Vaginal Fantasy Book Club discussion
May 2015: Driven/Dead Winter
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Dead of Winter *Spoilers*
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Ashleigh
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May 05, 2015 11:47PM
There is another thread for this book from when it first came out, is it possible to merge them?
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Larissa wrote: "Aww, I'm sorry! I didn't see the other thread. :("Sorry I meant that as a question for the mods! it was an older thread so i don't think many will have seen it :)
Here is a link to the previous discussion post, but I feel like since it's this month's alt we should continue any discussion on this current thread. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
That being said, I just finished reading Dead of Winter! I was so happy it got picked as the alt because I bought it when it came out but haven't gotten around to it. In the beginning of this one, I felt slightly confused because it has been over a year since I read the last book. But that didn't stop me from reading this whole book in a day!
I thought this one was pretty good but I felt like it didn't really move the story very far forward. It felt like it was mostly just Evie pining back and forth between Aric and Jack. And I won't spoil it, but I was definitely annoyed at her choice at the end. And then with the way things turned out after her choice, I don't know, I feel like the whole book just became a wash after that. Like well what was the point of all this back and forth from her if that was how it was going to end?
So overall good installment until the ending. I imagine there is going to have to be at least two or three more books in this series. I hope in the next book we really get to meet some more of the Arcana, especially since I don't feel like we really meet any in this book.
Loved this book. It was a quick and enjoyable read. The focus on the Twins was well developed. Clones. Never would have predicted that. Kresley Cole's imagination continues to fascinate me as she develops the Arcana characters and their unique abilities.
I agree with Jonathan. Just disappointed that I have to wait for the next book.
Mod
I didn't read Poison Princess when it was the read before and I was thinking about picking it up when I realized Dead of Winter was this month's alt. I read all three books over the course of four days. And the worst part about it was that now I have to wait for the rest. Ugh.
I have to admit that the series almost scared me off twice. Evie and Jack's early relationship in Poison Princess was bordering on Twilight territory and I wasn't looking forward to Endless Knight after I read the blurb that introduced Death as a second love intrest (the love triangle is my least favorite trope of the YA world).
That said, I'm so glad I stuck with it and I adore the world that Cole created. The whole idea of basing an entire system of magic off of the tarot cards is really fun, and I've enjoyed seeing how the different Arcana have adapted their strategies based on what has happened in past games.
And for some reason, the love triangle in this series is really working for me. As much as I hate the love triangle trope, I'm a hopeless romantic and end up rooting for one relationship over the other (intersperced with eye rolling at how ridiculous the heroine is that she can't just pick one of them). I can not make up my mind between Jack and Death. Although they both have their brooding moments, they are solid characters that have own the crappy hands they've been dealt and make the most of it. I think the fact that Jack and Death reflect two different sides of Evie (normal human Evie and the red witch, respectively) is what makes the love triangle work for me; it's not entirely about choosing one or the other, it's also about Evie choosing who she wants to be.
Full spoilers to follow.
The cliff-hangers are REAL in this series. I was glad I got to read the first three back-to-back, but the ending to Dead of Winter is killing me! I do think Jack survives, there was a lot of build-up to her choosing Jack and it feels cheap for it to end like that. I also think any future relationship she would have with Death in the wake of Jack's death would be cheapened. But, I do think Evie has to believe that Jack is dead to truly tap into and use her full powers. I'm anxious to see how that plays out.
I've read some speculation about Jack being an Arcana, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, it could give him an escape from the lava (is there a card that's immune to fire?), but on the other hand I don't like the effect it would have on the Evie/Jack real life based romance and the Evie/Death Arcana relationship balance. The big draw for her relationship to Death would be that he would understand her better, if Jack turns out to be Arcana that whole argument is out the window.
Spoilers: I was also getting the meh feels towards the love triangle, and didn't agree with her choice at the end (then again, I'm the person who choose the Phantom over Raoul any day, so that wasn't surprising). But the ending - that gutted me. And after all their work to save the army, for that to happen.... I can't blame Evie for breaking down. HOW COULD SHE END THE BOOK THERE?!
I love this series. I am just irritated that I have to wait for the next installment. I can't wait to meet her grandmother. Maybe there will be another love interest?
