Divine By Blood (Partholon #3) By: P.C Cast (Book Review)
(((This review will contain spoilers)))
Summary:
Conceived in a lie and trapped in a tree throughout her gestation, Morrigan's birth was truly magical. After that start, she spent the next eighteen years raised as a normal girl in Oklahoma. upon discovering the truth of her heritage, her rage and grief take on a power of their own, carrying her back to the world of Partholon. Yet, instead of being respected as the daughter of the Goddess Incarnate, Morrigan feels like a shunned outsider. In her desperation to belong to Partholon, she confronts forces she can't fully understand or control. And soon a strange darkness draws closer...
Yet again, I am faced with a plot-less story from Cast. If there is no main goal or antagonist in the story then the story will drag on and be dis-interesting. And no! Defeating literally evil itself at the very end of the book is not called a plot line.
In this book, we follow Morrigan's life from when she was born all the way till she is a young adult. Honestly, the fact that Rhiannon's pregnancy progressed while she was trapped in a tree is quite strange. Especially, with how everything was left off in the second book with Clint trapping himself and Rhiannon in the tree. Clint's body was never found but yet Rhiannon ended up living in the tree? It was Pryderi himself who released Rhiannon from the tree but instead of pledging herself to his service she rejected him and accepted Epona back into her life. This was a missed opportunity to see the evolution of Rhiannon's change and acceptance of Epona. I wished Cast would have dedicated more time to explaining the backstory of Rhiannon and even writing from her POV instead of just giving us some rushed scenes about how she will protect Morrigan as a spirit and how she has renounced Pryderi from her life.
It's unsettling having the first two books from the point of view of a 35 year old and then having the point of view of an 18 year old girl. Quite frankly, being in my twenties I don't particularly enjoy reading books from the POV of teenagers anymore. I'm not into the whole bratty and 'I know everything' attitude. Morrigan didn't fall far from this attitude. She is a teenager still trying to find her place in life and trying to find out where she belongs but her getting high on power and loving the fact that people worshiped her is too excessive. Strong resemblance to her mother Rhiannon, isn't it?
I will say that Morrigan did change and outgrew her slightly narcissistic and selfish characteristics. She did what her mother couldn't do which is sacrifice herself to protect others and future generations. She learned from her mother's mistakes and instead of being a selfish eighteen year old who thinks just about herself, she gave up her life for the good of other's. Now, that is a great way to develop a character from start to finish. Too bad Cast couldn't be bothered to do the same for Rhiannon. I guess this was her redeeming herself through Morrigan's story since she dropped the ball regarding Rhiannon.
It was nice being able to experience a different part of this world that Cast created. The Sidetha is totally different compared to the people of Partholon. Caring more about wealth and status instead of worshiping their goddess Adsagsona. It's funny that Epona appears to Morrigan and says that all the other goddesses are just another facet of her. And that Adsagsona is just another name for Epona. I didn't particularly like that because while a goddess can be everywhere one wouldn't say that every goddess is her. That would just shatter a human's perception of their reality even if they were the chosen one.
Can we also acknowledge the fact that Kegan was first made out to be a man-whore but changes after he has sex with Morrigan? Is this one of those twisted stories where he can become a one woman man after finding 'the one'? He was essentially after Morrigan at first because of the status of her position and a powerful Shaman should have a powerful priestess at his side. This felt like a fanfiction story that just kept dragging on and you feel obligated in finishing it because you already wasted so much time reading it. Also, it was really weird how everything ended. Morrigan is the magical child that Shannon should of had? I still don't understand how there can be mirror images yet somehow their spirits merge when one of the mirror images die? That didn't happen with Morrigan when Myrna died. So, how come it happened with ClanFintan but yet with Kyle even though Kegan is dead, Morrigan still called him Kegan? That is such an anomaly that it pisses me off that it doesn't make sense nor follow the 'rules' in this world. I like stories that are coherent and the follow the rules that have been established in its own realm. If it's not consistent then it really just takes away from the reading experience.
Rating:
I am going to give Divine By Blood 2.5 stars on 5. I loved the character development and the character arc. Morrigan was a teenager high on power but then she does a full 180 sacrificing herself for the safety of others. But beyond this, the story dragged on and there was no plot-line. Morrigan trying to find out where she belongs is the start of the story but that's not the plot-line. Plus, a lot of details didn't make sense and correspond with what was already introduced in the books.
Yet again, I am faced with a plot-less story from Cast. If there is no main goal or antagonist in the story then the story will drag on and be dis-interesting. And no! Defeating literally evil itself at the very end of the book is not called a plot line.
In this book, we follow Morrigan's life from when she was born all the way till she is a young adult. Honestly, the fact that Rhiannon's pregnancy progressed while she was trapped in a tree is quite strange. Especially, with how everything was left off in the second book with Clint trapping himself and Rhiannon in the tree. Clint's body was never found but yet Rhiannon ended up living in the tree? It was Pryderi himself who released Rhiannon from the tree but instead of pledging herself to his service she rejected him and accepted Epona back into her life. This was a missed opportunity to see the evolution of Rhiannon's change and acceptance of Epona. I wished Cast would have dedicated more time to explaining the backstory of Rhiannon and even writing from her POV instead of just giving us some rushed scenes about how she will protect Morrigan as a spirit and how she has renounced Pryderi from her life.
It's unsettling having the first two books from the point of view of a 35 year old and then having the point of view of an 18 year old girl. Quite frankly, being in my twenties I don't particularly enjoy reading books from the POV of teenagers anymore. I'm not into the whole bratty and 'I know everything' attitude. Morrigan didn't fall far from this attitude. She is a teenager still trying to find her place in life and trying to find out where she belongs but her getting high on power and loving the fact that people worshiped her is too excessive. Strong resemblance to her mother Rhiannon, isn't it?
I will say that Morrigan did change and outgrew her slightly narcissistic and selfish characteristics. She did what her mother couldn't do which is sacrifice herself to protect others and future generations. She learned from her mother's mistakes and instead of being a selfish eighteen year old who thinks just about herself, she gave up her life for the good of other's. Now, that is a great way to develop a character from start to finish. Too bad Cast couldn't be bothered to do the same for Rhiannon. I guess this was her redeeming herself through Morrigan's story since she dropped the ball regarding Rhiannon.
It was nice being able to experience a different part of this world that Cast created. The Sidetha is totally different compared to the people of Partholon. Caring more about wealth and status instead of worshiping their goddess Adsagsona. It's funny that Epona appears to Morrigan and says that all the other goddesses are just another facet of her. And that Adsagsona is just another name for Epona. I didn't particularly like that because while a goddess can be everywhere one wouldn't say that every goddess is her. That would just shatter a human's perception of their reality even if they were the chosen one.
Can we also acknowledge the fact that Kegan was first made out to be a man-whore but changes after he has sex with Morrigan? Is this one of those twisted stories where he can become a one woman man after finding 'the one'? He was essentially after Morrigan at first because of the status of her position and a powerful Shaman should have a powerful priestess at his side. This felt like a fanfiction story that just kept dragging on and you feel obligated in finishing it because you already wasted so much time reading it. Also, it was really weird how everything ended. Morrigan is the magical child that Shannon should of had? I still don't understand how there can be mirror images yet somehow their spirits merge when one of the mirror images die? That didn't happen with Morrigan when Myrna died. So, how come it happened with ClanFintan but yet with Kyle even though Kegan is dead, Morrigan still called him Kegan? That is such an anomaly that it pisses me off that it doesn't make sense nor follow the 'rules' in this world. I like stories that are coherent and the follow the rules that have been established in its own realm. If it's not consistent then it really just takes away from the reading experience.
Rating:
I am going to give Divine By Blood 2.5 stars on 5. I loved the character development and the character arc. Morrigan was a teenager high on power but then she does a full 180 sacrificing herself for the safety of others. But beyond this, the story dragged on and there was no plot-line. Morrigan trying to find out where she belongs is the start of the story but that's not the plot-line. Plus, a lot of details didn't make sense and correspond with what was already introduced in the books.
Comments
Post a Comment