5,0 van 5 sterren
Read this book now
Beoordeeld in het Verenigd Koninkrijk op 2 juni 2023
"Are we meeting rabid dogs or civilised human beings?"
"Neither. These are the Descended - they're something else entirely."
All her life, Diem has been sheltered from the Descended, the half-god half-mortals who reign over the humans in her realm. While she knows the atrocities they're capable of, her parents have always been careful to keep her distanced from direct contact with them, and she has never questioned why. Until her mother goes missing the day Diem spies her arguing with a Descended in secret.
This book is full of mystery, betrayal, lost innocence and magic. Throughout the book I was trying to piece together where the story might go, keeping me guessing right until the end, and honestly, even past the epilogue! The reveal of information throughout the book was so well done, giving you just enough to follow the story and maintain interest, but not enough to find out what was actually going on in the most delicious way!
The FMC is a great character, she's a healer, she's the daughter of a famous commander, she can fight, she has spent her life refusing to conform to the delicate, meek female role society has tried to force her into. But she is also emotional, rash, she has flaws, makes bad decisions, gets injured, she feels real. Her life is flipped upside down when she realises her mother has been keeping huge secrets from her for her whole life, and she's looking for some place to belong, to make a difference, but something inside is pulling her in another direction.
Her childhood best friend turned lover, Henri, seems so devoted to her, even when they disagree and fight he's there for her, he supports her, he doesn't let her push him away and just patiently waits for her to let him back in. He breaks my heart! I must have some kind of Tamlin/Gale-induced PTSD because the whole book I was waiting for him to make some huge mistake and push her away and I was really dreading it because he is such a great character. I really loved this, because every character is so well-rounded, none of the main characters are true villains or heroes, they all have good intentions and make mistakes, and that moral grey zone is so much more fun to read than outright good versus bad!
"Nothing's going on between me and that Prince."
"Oh, don't give me that ********. The two of your can't keep your eyes off each other."
I can't not mention Maura, who offers a maternal support in the absence of Diem's mother, toeing that line between parental admonishment and friendly gossip, the latter of which Diem seems severely lacking in her life.
"His eyes flew back and forth across the dinner table between Father and me, his expression an equal mix of 'what are you doing' and 'oh my gods Diem whatever you're doing, don't'"
Can we talk about this sibling relationship though!!! I love the banter between these two. Diem plays both the protective older sister, and the wind-up when she teases Teller about his friendship with Lily and I loved it! It's so nice to see a really close sibling relationship where they don't seem to have some kind of underlying trauma pushing them apart, I really hope their bond strengthens through the next books and they continue to support and lean on each other. Every time Teller looks to Diem in a tense moment, assessing how he should be feeling based on her reaction I melt a little.
"Alright. I'll just, um, go get a dress for her."
"Pants. She - she normally wears pants."
WHY is it so attractive when a MMC notices something small like this about the FMC. Especially if they're mortal enemies. Especially if all she does is break his rules and he should, by all rights, unalive or arrest her. Luther, I see behind this mask, I see your cinnamon roll tendencies. I'm not mad about it.
"Touch her, and I'll rip off your f***ing arms."
This quote needs no comment, does it?
Read. This. Book. Now.
If you liked Olivia Wildenstein's House of Beating Wings, this gave me really similar vibes, but with a The Cruel Prince "I should hate her but I can't stop thinking about her" twist. It just has everything I love in a book
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and die
He falls first
Family secrets
Old Gods, New Gods
Civil war, political intrigue
This is the longest review I've written in a long time because I can't stop gushing about this book.
I am so glad that the second book is releasing so soon, because I NEED ANSWERS
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