The Bronze Key by Holly Black

The Bronze Key by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm going straight to pros and cons today.

Pros
Great read for the target age group.
Interesting story idea. Magic that can swap souls?
Good pace and length. Meaty enough to get into, but not a long term commitment.
Characters we can care about.

Cons
Inconsistent magic system. Knock people out with a thought, but still be crippled by your hands being tied together?
Goofy plot developments. Standing on a table and shouting your plan?

Yeah, I'm going to see this one through, but my epiphany for the day is that you don't have to be a perfect writer to be successful, especially with a younger audience. Focus on characters, and don't let your pace get too slow or your plot lines too deep, and younger audiences will fill in the gaps.

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series continues and is going well. The best part about this is the pace. Things keep moving, and you go from major scene to major scene, avoiding potential pitfalls like dating the lectures and classes they are attending. The real payoff is at the end. Although this is only book two, major conclusions happen at the end of this book, and although there is a continuing conflict, you feel some closure. That is hard to do mid series, and as a reader I appreciate it.

To be fair, I will point out that this is written for a tween audience, and there are occasional shallow points in both plot and character. I don't see that as a drawback, since it fits the audience. This isn't a Wheel of Time or even a Harry Potter. Keep the right expectations, and you'll find that this book delivers.

The Iron Trial by Holly Black

The Iron Trial by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just when I thought I'd never run into another trio of friends facing danger from a dark lord at a magic school, I found the Magisterium. (Previous encounters: Harry Potter, Charlie Bone, Michael Vey, Percy Jackson )

This book wasn't perfect, but it was pretty dang good. Most of the action and characters flowed along nicely with the telling. The magic system fits in fairly well, and the bad guys are threatening while still being real characters with goals. Adequate twists and turns, especially at the end, to keep readers of all ages engaged, although this is a solid early YA book.

My only issues area some of details here and there. A character named Warren that disappears half way through the book and doesn't reappear. A school made out of tunnels that still reacts to the seasons (underground temperatures are pretty constant.) The whole thing takes place in caves with little to no mention of the lighting challenges. A few balls of flame here and there are poor solutions to that problem. The almost instant acceptance of a beast that some characters had been brought up to fear their whole lives.

Again, I liked this book, but every now and then some detail would pull me out of the story, which was bothersome. Looking forward to the next book though.