This one turned out to be an interesting read. I'm not always a fan of this writing style, but this one turned out well and held my attention as I read.

I want to start off by saying that this work was a lot easier to follow when reading it out loud because the format of the text is poetic and requires a kind of rhythm that's easier to maintain when you can hear it. Of course, there were times that I lost the rhythm even while speaking aloud, but it was a lot more immersive when reading these lines when I could hear what they could sound like.

Overall, the story was a lyrical telling of the circle of life in the aftermath of tragedies, where friendships and loyalties are tested. And, despite having to read the book allowed to fully immerse myself in it and follow the story arc, it was written beautifully.

I enjoyed the multitude of characters portrayed also. When there were many in a scene, it was interesting to see how the dialogue and their actions were described to contrast each other. Of all the books, I think this mostly came out in Book II and III, with this sort of comparison between who existed in the time of conflicts and war that gave an interesting depth for the story.

I can see myself, when not on an electronic screen, reading this and highlighting parts of prose and dialogue that are my favourite. I can see myself analysing the deeper, inner thoughts of each character and their motives. There is layer upon layer of depth in this book that just one read doesn't quite do justice.

The addition of a multi-media aspect wasn't always needed and I only found the first two truly interesting – as a designer, I'm allowed to say I didn't really think they were necessary.

This book is classified as poetry, and it is. It's poetry of the most lyrical narrative I have ever read, and because I haven't read much, I think that may have contributed to the fact that I needed an audible aid while going through it. Despite that though, it was still a very quick read and enjoyable.

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3.5/5

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This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.