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divine529's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Normally I'm not a huge fan of short stories unless they bring something important to the series, but these did. They added an extra layer to the world and it was really nice getting to see different perspectives and peek into other people's lives.
There are four short stories in this collection (in no particular order): (1) Pet (Berenger x Ancel), (2) Green But For a Season (Jord x Aimeric), (3) The Adventures of Charls the Veretian Cloth Merchant (Charls and Guillame and others), and (4) The Summer Palace (Laurent x Damen).
My favorite by quite a large margin was the one with Charls the cloth merchant. I could've read about him and their adventures all day. In fact, I would love a whole book about him please. Next, I loved the Summer Palace and finally truly starting to acknowledge and heal from the things Laurent and Damen went through. Pet was interesting. I didn't love it, but it added something extra for me and I do love Berenger and their relationship. Green But For a Season did nothing for me really.
All in all a fun collection.
There are four short stories in this collection (in no particular order): (1) Pet (Berenger x Ancel), (2) Green But For a Season (Jord x Aimeric), (3) The Adventures of Charls the Veretian Cloth Merchant (Charls and Guillame and others), and (4) The Summer Palace (Laurent x Damen).
My favorite by quite a large margin was the one with Charls the cloth merchant. I could've read about him and their adventures all day. In fact, I would love a whole book about him please. Next, I loved the Summer Palace and finally truly starting to acknowledge and heal from the things Laurent and Damen went through. Pet was interesting. I didn't love it, but it added something extra for me and I do love Berenger and their relationship. Green But For a Season did nothing for me really.
All in all a fun collection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, and Slavery
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Pedophilia, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
cait's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
adhdru's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a delightful read.
I ended up loving even the characters I didn't expect to.
Green but for a Season > sad
Would've been a lovely read, if we didn't know how the story between Jord and Aimeric actually ended; it was quite painful to see Jord get enamored and hopeful about him knowing how it'd all unfold. Despite the pain, I really enjoyed getting to see more of Jord and through him a young Laurent working hard to prove himself worthy and building up the Prince Guard.
The Summer Palace > lovely
The marvelous epilogue we all deserved. Though I was happy with the way Kings Rising ended, I was extremely pleased to get to see a little more of Lamen. This story managed to be incredibly soft, funny and still deal with some pretty heavy topics that weren't really addressed in the trilogy, but that needed to be addressed nonetheless. Their relationship is just wonderful and I'm in love with their love!
The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant > funny
This was hilarious. I loved Charls' POV with his clueless self-assurance, genuine loyalty and love for Laurent and (funnily misguided) care for decorum towards the prince.I absolutely adore that we got to see Lamen hunting down slave traffickers and genuinely couldn't stop laughing when he kept cluelessly talking to Damen as though he was just an assistant and fussing over Laurent. Which for me peaked when he ordered him to skin the rabbit for Laurent and then 'realise' that of course he wasn't an assistant, but a companion with no valuable skills.
Pet > surprising
I never particularly cared for Ancel, so I was surprised that he was the MC for one of the short stories, and I was honestly not expecting to like it much, however, I was wrong. I enjoyed seeing the capri world through a pet's eye, a pet that's willingly one. For me pets are an —admittedly extreme— form of prostitution, and though during the Regent's time consent was completely disregarded and many were practically forced into petdom, I assume that during a fairer rule there would still people choosing to be pets. I think there's a fine line that often gets blurred between sex work and forced sexual labour and I thought Ancel did a very good the consentual side of sex work, when chosen willingly —a great contrast to Damen's views and experience and of the institutional slavery of Akielos.I would've never imagined I'd get a ship to love out of this short story, but they make me so fuzzy!
I ended up loving even the characters I didn't expect to.
Green but for a Season > sad
Would've been a lovely read, if we didn't know how the story between Jord and Aimeric actually ended; it was quite painful to see Jord get enamored and hopeful about him knowing how it'd all unfold. Despite the pain, I really enjoyed getting to see more of Jord and through him a young Laurent working hard to prove himself worthy and building up the Prince Guard.
The Summer Palace > lovely
The marvelous epilogue we all deserved. Though I was happy with the way Kings Rising ended, I was extremely pleased to get to see a little more of Lamen. This story managed to be incredibly soft, funny and still deal with some pretty heavy topics that weren't really addressed in the trilogy, but that needed to be addressed nonetheless. Their relationship is just wonderful and I'm in love with their love!
The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant > funny
This was hilarious. I loved Charls' POV with his clueless self-assurance, genuine loyalty and love for Laurent and (funnily misguided) care for decorum towards the prince.
Pet > surprising
I never particularly cared for Ancel, so I was surprised that he was the MC for one of the short stories, and I was honestly not expecting to like it much, however, I was wrong. I enjoyed seeing the capri world through a pet's eye, a pet that's willingly one. For me pets are an —admittedly extreme— form of prostitution, and though during the Regent's time consent was completely disregarded and many were practically forced into petdom, I assume that during a fairer rule there would still people choosing to be pets. I think there's a fine line that often gets blurred between sex work and forced sexual labour and I thought Ancel did a very good the consentual side of sex work, when chosen willingly —a great contrast to Damen's views and experience and of the institutional slavery of Akielos.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, and Slavery
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Pedophilia and Trafficking