An Unkindness of Magicians (November 2019) Buddy Read Discussion - Mina, Hannah

[Aless, Discord/Readathon Procrastinator]

Welcome to An Unkindness of Magicians Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on November 9th and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each week we will be reading by chapters. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 11/9
November 9: Chapters 1-2

Week of 11/10
November 10: Chapters 3-4
November 11: Chapters 5-6
November 12: Chapters 7-8
November 13: Chapters 9-10
November 14: Chapters 11-12
November 15: Chapter 13-14
November 16: Chapters 15-16

Week of 11/17
November 17: Chapters 17-18
November 18: Chapters 19-20
November 19: Chapters 21-22
November 20: Chapters 23-24
November 21: Chapters 25-26
November 23: Chapters 27-28

PARTICIPANTS:
- Mina
- Hannah

[Mirah]

I'll be starting this soon (maybe on 11th) but hopefully I'll catch up with the schedule

P.s. It's Mina and Hannah, not Heather.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Oh, good. I thought you commented because you started it. I just finished Dream Thieves and wasn't planing on starting it today but tomorrow.

I haven't even noticed it hasn't your name on the buddy read 😅 but on the other had known with whom I'm reading it so...

[Aless, Discord/Readathon Procrastinator]

Hannah wrote: "I'll be starting this soon (maybe on 11th) but hopefully I'll catch up with the schedule

P.s. It's Mina and Hannah, not Heather."

oops! it's fixed now!

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I read the first 3 chapters.

I like the writing so far. I wasn't that fond of the way chapter one was written, with many povs but if it's not going to be repeated i'm going to be okay with it because it introduced all the players (at least I think these are the important characters).

Bad news for me, maybe for you Hannah too, the switching of povs through the chapter continues. And that's something I don't like, but the story is interesting that after a chapter or two I won't notice it that much. Another thing that irked me a bit that also has to do with the many povs in one chapter was that the povs change so fast that I get confused who is who.

Chapter 3 (view spoiler)[I was so surprised that Grey is a killer! I mean the bone he grinded to dust should've given some hints but I didn't think much about it. It's funny how in the beginning when he complained about his mother I thought she was the bad one in the story, that she somehow wronged her son, but now I could understand her reaction. Also now we know who killed the mortal girl's friend (I can't remember her name right now and I'm too lazy to look it up) and why, I just hope that she doesn't fall in love with him or something cuz that is the cliche way. (hide spoiler)]

[Mirah]

Yeah, I totally agree with you. These all switching between different pov's is a lot confusing. The worldbuilding itself is a little harder to grasp (atleast for me).

Yup, Grey was the guy who killed Rose two years back.
I just loved how he carved a door in the shadow😁
Also I'm curious to see how Harper would find her way in the Unseen World.
(Yes, it would be very clićhe if they fall in love)

I don't understand why Sydney is paying dept to the house of shadows.
And what is the difference between eating someone's finger bone and using house of shadows magic.
(I do know that if you use shadows magic you are not to suffer the consequences of your magic)

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Yeah, the world building isn't that clear to me either, but hopefully we'll understand it better as we go. Hopefully I'll get the houses and all that stuff, but I get it why I'm a bit confused with that... at the same time with this book I'm reading Ninth House and it also has houses, obviously... that's a lot of houses to track.

How do you feel about the suggested schedule? I think that chapters pass by fast because of the povs change so I would like to do more than the suggested 2 chapters, but I don't know your reading pace.

[Mirah]

So far chapter 4 and 5 pov is mostly focused on Sydney. I like Ian's character
(view spoiler)[I like that he doesn't support the house of Shadows forbids himself to use it's magic. The way he beautifully sprouted the seed was incredible.
What exactly happend to Hawkins? Poor him😔 (hide spoiler)]

Yes I'm fine with reading ahead of schedule.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I like how chapters 4 and 5 are told, there's still the choppy way of telling just "important" scenes from Sydney's life, but at least the story is following only her. Yeah, Ian seems like an interesting character. As for Hawkings...I'm still figuring the magic out, something is wrong with magic and that's all I gathered 😅

Read chapter 6 where things are going back to many povs in one chapter. Madison Harper got the job, woohoo I'm interested to see how she'll get more involved with the Unseen world and how she'll discover the murderer.

Tomorrow I'm going to catch up on chapters since I'll be listening to it as I work and I would like to finish it by the end of the week.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I flew through the audiobook at work and I got to chapter 18, but I'll finish it later since I have two more hours to listen to.
Was there ever mentioned how old they are? Asking for no particular reason I just like to know the character's ages.

Chapter 8(view spoiler)[Not many of these duels are happening because the magic is failing and even though the small parts are interesting to see I would like a full battle to see the magic at work. The Season spell was interesting even when it took the wrong and bad turn.
I just can't believe how other magicians are...stupid? maybe that's not the word but.. Sydney told them to get out of the room before the forest takes over and they all stare, like they don't know how dangerous it could be.
Sydney was powerful--she did get out of the Shadow house which is something hard to do--but till the moment when she absorbed the spell I had not known HOW powerful. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 11 I'm glad some things have been explained about the house of shadow.
Chapter 12 I thought the story will follow Harper and how she tries to find her friend's killer, her appearance is on minimum. Dum dum dum Sydney confronting Miranda.
Chapter 18 (view spoiler)[ I wanted to cry for the house, it was lonely 😢 I really hope Sydney is going to live in it.
Sydney's "fight" with the house of Shadows was...a disappointment, it was too short and really anticlimactic. I expected something big. (hide spoiler)]

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Chapter 22 Gosh, I hate Gray so much
Chapter 23 (view spoiler)[ What? she killed him? Just like that? Another anticlimactic scene and it happened so fast almost without details. (hide spoiler)]
FINISHED IT

I don't exactly know how I feel about this book. I liked how it was written and I liked some of the characters but they weren't very deep, any of them. And have you noticed how besides the main characters no other character makes an appearance except to be mentioned that they helped with something? That I didn't like. It felt like I was reading a story but some chapters were missing. I liked the ending tho, it's not a happy happy ending but it's a good one. I thought this was a standalone book but apparently there's going to be a second book and, honestly, I don't know why because the way it ended it was good.

[Mirah]

Wow! You finished the book😨
I'm still on Chapter 16😂😂

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

😅 yeah. I have about 2.5h at work where no one bothers me so I used it + I listen to my audio books at a faster speed which helps.
What are your thought on the book so far?

[Mirah]

I prefer ebooks aur physical books to Audiobooks.
Also I hate multitasking while reading, so I'm able to read only when I go to bed😂

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I did too before I discovered audiobooks 😅 and it was a great discovery. These past months I felt a bit slumpish and audiobooks helped. And I didn't have much time besides the time it took me to walk to and from the bus station and occasionally at work if I had back pockets :D so I've gotten used to that and that timing.