Lightlark (The Lightlark Saga Book 1) (The Lightlark Saga, 1)

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Update: I was kindly given access to an audiobook on NetGalley and can now divulge a full, honest review! Fair warning, I was right about this being an ACOTAR ripoff with terrible prose. I feel thoroughly validated lmao Alex Aster’s intricate world expands after the riveting culmination of the Centennial games, delving more deeply into Isla’s memories of her past, as her future hurtles toward two possible fates. Isla Crown is the young ruler of Wildling—a realm of temptresses cursed to kill anyone they fall in love with. They are feared and despised, and are counting on Isla to end their suffering by succeeding at the Centennial.” I liked how ambitious Isla was, but the most annoying thing about her was her obstinate stubbornness and then almost immediate opinion changes.

But I digress. Where were we? Right, the stupid demonstrations, the endless chapters of Isla's searching, and then Act 2 is where we have Isla paired up with Oro. You would think, the time they spend paired up would give insight into Oro's character. Nope. Nuh-uh, friends, his character is so bland. Now onto the premise. There are six rulers of six different realms trying to break their curses by competing in a Centennial, a game that takes place on an island that only emerges every hundred years. Simple enough? No it isn't.The book's premise was promising, but the execution didn't land. Some elements felt rushed, like descriptions of the Centennial's purpose and the romances. The twist at the end was a redeeming plot point, but even then... Anyways it’s very clear to me that Aster cares about writing and storytelling, but perhaps not as much the art or craft of it. To quote Billy Joel, slow down you crazy child, you’re so ambitious for a juvenile.

And despite my misgivings, I’ll probably read the sequel. I want to see how this messy, strangely addictive story ends 😂 I mentioned in my Lightlark review that I listened to an arc on audiobook. I read Nightbane with my own two eyes, so... I do think that made a lot of the structural issues and prose issues more relevant. But before I get into the negatives, I'd like to discuss the positive I am a person who followed almost all the controversies surrounding the author of this book, Alex Aster, from her controversial app to all the stuff that happened in BookTok.

This kind of success has happened before. Ernest Cline had a movie deal for Ready Player One before the book was out. Then again, both RPO and Lightlark are highly commercialized novels, which I do consider an issue when regarding the industry as a whole and what becomes popular.

Also, for people who are critical of Aster as an industry plant, I highly suggest you read more about her sister, Daniella Pierson, and how she made a creative agency focusing on tiktok marketing called Newsland along with her newsletter. Industry plants do not exist in publishing, but money and connections do lend privilege, which is nothing new. you might be tired reading about great FMCs and might want to read about a FMC who always follows other people's plans, who is always saved by someone else, and who thinks "im so smart!!" but is dumb af preread: “but i thought you were done taking book recommendations from tiktok?” shhhhhhhhh. just one more.

They serve no real purpose outside of trying to force a competition format, and the performances for an adoring crowd distract from the rulers’ actual goal of trying to ‘solve’ the prophecy. The demonstrations come off as side quests to a larger storyline, and that larger storyline is…..guessing where things are and then going to look for them. It can get repetitive and feel as though the plot is stalling, and during those slowed-down periods you keep wondering things like, ‘ So why did nobody try working together to free themselves before?’ or ‘ What was the point of making official alliances if people can just ignore them?’ or ‘ Why are the townspeople cool with hosting all these balls for the aristocrats who can’t seem to solve, like, one (1) riddle?’ I don't know who finds the 500 year man and 18 year old girl romance appealing, but I'm so tired of it. It's laughable. Even if they look 20... seriously? Every time I remember the character's ages, and how they actually act in the book, I have to laugh. Even just the fact that she beats them both in combat. It's like... okay. Both of these men led their armies in a war against each other 500 years ago and have been practicing fighting since and they just got their asses beat by an 18 year old. She wasn't even doing anything new that they haven't seen or her puting her own spin on it. She just beat them. Funny. I know it's YA and the main character needs some quality that gives her worth like that, but it's just so jarring.