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ariel790's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-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
3.5
Book 2 of The Blood Tournaments, The Deadliest Game (The Blood Tournaments #2):, left us with a wyvern erupting out of a volcano in a monumental way. The bombastic destruction of Mt. La Dama and the dragon's escape causing aftermath of sorrow and annihilation. Not only that, we discovered that the Wyvern was a secondary form for the Queen of Air and Shadow. Book 3, starts with the Queen's reveal and the following conversation she had declaring war on Carmen.
So, not only is Carmen feeling guilt for the death and maiming of so many competitors in the Blood Tournaments, she's injured and traumatized, on top of being blamed for the obliteration of so many young souls. All while scrambling to figure out this new nemesis' motivations.
This is mainly what The Bleeding Throne focuses on. How Carmen feels following Book 2's events and how she slowly learns to cope. Daniela A. Mera does an exceptional job of breaking down Carmen's emotions and reactions, mainly anger and hurt. Carmen's trauma feels believable. How she reacts about her leg, her situation and how she lashes out often at Antonio when she has no other outlet of managing her pain. Antonio's point of view is even given, showing that he's only human too and unsure on how to help her without running away. The plot is very character driven for these reasons.
Everything else comes secondary. This is why I feel The Bleeding Throne could have been made longer or split into several books of its own and couldn't give it a complete 5 stars. Encounters with the Queen are quick, easy to miss the more subtle factors in conversations she has. After her epic arrival, I felt she deserved more. She needs a book of her own, honestly. The Chanciller became more of an annoying inconvenience, rather than the evil bastard he was set up to be. Antonio sort of also feels like he is pushed to the side unrightfully so after fighting so hard for Carmen before. There is even a whole cult that worships Carmen's bloodline that is glanced over. All these needed more time and development.
Where I will give the story credit is it does tie Carmen's story together. She has to learn that she can't solve everything. Life is constantly changing and she has to learn to adapt or be swallowed up whole.
The world that Daniela A. Mera is setting up with this series is sublime, her writing layered and fascinating. Even though this one isn't my favorite, I still enjoyed it and look do forward to her future works.
So, not only is Carmen feeling guilt for the death and maiming of so many competitors in the Blood Tournaments, she's injured and traumatized, on top of being blamed for the obliteration of so many young souls. All while scrambling to figure out this new nemesis' motivations.
This is mainly what The Bleeding Throne focuses on. How Carmen feels following Book 2's events and how she slowly learns to cope. Daniela A. Mera does an exceptional job of breaking down Carmen's emotions and reactions, mainly anger and hurt. Carmen's trauma feels believable. How she reacts about her leg, her situation and how she lashes out often at Antonio when she has no other outlet of managing her pain. Antonio's point of view is even given, showing that he's only human too and unsure on how to help her without running away. The plot is very character driven for these reasons.
Everything else comes secondary. This is why I feel The Bleeding Throne could have been made longer or split into several books of its own and couldn't give it a complete 5 stars. Encounters with the Queen are quick, easy to miss the more subtle factors in conversations she has. After her epic arrival, I felt she deserved more. She needs a book of her own, honestly. The Chanciller became more of an annoying inconvenience, rather than the evil bastard he was set up to be. Antonio sort of also feels like he is pushed to the side unrightfully so after fighting so hard for Carmen before. There is even a whole cult that worships Carmen's bloodline that is glanced over. All these needed more time and development.
Where I will give the story credit is it does tie Carmen's story together. She has to learn that she can't solve everything. Life is constantly changing and she has to learn to adapt or be swallowed up whole.
The world that Daniela A. Mera is setting up with this series is sublime, her writing layered and fascinating. Even though this one isn't my favorite, I still enjoyed it and look do forward to her future works.
nerdydreamer107's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thank you to Equality Book Tours and the author for an eARC of this book. This does not influence my opinion.
This was great conclusion to the Blood Tournaments trilogy.
I started to like the main characters again and loved that we got to know so much history and world building, it was very interesting and seemed well thought through.
Sadly, most of the side characters felt very flat and the main characters kept contradicting themselves in their actions and words/thoughts, not just related to trauma. Due to that, I often felt like I was missing information and plot points. Still, the plot was easy to follow and understand.
Carmen’s journey of healing (trauma) was portrayed very realistically, which of course often made the character frustrating as she kept lashing out at her loved ones and being a hypocrite, at least in the beginning. I am also happy to report that we do not get a “magic cures all” storyline here. Carmen’s journey to healing physically may have been sped up by magic, but all her struggles with getting used to her missing limb and using her prosthetic were portrayed realistically (as far as I can tell), slowly and influenced her a lot over the course of the book.
Ultimately, I would say, her healing journey was the main plot of this book, the fight for her freedom (for lack of a better spoiler-free description) being secondary.
The book did surprise me with some of its twists, not because I didn’t expect them at all, but because I expected them later in the book. Of course, this opened up the plot for other twists and turns, which I really liked.
All in all a great read.
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