yet (for those who know me, you'll know I have a whiteboard with all of the books ranked), but I know as far as my Super Edition opinions, this goes above Tigerheart's Shadow for me and takes the #4 SE spot. So, things I liked and things I didn't like:
LIKED:
-This book actually made me care about Breezepelt. Before now he was one of my least favorite characters, and sans this book he still is. He's undeniably at his best in this book, and as out of character as it is for him to actually be remorseful and relatable, he was a decent character in this book.
-The Crowfeather POV has been LONG overdue, and I very much enjoyed finally getting it. He was an interesting perspective to read from, and while I've always liked his character, this book definitely made me like him more.
-Like Breezepelt, I've never been fond of Nightcloud, and I would still not say that I am, but I understand her a little better in this.
-Certain scenes such as Ivypool (my favorite character) putting Bumblestripe in his place, Blackstar's age becoming apparent, and Breezepelt actually saving Lionblaze I really enjoyed.
-I absolutely loved Harespring's characterization. Establishing him more as a character who was put there to send a message, and it's shown that he didn't really have all of the support of his Clan. He made a good few blunders and wrong calls, but by the end of the book Crowfeather has really come to respect him and we start seeing the Harespring that we saw in AVoS that didn't really have any context to him.
-The Crowfeather/Ashfoot interactions were great.
-The prologue was extremely emotional and one of the best parts of the book.
DISLIKED:
-BERRYNOSE was WAY too prominent in this book. He's easily one of the worst characters in ThunderClan at the moment (of the ones that have personality or at least more than a couple of lines) and I really hated every time he appeared, being his usual, hotheaded, senseless self. He genuinely made his scenes the main parts of the book I hated reading.
-I genuinely still think that the Breezepelt redemption wasn't necessary, at all. This was probably the best way it could've been done, but it wasn't needed. As I said earlier, Breezepelt feels different in this book.
-Onestar was over the top, even for Onestar. Comparing Bramblestar to Tigerstar was a disgusting ploy that doesn't make any sense for him to pull no matter how mad he was.
-I hate Jayfeather's speech at the end where he denies Crowfeather the Burdock Root at first. He quickly changed his mind but why would he deny the root in the first place, regardless of who it was? That feels out of character.
-Hootpaw overall. His character felt almost like a mix of Berrykit in TNP and a Kin apprentice in AVoS with his straight disregard for authority and really being able to get away with that.
-Weaselfur gets off WAY too easily for how he acted at the gathering. He damn near started a full on battle at the gathering for really no reason. Having to do some scouting with the cat he insulted feels tame compared to the moon of dawn patrols Onestar was considering in the first place.
-In general, the book makes Nightcloud/Breezepelt sympathetic characters when outside of this book they really aren't.
OVERALL:
I liked it. I enjoyed it. It made me want to keep reading and I was kinda disappointed when I realized I was at the end of the book. I really wanted some more Crowfeather POV, but alas, this is all we get. I think the book works and, while I think it would've been better if it was post-Twilight instead of post-AVoS, it was good for the time period it was in.
LIKED:
-This book actually made me care about Breezepelt. Before now he was one of my least favorite characters, and sans this book he still is. He's undeniably at his best in this book, and as out of character as it is for him to actually be remorseful and relatable, he was a decent character in this book.
-The Crowfeather POV has been LONG overdue, and I very much enjoyed finally getting it. He was an interesting perspective to read from, and while I've always liked his character, this book definitely made me like him more.
-Like Breezepelt, I've never been fond of Nightcloud, and I would still not say that I am, but I understand her a little better in this.
-Certain scenes such as Ivypool (my favorite character) putting Bumblestripe in his place, Blackstar's age becoming apparent, and Breezepelt actually saving Lionblaze I really enjoyed.
-I absolutely loved Harespring's characterization. Establishing him more as a character who was put there to send a message, and it's shown that he didn't really have all of the support of his Clan. He made a good few blunders and wrong calls, but by the end of the book Crowfeather has really come to respect him and we start seeing the Harespring that we saw in AVoS that didn't really have any context to him.
-The Crowfeather/Ashfoot interactions were great.
-The prologue was extremely emotional and one of the best parts of the book.
DISLIKED:
-BERRYNOSE was WAY too prominent in this book. He's easily one of the worst characters in ThunderClan at the moment (of the ones that have personality or at least more than a couple of lines) and I really hated every time he appeared, being his usual, hotheaded, senseless self. He genuinely made his scenes the main parts of the book I hated reading.
-I genuinely still think that the Breezepelt redemption wasn't necessary, at all. This was probably the best way it could've been done, but it wasn't needed. As I said earlier, Breezepelt feels different in this book.
-Onestar was over the top, even for Onestar. Comparing Bramblestar to Tigerstar was a disgusting ploy that doesn't make any sense for him to pull no matter how mad he was.
-I hate Jayfeather's speech at the end where he denies Crowfeather the Burdock Root at first. He quickly changed his mind but why would he deny the root in the first place, regardless of who it was? That feels out of character.
-Hootpaw overall. His character felt almost like a mix of Berrykit in TNP and a Kin apprentice in AVoS with his straight disregard for authority and really being able to get away with that.
-Weaselfur gets off WAY too easily for how he acted at the gathering. He damn near started a full on battle at the gathering for really no reason. Having to do some scouting with the cat he insulted feels tame compared to the moon of dawn patrols Onestar was considering in the first place.
-In general, the book makes Nightcloud/Breezepelt sympathetic characters when outside of this book they really aren't.
OVERALL:
I liked it. I enjoyed it. It made me want to keep reading and I was kinda disappointed when I realized I was at the end of the book. I really wanted some more Crowfeather POV, but alas, this is all we get. I think the book works and, while I think it would've been better if it was post-Twilight instead of post-AVoS, it was good for the time period it was in.