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Keeper of the Lost Cities (my impressions)
Having heard so...
Having heard so much about the KOTLC books, I decided to try the first one, and here's what I thought.
Okay, good things first - I like the plot. It seems a little commonplace - everyone seems to write about going to magical training academies, for instance - but there's lots of potential for adventure, shipping, subplots, character development, backstories, and all the rest of it.
But I did not like the characters. Sophie's one of my least favorite heroines. For me at least, she's really annoying. She doesn't appreciate anything, all she does is feel either whiny, scared, or self-critical. It frustrates me how she's so egotistical and yet so unsure of herself - she doesn't accept herself OR stop thinking about herself, at least not so far. And she's not very mature - like right when the book starts, she isn't paying attention to her teacher in the museum, or even interested by the dinosaurs. Sure, dinosaurs are not the most fascinating thing ever, but one ought to have some appreciation for education. And basically the characters are puppets - they don't have any hidden sides to their character or deep motivations or emotions. Compare Alden (Fitz's father) to Jo March, David Copperfield, or Mrs. Lynde (in Anne of Green Gables) and you'll see what I mean. Some authors have the ability to make their characters become real people - it's as if you've met them, and it's easy to love or hate them. But as for the KotLC characters - well, I'm irritated by them, but I can't care about them, and I wouldn't want to meet them irl.
I could pass over the characters, though, if the writing style were better. Honestly, all the writing on the CB is better than that. Take pangolin's ski-lodge! There's no description, except for every once in a while, like when Sophie goes to Atlantis, and it's just... it's not vivid or beautiful. Basically the writing's more like stage directions for a play or movie, and that makes perfect sense, because I read that Shannon Messenger studied screenwriting and film production. It gives you the feeling that she wasn't interested in the story herself, which has the effect of making you uninterested too.
There are a couple of other things that irritated me. When Sophie is in Atlantis and sees a giant sea scorpion, she's scared of it, and Fitz says, "What is it with girls?" Nobody points out that Sophie's not scared because she's a girl, she's scared because that's the way she is. Fitz is allowed to get away with thinking that all girls must be scared of sea scorpions, and that is a VERY retrograde way of doing things.
On the bright side, there's none of the pretty much revolting darkness and morbidity that's found in a lot of other books, so I'm glad of that. It's a good series to spend some time reading when there's nothing else. I just don't like it that much. Sorry this is a bit of a rant, I just wanted to say what I thought of it.
Oh, and to anyone who's wondering: So far I'm on team Sophitz, but I'll have to wait and see how Fitz and Keefe develop. :)
submitted by Poinsettia, age immortal, thank you very much
(December 10, 2022 - 7:22 pm)
(December 10, 2022 - 7:22 pm)
Yeah, I get that KOTLC is not the most amazing series ever. It has a very exciting plot and that is one of the reasons why so many like it. It does, in the beggining take a similar rout e to most books, but I assure when you keep reading it gets better. As for shipping SOFITZ instead of SOKEEFE I understand your inclinations after reading the first book but any reader past say book 6 veers in the exact oppisite direction. I hope you keep reading because it just gets better. If you don't agree well, everyone has different oppinions. About the detail, i feel like it does have a fair amount of detail the book describes the amazing and new elven places incredibly well. Also the food descriptions make me want to live in the book. Sophie is a strong main charecter and you will see more to all the charecters later, but i agree they are somewhat shallow if you compare them to the great writers of the past.
(December 11, 2022 - 7:03 pm)
(December 11, 2022 - 7:13 pm)
Okay, to some extent, I do agree with you on the writing of the books, BUT. The first books are kinda..better and more action-packed than say, Stellarlune. I have my opinions on book nine, that's for sure. I think the only thing people cared about was chapter 42, lol.
I'm Team Sokeefe, and I think you'll figure that out later in the books. Fitz is...a little messed up, if you know what I mean. As for the characters, I think they're mostly pretty good. Keefe is freaking amazing, as in if he was a real-life person, I'd be his best friend. Or at least I like to think that. Lol.
Fitz, eh. Basically want to punch him a lot. That's all you need to know. Sophie. Ummmm....she's okay. She's my favorite female character in the books (well, other than Ro. She's AMAZING) but she does have her faults.
So..I do have to disagree with you on a lot of stuff, because KotLC is my favorite series. Personally I think Shannon did an okay job with the books, but with such a long series, it becomes harder and harder to create good content, you know? However she does pull people in with her writing because at the end of each book there's a cliffhanger. And that's essential to getting people to read more. I mean I was DYING to read the next book and stuff.
There definitely are a lot of writers who write better than she does, but honestly? Her fantasy world is so. cool.
Anyway, let's just agree to disagree, lol. Sorry for the freakishly long post about absolutely nothing.
(December 12, 2022 - 12:46 pm)
Personally, I enjoy reading Keeper of the Lost Cities, but I definitely see where you're coming from.
It's most certainly not my favorite series, but I do enjoy reading how the characters and how the plot develop.
I think that the first book was the best; I enjoy reading the moments spent at Foxfire. I can kind of relate to the stress that is put on Sophie--but then again, can't we all? Surely, all of us have taken tests before; and the stress can be unimaginable.
Though, for me, tests don't really freak me out. It's only on certain occasions where I'm nervous.
I'm not saying that I get perfect grades or anything, but nervous-testing habits usually can't really get to me, no matter how much I procrastinate.
I suppose it may be because I'm homeschooled. When you recieve a graded test from someone you don't know or love at all, it's probably much more frustrating and stressful. Especially because people who actually go into school with other students have more pressure on them from their friends, teachers, etc.
I'm not saying I don't understand at all; I do take some courses that are taught by teachers other than my mother, but I certainly understand less.
Sorry this has turned into a sort-of rant, but it had to be said.
-Echo
(December 12, 2022 - 9:12 pm)
(December 13, 2022 - 4:36 pm)
@Queen Awesome, I probably will switch to shipping Sokeefe once I read the next books -
everyone keeps dropping dark hints about Fitz, so I'm prepared to
dislike him eventually. (Not that I like either Fitz or Keefe - I think
neither one would make a very good boyfriend for Sophie, at least not so
far.)
@Morticia, you're right that the cliffhangers do make you want to keep reading. I've only read the first book, which doesn't end so excitingly, but the chapters do end at the most action-filled moments, which of course made me go through the whole book. :)
@Echo Hallowswift, I feel the same way about tests - I don't usually get too nervous about them, although I will say it is stressful having to study for them.
(December 16, 2022 - 9:52 pm)