Publisher: ScholasticPublished: September 9, 2014
Pages: 299
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 2 Stars
Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.
Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.
All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.
So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.
Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.
The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .
Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.
All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.
So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.
Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.
The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .
In short: Unfortunately, The Iron Trial just smacked of unoriginality to me.
I probably don't need to tell you that I'm pretty crazy about Harry Potter and its premise and concept. It's everything to me. But do I need to see it repeated almost exactly in another book? No, there's no point to that. The Iron Trial just smacked of unoriginality to me. It was hard not to constantly be making comparisons to Harry Potter while reading it. And what's more, not only was it an HP doppelgänger, but it was not a particularly great one. When compared to Harry Potter - which as I mentioned, is impossible NOT to do - The Iron Trial is undoubtedly the weaker of the two.
Would I have liked The Iron Trial if I had read it in a world where Harry Potter didn't exist? Yes, absolutely, the premise and concepts in that case would have seemed wholly original. And I find I can always appreciate the work that Holly Black and Cassandra Clare put into the engaging personalities of their characters. I still don't think I would have LOVED it though because I still found The Iron Trial to be missing that extra special something in the end. Overall, I'm sorry to say I was pretty disappointed by the unoriginality of The Iron Trial and I will not be continuing with this series.
Other Reviews:
Books and Other Happy Ever Afters
My Precious
Xpresso Reads
Author Links:
Holly Black Website
Holly Black Twitter
Cassandra Clare Website
Cassandra Clare Twitter
Ha! I've heard the exact same thing from a few other bloggers, and now reading it here in your review cinches it: IF I eventually read my copy of this one, I picture myself raging about the outright copying that seems to take place here. I'm already pretty unforgiving about CC's HP inspiration in her TMI series so I can see book really getting to me. I especially love the fact that you mention that yes you might have enjoyed this one more in a world where HP doesn't exist, BUT that you still feel like you wouldn't have loved it regardless. I'm sorry that this one didn't work for you all the same. I hope your next read is/was better!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wouldn't recommend it because I feel like you would feel the same about it as I did. I remember feeling the same way about City of Bones when I first read it, but I was able to forgive her as the series went on because I feel like she was able to distinguish her world more. But this... no. And yeah, even if it weren't a copy cat, I still don't think I would have been in love with it!
DeleteI haven't read any reviews of this one, but I'm sorry it wasn't very original. I don't think I would really like this one either if it was so much like Harry Potter. You just can't outdo HP to me, so it's not cool to have another book that's SO similar.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's just really impossible not to focus on that aspect of it and of course it's never going to be BETTER than HP. So why even try?
DeleteI have heard the HP comparison a lot for this book. Too bad because I love these two writers....
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
I love them too... Their other books are all great, but this was just way too close to HP.
DeleteI've read a few Twilight look a likes that felt the same way to me. You're so busy comparing things because they are blatantly obvious that you can't help but miss out on the story. It's very frustrating when that happens. I haven't read too many Harry Potter look a likes luckily.
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly, it really doesn't do the story any favours because you can't help but compare every little similarity and of course it can't compete. This one was probably the closest HP read-alike that I've come across.
DeleteI didn't like this either. So many similarities to HP and that frustrated me, because, seriously, it could have been a great book...and Cassandra Clare is actually my favorite author. Anyway, great review!!
ReplyDeleteI know, I was so excited because Holly Black + Cassandra Clare should have been WIN!! But just way too similar.
DeleteAgreed!! I'm sad because Holly Black and Cassandra Clare are both seriously great authors. To be disappointed is just.... disappointing. The similarities were DEFINITELY there, and I certainly not continuing on with this MG series. Lovely review, Aylee, and thanks for linking up my review!! <3
ReplyDeleteExactly!! Totally disappointing because this should have been AWESOME with so much writing talent in one. Thanks, Jen :)
DeleteIt does sound like a rip off, in some ways.
ReplyDelete^sigh*
And it's not that I think you have to reinvent the wheel each time you write something, but regardless of shared plot points, it should feel unique and like is it's own story.
Sad it wasn't better.
Great review though.
I didn't even list all the ways here! I mean, I could have gone on...
DeleteAnd I definitely don't feel like you have to reinvent the wheel as that would be quite difficult, but this was just cookie cutter HP. But not nearly as good.
That is exactly what I was afraid of. I've heard mixed things about this book, ranging from 'it's not HP' to 'it's almost exact HP' and I trust you, my fellow Potterhead.
ReplyDeleteHeh, good to know you trust me as a fellow Potterhead :D
DeleteYeah, when I read this one, I couldn't help comparing it to HP. I do think there was some attempt to try to make this more original, but it just wasn't enough.
ReplyDeleteThere was some attempt yes, but it really wasn't enough for me either.
DeleteOh, no and oh, please! HARRY POTTER CAN. NEVER. BE. RECREATED! Oh my God, if you look at the cover of the book, it is Harry Potter-ish. Anyway, like you said, this book seriously seems to lack originality and creativity.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to bash it or anything since I haven't even read it, but yeah, HARRY POTTER CAN NEVER BE RECREATED! Hahaha!
I guess we would have fallen in love with the story had we read it before or alongside Harry Potter, but oh well, we're first and foremosr Potterheads, so NO.
Absolutely nice review, Aylee!
Sarika @ The Readdicts
RIGHT?!??! My feeling exactly. And it's not that it had just a few passing similarities (because what IS wholly original these days?), but it was more than just a few. It drove me crazy!! Ah, and I do love these authors...
DeleteI'm so sorry you didn't like it!
ReplyDeleteI didn't think it was too similar to Harry Potter and I really enjoyed it! :)
Ps. I have a blog as well, if you want to check it out! :D
-> http://frannieinthepages.blogspot.com/
Well that's good!
DeleteOh dear, this is unfortunate. I recently read (didn’t finish) a book that was incredibly like HP, too, and it is really frustrating to read a book that could’ve been marvelous and had so much potential turn out to be very similar to something you’ve already read. There is so much imagination in the world and I’d hate to see this as a growing trend of f”ollow the plot of that book!” That’s be awful. Sorry this was so disappointing! I imagine I would find it frustrating and hard not to compare, too.
ReplyDeleteFrustrating indeed! I'm glad you understand :)
Delete