Not intriguing enough to keep my attention. I really tried to give this a good shake (read 25%) but everytime I’d go to pick it up I’d sigh inside.

Prose style was not for me and really didn’t feel any connection to the characters, aside from Oskar, which was mostly pity. Pace felt slow and while a few plot points did help keep my focus ultimately, since there is no action surrounding these, my interest fizzled.

(TW: CSA) Also a main character is a pedophile (you find out immediately therefore I don’t see this as a spoiler) and there in the first quarter of this book I had already skipped over a number of scenes which revolted me.

All together I just did not see the point in wasting my time in continuing to read this book, which I fear may also have put me into a reading slump.

Weird times when you prefer the relationship between a boy and his wolf over the one with his girlfriend. 5/5 ⭐️

Beautiful continuation of the series. Slow paced, character driven. Fitz entered his angsty, horny teen phase, one that lasted entirely too long for me. His relationship with Molly was the most bland, uninteresting, no-depth-at-all relationship I’ve read in a while. He’s obsessed with her, but we’re never really shown why. On the other hand, his relationship with Nighteyes, Burrich and the Fool were a highlight for me. I love me a pathetic, mysterious white-haired man, and the Fool is becoming one of my favorite characters. Same as Burrich, such a well written, complex man. The way he pulled through for Fitz in the last few chapters, despite his hatred of the Wit… I may have shed a few tears. (That last drawing in the illustrated edition? Oooof)

The last 200-300 pages were intenseeee, I could not put it down. Robin Hobb has such an amazing way to make you feel so deeply for these characters. Love and hatred, cause holy shit Regal?? If he has no haters, I’m dead. It’s been a long time since I’ve hated an antagonist so deeply in a book.

Well done Hobb, well done. I’m gonna mentally prepare for Assassin’s Quest 🤞🏻