Sunday, August 3, 2014

ARC Review: Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee


Title: Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone, #1) 

Author: Lori M. Lee

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Release Date: August 5th, 2014

I felt hopeful, sliding open the cover of Gates of Thread and Stone. Lee's debut begins with promise, introducing us to Kai, a fierce and headstrong heroine whose ability to slow down time is refreshingly unique. Moreover, the first few chapters of this novel present us with an intriguing fantasy world, one in which Kai, living practically in the slums, must earn credits--opposed to hard cash--to rise above her rank. Kai, who was adopted by an orphan boy, Reev, when she was eight-years-old, has a strong bond with her older foster brother. Seeing the two interact on the page at the opening of Gates of Thread and Stone was heart-warming--just as witnessing Kai's frantic worry over Kai's sudden disappearance is heart-wrenching.

With the help of her childhood friend (and crush!), Avan, Kai sets out to find Reev knowing only that he has been taken by the Black Rider, formerly thought to be a mere legend. Unfortunately, I found that this novel gradually declined from this point on-wards. For me, where Gates of Thread and Stone is strongest lies within Kai. Unlike typical protagonists, she doesn't allow the presence of her love interest to distract from her mission. Instead, I admired Kai's unflinching devotion to saving Reev and, moreover, her inner strength in challenging herself and overcoming her own hurdles. When it came to the romance I certainly had a bone--or two, really--to pick with Kai but with that slight exception, I found her to be a welcoming heroine.

Yet, despite her shining qualities, I feel as if Lee fails to utilize Kai to her fullest potential. We, rather disappointingly, see very little of Kai's marvelous ability and the instant camaraderie I felt upon meeting her during those initial pages vanished only chapters into the narrative. I continued to enjoy Kai, support her decisions, and marvel at her actions but, I couldn't feel much for her. In large part, this is due to the lack of development that Lee offers her secondary characters. Reev brings out the best in Kai and, seeing the strength of their bond in the opening of the novel, establishes the reader-character connection that is absolutely essential. Lee fails to sustain that thread throughout the narrative, however, as Kai is constantly on the move from one location to another, meeting characters only to dismiss them at later points in the tale. I never felt grounded, neither to a location nor to a character, over the course of Gates of Thread and Stone. I relish secondary characters, not only for their different personalities but more so for what they bring out in the protagonist. Lee's secondary characters are forgettable, at best, and their roles in Kai's life are all-too-similar to those played by other, far more memorable, secondary characters in other novels; whether it be teacher, guide, betrayer, fighter, potential friend...none of these roles are filled in a manner that bears remembrance and I found myself ever-so-slightly saddened by the direction the plot took.

I will say, though, that Lee keeps readers guessing at her plot lines. I often expected the story to travel in one direction and it pleasantly surprised me by taking a different path. Nevertheless, I didn't find the pacing of this novel to be particularly engaging and, once Kai leaves the city gates, the world-building felt confusing at best, nonexistent at worst. Now, that's not to say it isn't there--because it is. Lee infuses her debut with hints of mythology, pulled from various sources, and the result is rather fascinating. I only wish it had been presented in a different light. By the time the entirety of Lee's world becomes evident, the story is winding down and the influx of emotion, detail, and plot twists all packed into the final few chapters isn't lovely.

What's more, the conclusion of this novel banks upon the fact that you, the reader, actually cared about the romance. Which, I assure you, I didn't. I found Avan to be a respectable romantic interest--not too perfect but not an asshole either--yet I couldn't summon up much emotion for him. Avan and Kai skirt around their feelings for far too long. Lee takes it to a point where it begins to feel unnatural--seriously, how could they not have figured out one another's feelings sooner?--and the romantic tension isn't of the welcome variety. Granted, Gates of Thread and Stone avoids a love triangle but--I'll warn you--don't come here looking for swoon. I genuinely felt as if Avan's character, particularly with his past and liberal mindset, could have been utilized in a different--and possibly better--manner throughout the narrative. Just...unimpressive, is all.

I am confident that Lee's debut will finds its die-hard fans. Of that, I have no doubt. Yet, for me, it wound up being a mash-up of too little magic (Kai, USE YOUR POWERS!), too little chemistry, and far too little connectivity. I just couldn't get into this one and while I truly loved the sibling bond that lies at the core of this novel, not to mention the qualities of Kai's that are truly admirable, Gates of Thread and Stone just didn't amaze me.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank You!

20 comments:

  1. I really wanted to read this one (I mean look at that cover and just the idea of stopping time. It all seemed so good). Too bad that you couldn't feel that character and it's really hard to enjoy the book when that happens. Also too bad at the world-building as the whole idea seemed so good. Great review, Keertana :)

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  2. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, K! This definitely leaves me feeling disappointed, especially because I've heard similar feelings from other bloggers. I think this may be one I'll wait on until the next book releases, and see how that one is received. I never do well with romances that are annoying, anyway. :/ Lovely review, lady!

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  3. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, K! This definitely leaves me feeling disappointed, especially because I've heard similar feelings from other bloggers. I think this may be one I'll wait on until the next book releases, and see how that one is received. I never do well with romances that are annoying, anyway. :/ Lovely review, lady!

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  4. Oh it's too bad mainly with the characters. I saw this one around and fell in love with the cover but it's sad to see it's not that good...

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  5. Oh no! It looks and sounds so cool- But I hear you, and I do not think it would work for me

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  6. Sorry to hear you didn't really connect with the characters or the story, Keertana.The secondary characters can add so much to the story, so it's unfortunate they weren't very interesting here. Hope your next read is better. Great honest review! :)

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  7. Sorry that this book didn't work for you. The premise of the story seems interesting and all the more I do love when the author keeps the readers guessing and bam suddenly it takes a turn from what we have in mind. But I'm not sure I would enjoy this book as well. Wonderful review, Keertana.

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  8. I do believe this story has potential but waiting around for it to get good (as the series progresses) could be asking a lot. A forgettable secondary cast is possibly the worst thing here, but Lee can certainly turn this around. But after a disappointing introduction, I can imagine that you wouldn't want to continue the series. Not sure if I'll take this on, but if I ever do, I'll take Danielle's approach and wait for the sequels to release before diving in. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Keertana! Lovely review, as always. :)

    Marlene @ The Flyleaf Review

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  9. Darn it, I was hoping this one would be a bit better. Wonderful review!

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  10. So sorry this didn't work for you. :( I was looking forward to it too, but after reading your thoughts and similar thoughts from some other bloggers I'm not so sure anymore.

    Thanks for the honest review!

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  11. Most of the reviews I've seen for this one lately have been less than enthusiastic, and I'm so bummed Keertana! I was really looking forward to it. The way you described Avan and the romance is particularly disappointing for me, you know how much I love a good romance in my books. *sigh* I think I'll pass for now, but I'll keep and eye to see if future books improve on this one!

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  12. I had more luck with this, mostly because I genuinely liked Kai, but I see all your points and even agree with some. :) My main issue was the romance, actually, that just didn't work for me at all. I didn't expect such cowardice from either of them. Like you, I loved that it surprised me several times. That's not something that happens often.
    Great review!

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  13. Aw too bad it didn't work for you. I don't like the sound of the romance and I'm not sure if she would frustrate me or not. I'm a bit curious about that but I can see why you didn't really connect with her.

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  14. Sad to hear you didn't absolutely love Gates of Thread and Stone. But now I kind of want to read it even more. Have been wanting to since I first saw the cover on Twitter. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts:)

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  15. Oh, shoot. I've really been looking forward to this one, but to hear that the magical elements of the novel aren't nearly as prominent as I'd hoped is definitely disappointing. But, like you said, this book will have fans, and I'll definitely still read it sometime :) great review!

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  16. I felt this one nearly had the ingredients to be the sort of book that I'd love, but I just couldn't get behind all of it in the end, unfortunately. The romance especially didn't work for me, though I did find the book intriguing to begin with. Was expecting more overall. Sorry it didn't impress you either, Keertana!

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  17. I'm sorry to hear that this was a disappointment. It had such an intriguing premise, and I love how she had to work for credits opposed to cash to rise in status. I often find though that the romance is too heavily focused on, and this seems to be the case in this book, and it doesn't sound like an amazing romance either. I don't think this one is for me because I usually read books for the characters, and this one seems to be lacking in character development. Wonderful review, Keertana!

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  18. Aw this is so disappointing to hear! Why in the world would an author give her protagonist an awesome power like the ability to slow down time and then not have the protagonist really take advantage of it? That sounds like wasted potential.
    I'm thinking perhaps I'll avoid this one for now and see if readers think that the story improves in the sequel.
    Still, this is a lovely, thorough review, Keertana!

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  19. Ugh. I have to review this and I keep putting it off. Mostly what I've read about this story makes it sound disappointing. Boo!

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  20. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it that much!
    I've been wanting to read this for some time now and I still don't know what to do. The plot sounds interesting but I like to have many characters involved, each of them well defined and with their importance in the story.
    To read or not to read? :/

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