Goodreads Review of Inda (Inda #1)
SUMMARY: It feels good to be doing written reviews after a couple weeks hiatus for the amazing BookExpoAmerica experience! I won't write an in-depth summary of The Fox here since it's a sequel and I don't want to spoil readers for book one. Suffice it to say that Inda is still on the high seas and fighting pirates. Crew changes, battles, and political intrigue still run rampant throughout the various parts of the kingdom as the Venn continue to threaten the waters.
WRITING: If each book weren't so long, I would definitely have marathoned the series. This is no fault of the writer, rather my lack of time the past couple of months to devote to a large page count series. Smith puts great detail and thought into her work. You can tell that these characters have lived inside her head for quite some time due to the detail provided in their personalities and family connections. At times this seemed a hindrance- as the reader got their bearings on the place and characters in question, more were added and muddled the mix a bit. However, her writing is rich and detailed, if cumbersome at times. She also provides good dialogue on character motivations and what shapes personalities (page 88).
CHARACTERS: I love the ladies in this series. They are really coming into their own from the shadows. Hadand, Joret, Tdor, and Queen Wisthia are smart and cunning, and Smith delighted this reader with further exploration of their inner turmoil and plans. This novel satisfies certain "comeuppances" that have been brewing for royal characters (male and female) for some time. Since the story is told from an omniscient narrator, we get the perspective of those in power...which is not always an enviable position. I hope I'm being sufficiently cryptic so that you'll pick the book up!
PLOT: The plot thickens...hahaha. Seriously though. Ramis the Knife, the magic of Norsunder, and the and illusive Sea Dags and Mages add to mysteriousness of the story and battles. A large betrayal by a supposed ally drives the story forward by solidifying a questionable relationship, and creating another course of direction for Inda and his friends.
WORLD-BUILDING: As I mentioned in the writing portion, Smith obviously loves this world due to her painstaking attention to detail and connections throughout the kingdoms of people. Physical descriptions of a region's citizens, occupations, smells of the region, and types of food preferred are normally mentioned for each major area.
PACING: I still had the same trouble with book two as the first one. The slew of names, situations, and house histories often bogged down the action. However, I felt so accomplished when I made the proper connections and finished the story.
FINAL RATING: 4 STARS
Here's the biggest takeaway for me and advice for potential reader's of this series: Don't drive yourself crazy with the details. If you try to memorize everything you will drive yourself bonkers. Think big picture stuff unless you have a freakishly good memory (which sadly, I'm not blessed with). Know 1) who's fighting who, 2) the general location said fighting is occurring, and 3)outcome and implications. I felt more emotionally invested with these characters and the series with the completion of this book...partly because of the massive number of pages I've read, but mostly because I simply enjoy the story more after learning the proper way to read it. If you're looking for a world to get completely immersed in and don't mind a more challenging read, this series will suit the bill nicely.
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