Jen Williams: The Poison Song

Hi everyone

The Poison Song is the third and final book in Jen Williams’ The Winnowing Flame Trilogy. I got my copy from Bol.com.

"All is confusion. The Jure'lia are weak, but the war is far from over.Ebora was once a glorious city, defended by legendary warriors and celebrated in song. Now refugees from every corner of Sarn seek shelter within its crumbling walls, and the enemy that has poisoned their land won't lie dormant for long.The deep-rooted connection that Tormalin, Noon and the scholar Vintage share with their Eboran war-beasts has kept them alive so far. But with Tor distracted, and his sister Hestillion hell-bent on bringing ruthless order to the next Jure'lia attack, the people of Sarn need all the help they can get.Noon is no stranger to playing with fire and knows just where to recruit a new - and powerful - army. But even she underestimates the epic quest that is to come. It is a journey wrought with pain and sacrifice - a reckoning that will change the face of Sarn forever."

What a conclusion this was.
Just like with my review of the second book, The Bitter Twins, this book was good, but not as good as the first book in the series, The Ninth Rain.

To me, the story has pacing and tension issues. The book starts out very, very slow. I loved the action scenes and the story, but the further I got into the series, the more I disliked Tor and his moping, complaining personality. Since the second book, almost all his scenes involve him drinking, sulking, moping around, and complaining about his life and the state of the world. And suddenly, he’s apparently the first one ever to come up with the idea to follow the Jure’lia when they go away? Like, really? There’s just too much drama. I enjoy Jen Williams’ writing, it’s easy to read and it flows very nicely but I really disliked the drama, especially from Tor and Noon.

I was glad we finally learned about Noon’s past, even though we kind of already knew. And I loved the warbeasts; they were all very different, with distinct personalities, and they evolved just as much as the human characters.
Hestillion’s arc was predictable, so even though I really liked her character, I was a bit disappointed by that. Chenlo was a great addition to the main cast; I loved her journey and how she changed. I also applaud Williams for the natural way Aldasair became much more self-assured. It could have easily become unbelievable and unrealistic, but instead, it felt natural.

I really loved the action scenes. They were chilling, full of tension, and not too dramatic.
And the ending was great. Not everyone survived, and I really think that’s the way it should be. It’s aggravating when a whole cast of characters comes out of a grand battle only mildly harmed.

All in all, The Poison Song has great ideas and is nicely written, but there’s too much drama for my taste.
Have you read The Poison Song? Did you enjoy it more than I did, or did you feel the same way? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena 

Jen Williams: The Bitter Twins

Hi everyone 

The Bitter Twins is the second book in Jen Williams’ The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, and I picked up my copy from Bol.com. After loving The Ninth Rain, I was eager to dive back into this world.

"The Ninth Rain has fallen, the Jure'lia have returned, and with Ebora a shadow of its former self, the old enemy are closer to conquering Sarn than ever.
Tormalin the Oathless and the Fell-Witch Noon have their hands full dealing with the first war-beasts to be born in Ebora for nearly three hundred years. But these are not the great mythological warriors of old; hatched too early and with no link to their past lives, the war-beasts have no memory of the many battles they have fought and won, and no concept of how they can possibly do it again. The key to uniting them, according to the scholar Vintage, may lie in a part of Sarn no one really believes exists, but finding it will mean a dangerous journey at a time of war...
Meanwhile, Hestillion is trapped on board the corpse moon, forced into a strange and uneasy alliance with the Jure'lia queen. Something terrifying is growing up there, in the heart of the Behemoth, and the people of Sarn will have no defence against these new monsters." 

The Bitter Twins was good but not as good as The Ninth Rain, the first book in The Winnowing Flame Trilogy. 

The plot in The Bitter Twins felt less tight than in The Ninth Rain. There were a few moments where events felt too perfectly timed, too coincidental, or just too obvious, which pulled me out of the story. It lacked the seamless flow that made the first book so gripping.
Another issue was Tor’s characterization. In The Ninth Rain, he was caring, funny, and layered, but here, he felt reduced to a moping, one-dimensional figure. It was disappointing to see such a vibrant character become so flat.
And a minor but aggravating detail: the number of times Noon, Tor, or others held up Vintage as some kind of moral compass. She’s not a saint, and the repetitive praise felt unearned and irritating after a while.

Despite those issues, I flew through this book and I enjoyed it a lot. Jen Williams’ writing is effortless to read, and I love the world and magic she’s created. The warbeasts are fantastic, each with unique personalities that make them stand out. Noon grew on me in this book, and I appreciate her development as a character.
Hestillion’s character arc was a highlight. She owns her choices and understands her motivations, which makes her one of the most compelling characters in the series. I also loved the distinct voices of all the characters; each one feels unique and fully realized.
The history revelations were surprising and intriguing, and I’m curious to see how they’ll impact everyone in the next book. 
And the action scenes? Absolutely fantastic. Williams delivers when it comes to tense, exciting battles and high-stakes moments.

The Bitter Twins wasn’t as strong as The Ninth Rain, but it still kept me hooked. The world, magic, and action are as captivating as ever, and I’m excited to see how everything wraps up in the final book. If you loved the first book in the series, this one is still very much worth reading; just be prepared for a book that's definitely not as good as the previous one.

Have you read The Bitter Twins? Did you feel the same way, or did it grab you more than it did me? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena 

Jen Williams: The Ninth Rain

Hi everyone

The Ninth Rain is the first book in The Winnowing Flame Trilogy by Jen Williams. This book was a birthday gift from my husband back in January. 

"The great city of Ebora once glittered with gold. Now its streets are stalked by wolves. Tormalin the Oathless has no taste for sitting around waiting to die while the realm of his storied ancestors falls to pieces - talk about a guilt trip. Better to be amongst the living, where there are taverns full of women and wine.
When eccentric explorer, Lady Vincenza 'Vintage' de Grazon, offers him employment, he sees an easy way out. Even when they are joined by a fugitive witch with a tendency to set things on fire, the prospect of facing down monsters and retrieving ancient artefacts is preferable to the abomination he left behind.
But not everyone is willing to let the Eboran empire collapse, and the adventurers are quickly drawn into a tangled conspiracy of magic and war. For the Jure'lia are coming, and the Ninth Rain must fall..." 

This was so good!
At first, The Ninth Rain took some time to fully pull me in. But once I was about a third of the way through, I was completely hooked. 

This book has everything you could want; a rich history, fascinating magic, magnificent (and terrifying) creatures and diverse characters and races. The concept behind Ygseril and the war-beasts is so unique and imaginative. The story is packed with action, humor, suspense, and even a touch of romance, but it never feels overwhelming or too much. The worldbuilding is really impressive and Williams her writing just draws you in. 
The characters are flawed, complex, and deeply human (even when they’re not entirely human). I fell in love with Vintage (an eccentric explorer who feels like a grandma version of Indiana Jones) and Tormalin, who is strong and caring. Only Noon starts out as a weak and honestly uninteresting character but she becomes stronger, And there are some great sidecharacters too! 
The tension in this book is palpable, and Williams’ writing is so engaging and immersive that I often found myself reading "just one more chapter" late into the night. 

Have you read The Ninth Rain or any of Jen Williams’ other books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I have already ordered the second and third installment in The Winnowing Flame series because I can't wait to find out how the story evolves.

Happy reading!
Helena