Rough beginning, and it seems to have a problem deciding whether the King is a powerful vampire or just a regular indie romance asshole (down to some Rough beginning, and it seems to have a problem deciding whether the King is a powerful vampire or just a regular indie romance asshole (down to some tired lines and some of the sex), but I ended up really enjoying this. Partly because I like the fantasy world inhabited with various creatures (including some non-traditional PNR ones), partly she kicks serious ass, partly because it turns out he has principles, and partly because a giant snake named Fang won me over.
3.5 stars bumped up because it's a creative and fun take on vampire/shifter/etc. romantasies. With more edits, I could see this series being really great....more
I loved it so, so much. Not perfect (and I think some of the criticism I've seen is fair), but o.m.g. It is clearly a response to JK Rowling and otherI loved it so, so much. Not perfect (and I think some of the criticism I've seen is fair), but o.m.g. It is clearly a response to JK Rowling and other TERFs, but I think it stands on its own. This world, in which witches are in service of the crown and women are powerful (both personally and politically) is so immersive and the magic feels organic and well thought-out. So much to celebrate, too, in terms of diversity and inclusion—I was not familiar with this author, but certainly her experience lends extra weight to the story.
I’m usually not a huge fantasy person because I don’t have the patience for much of it, but here I was never confused by the storylines or character motivations, even with many POVs and a new world to learn. And it’s funny! I literally laughed out loud a few times at the clever dialogue and references, and I enjoyed all the relationships so much.
Audio Notes: Aoife McMahon’s narration is fantastic.
I am SO upset by the ending, though. (And even more upset to have it spoiled for me BY THE PUBLISHER because I glanced at the synopsis for the sequel three hours before finishing this one.) Whhhhyyyyyyyyyy.
--This could have been more intricately plotted. --The characters could have been more developed. --Some of the violence, be3.5 stars
There's no denying:
--This could have been more intricately plotted. --The characters could have been more developed. --Some of the violence, because there are repeated beatings, could have been written with more emotional and physical impact --There is a half-hearted triangle. (sorta? Maybe more of a red herring.) --After 400+ pages, I'm still not entirely sure how all the magic works.
And yet...I enjoyed it! It doesn't hurt that the book starts off with a doozy of an act, one that clearly shows you the girl you are dealing with. (view spoiler)[Theodosia kills her own father as an act of mercy. (view spoiler)[I KNOW. (hide spoiler)](hide spoiler)] The measured way Theodosia makes decisions and feels about her relationships makes me like her a lot, particularly in how she deals with her parents and her old Astrean friends, and maybe above all, in the tenuous bonds she's formed with the Kalovaxians who enslaved her people. The country is at war, and Theodosia is at war with herself over how she feels about her friend Cress. But she is clear-eyed about Cress loving her in return as she would a favored pet, and about her romance with Soren being untrustworthy, because he doesn't truly know her. I also like that the book is honest about how a person in Theodosia's position would use whatever means she has, including her feminine wiles, to gain advantage and to deceive, without making her lose integrity or the reader's trust.
I found this to be compulsively readable and I was eager to get back the audio version every time I took a break. Saskia Maarleveld's narration also sounds very much like Eva Green as Vesper Lynde in parts, which is incredibly seductive to listen to. She gives each character subtle inflections and shading, and her performance was highly enjoyable to me.
If you swooned over The Winner's Curse as a whole or responded with excitement to the action elements of The Valiant (or maybe even the action parts of An Ember in the Ashes), this is definitely worth a read.
An audio review copy was provided by the publisher.
Screw it, I'm rounding up because I enjoyed it....more
Wendy Darling
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Books:
fantasy
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