SR Westvik’s Reviews > Siena > Status Update

In these early Foresthome chapters, I really appreciate Siena's gentleness and fear and anxiety. I credit Before She Ignites for softening me up to characters that are introspective and stereotypically "weak". It only makes me more fearful of when - not if, I'm quite sure, but when - the Plainsmen will come for her.

Repeated words, clunky dialogue, Captain Obvious moments from the internal narration...Still, I like the Forestfolk too much to feel blah about the book yet! They're so wholesome, and that's rare, with all the dark places YA likes to go these days.

Not sure how I feel about each chapter being split into so many smaller chunks. I also wish Siena would dwell a little on where she came from before coming here. It feels a bit unfeeling - or uncritical? And a distinct lack of conflict :/ idk it started very promisingly but it lost its touch???

Received this ARC from NetGalley! I'm enjoying it so far. It's compulsively readable, for one, and the society of the tribe is well drawn (even if the world isn't yet). There's not much plot yet, but I'm excited to go on!