ellexmiche's review
2.0
I'm not typically one to leave worded reviews, but this book was a case study in gaslighting and I have thoughts and emotions.
I'll preface by saying that I loved the first book. The worldbuilding, magic system, sibling power dynamics, the growth of Reshi as a capable mage while staying true to himself, and the push/pull enemies-to-lovers vibe between Reshi and Kestral was fantastic.
That said, Kestral is not a sympathetic character in this novel. In fact, there were multiple times when I wanted nothing more than for Reshi to run far, far away from him and never look back. That's saying something since I quite liked Kestral in the first book.
The other two low star reviews cover a lot of what I found frustrating, so I won't rehash those points, but I do want to speak to the strong undertone of gaslighting. Not only does it feel like Reshi is being gaslight by Kestral continuously throughout the entire book, but it feels like the novel is written so that we, as the reader, are being gaslit along with him. I am not a sheltered reader, and even I was not prepared.
We are told, over and over in Kestral's voice and various dialogue with other main characters, that every action is done because Kestral loves Reshi and never got closure. Looking at Kestral's actions proves this to be false. It's not about love. It's about ownership.
In the book,Kestral collars Reshi and cuts off his magic with the excuse that Reshi will run away before they can "talk" unless he is cut off from his shapeshifting magic. Somehow, he's convinced Reshi's two most sympathetic siblings, Kila and Nico, that this is okay. One agrees and is willing to help collar him, and the other allows Reshi wear the collar for far too long. Again, these are Reshi's two closest siblings. Not Velyn.
Then, about midway through the book, Kestral is angry at Reshi for being impulsive (a Reshi trait!) in a fight, and strikes him after the fight. Without warning. Hard.
"Reshi cut off as my fist met his jaw. I was careful to pull my punch enough not to break it but hard enough that it would serve as a reminder. I saw a fleeting expression of shock and betrayal before Reshi’s eyes turned hard."
This hit happens not only because Kestral is angry Reshi reacted to a threat without waiting for instruction, a very normal reaction for a scrappy street kid to have, but also because Kestral is frustrated that Reshi is resisting him and making his life difficult ever since he placed the collar around his neck. The others act as if it was Reshi who was out of line.
Even Kestral, for as much as he claims to love Reshi, doesn't seem trust him in moments where he's being genuinely vulnerable.
"For once, Reshi seemed at a loss for words. He dropped his gaze and shrugged, drawing in on himself. I had seen that tactic before. He was making himself look harmless, pitiable, even."
Reshi, in effect, becomes the punching bag. His companions throw nearly all of the blame for any woes the group encounters onto him. Kestral is at the center of this with his obsession to keep (also see: own) Reshi and his vocality about it leads the others to align with him to essentially rein Reshi in (which is a classic abuser tactic).
For about ~70% of the book we watch Reshi turn from someone who is confident and capable into a shadow of himself. He becomes increasingly fearful, guilt-ridden, and the panicked side of flightly. It builds to the point where, in the middle of a battle, Reshi looks to Kestral in clear conflict for permission when he wants to shapeshift.
I kept waiting for the way they treated Reshi to get better. I was so sure that it would, that Kestral would have a moment of self-awareness as to how much harm he was doing. But, because Reshi is Reshi and deflects everything with sass, it's heavily implied Reshi invited it on himself.
At 76%, after they've reached a fragile peace, we learn that Kestral kept the collar on his person for months.
"Slowly, I reached into my belt pouch, withdrawing the golden collar I still carried. In an eye blink, Reshi vanished, reappearing well away from me but still within bowshot. His eyes were wide, fearful, and he held his fae-blades before him. Rust, I couldn’t even get this part right. Before he could get any closer to running away, I flung the collar towards him, then backed up a pace, showing him my empty hands."
Remorse? Right? I doubt it, because at the end of the book, after they've made up without Kestral ever acknowledging how he treated Reshi, this is how the epilogue ends:
"He was never getting away from me now."
Overall, this book triggered me. It makes me sad, because the 30% of the book that wasn't heavily reliant on the above spoilered section had the making of a truly interesting story, but it became increasingly difficult for me to look past how upset I was at Reshi's treatment. I was truly looking forward to spending more time in this world.
The first book had me absolutely hooked, and I devoured it, to the point where I only paused to send my friends a barrage of texts about how fascinating I found Reshi, all his siblings, and their magic. I just wish that the nuances of love, both familial and romantic, when it walks the line of toxicity had been treated with more care in this book.
I'll preface by saying that I loved the first book. The worldbuilding, magic system, sibling power dynamics, the growth of Reshi as a capable mage while staying true to himself, and the push/pull enemies-to-lovers vibe between Reshi and Kestral was fantastic.
That said, Kestral is not a sympathetic character in this novel. In fact, there were multiple times when I wanted nothing more than for Reshi to run far, far away from him and never look back. That's saying something since I quite liked Kestral in the first book.
The other two low star reviews cover a lot of what I found frustrating, so I won't rehash those points, but I do want to speak to the strong undertone of gaslighting. Not only does it feel like Reshi is being gaslight by Kestral continuously throughout the entire book, but it feels like the novel is written so that we, as the reader, are being gaslit along with him. I am not a sheltered reader, and even I was not prepared.
We are told, over and over in Kestral's voice and various dialogue with other main characters, that every action is done because Kestral loves Reshi and never got closure. Looking at Kestral's actions proves this to be false. It's not about love. It's about ownership.
In the book,
Then, about midway through the book, Kestral is angry at Reshi for being impulsive (a Reshi trait!) in a fight, and strikes him after the fight. Without warning. Hard.
"Reshi cut off as my fist met his jaw. I was careful to pull my punch enough not to break it but hard enough that it would serve as a reminder. I saw a fleeting expression of shock and betrayal before Reshi’s eyes turned hard."
This hit happens not only because Kestral is angry Reshi reacted to a threat without waiting for instruction, a very normal reaction for a scrappy street kid to have, but also because Kestral is frustrated that Reshi is resisting him and making his life difficult ever since he placed the collar around his neck. The others act as if it was Reshi who was out of line.
Even Kestral, for as much as he claims to love Reshi, doesn't seem trust him in moments where he's being genuinely vulnerable.
"For once, Reshi seemed at a loss for words. He dropped his gaze and shrugged, drawing in on himself. I had seen that tactic before. He was making himself look harmless, pitiable, even."
Reshi, in effect, becomes the punching bag. His companions throw nearly all of the blame for any woes the group encounters onto him. Kestral is at the center of this with his obsession to keep (also see: own) Reshi and his vocality about it leads the others to align with him to essentially rein Reshi in (which is a classic abuser tactic).
For about ~70% of the book we watch Reshi turn from someone who is confident and capable into a shadow of himself. He becomes increasingly fearful, guilt-ridden, and the panicked side of flightly. It builds to the point where, in the middle of a battle, Reshi looks to Kestral in clear conflict for permission when he wants to shapeshift.
I kept waiting for the way they treated Reshi to get better. I was so sure that it would, that Kestral would have a moment of self-awareness as to how much harm he was doing. But, because Reshi is Reshi and deflects everything with sass, it's heavily implied Reshi invited it on himself.
At 76%, after they've reached a fragile peace, we learn that Kestral kept the collar on his person for months.
"Slowly, I reached into my belt pouch, withdrawing the golden collar I still carried. In an eye blink, Reshi vanished, reappearing well away from me but still within bowshot. His eyes were wide, fearful, and he held his fae-blades before him. Rust, I couldn’t even get this part right. Before he could get any closer to running away, I flung the collar towards him, then backed up a pace, showing him my empty hands."
Remorse? Right? I doubt it, because at the end of the book, after they've made up without Kestral ever acknowledging how he treated Reshi, this is how the epilogue ends:
"He was never getting away from me now."
Overall, this book triggered me. It makes me sad, because the 30% of the book that wasn't heavily reliant on the above spoilered section had the making of a truly interesting story, but it became increasingly difficult for me to look past how upset I was at Reshi's treatment. I was truly looking forward to spending more time in this world.
The first book had me absolutely hooked, and I devoured it, to the point where I only paused to send my friends a barrage of texts about how fascinating I found Reshi, all his siblings, and their magic. I just wish that the nuances of love, both familial and romantic, when it walks the line of toxicity had been treated with more care in this book.
alisonalisonalison's review
2.0
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I bought this second book immediately after finishing, but I liked this installment way less. I finished it feeling disappointed and like the series had soured a bit. It's nicely written and exciting and I still loved all the magic, but Kestral turns into an ass and the romance takes a very negative turn. I loved Niko and Kila, and Reshi continues to be entertaining, if a bit annoying. Kestral, however, is less likable and does something awful to Reshi (who he is so in love with, remember) and turns into an obsessed stalker and he never redeems himself. It's such a shame. Reshi and Kestral are fighting for most of the book and Kestral engages in some pretty fucked up emotional abuse, but it's never presented as such. I don't understand how the romance can possibly continue in this story, but somehow, inexplicably, it does. Because twu wuv, or something. They never properly talk about what happened and Kestral is unrepentant. Ugh. It's completely unbelievable for Reshi to stay in this toxic relationship after what Kestral does to him, but they are so in love at the end, la la la, like nothing happened. Yuck. They actually joke about it awkwardly. All is forgiven, apparently, and there's an uncomfortable, happy (creepy?) epilogue to prove it. Happy endings are great, but if it doesn't make sense and isn't earned and the problems aren't resolved, it isn't at all satisfying--it's the opposite. Slapping a pretty HEA bow on it at the end doesn't make the problems work out by magic. Two stars for it still being a well-written, engaging story.
Apparently, there is now to be a third book (this was initially a duology with a crappy ending), and hopefully what goes down in this book between Reshi and Kestral and all that unresolved ugly shit will be addressed. If not, I'm not sure I want to read it. I hope the third book turns this into the typical middle book of a trilogy where everything goes really wrong and the big finale of the last book fixes all the issues and wraps things up in a satisfying way. Fingers crossed. Though I'm not sure Kestral can actually redeem himself after this. Maybe he was possessed...
Apparently, there is now to be a third book (this was initially a duology with a crappy ending), and hopefully what goes down in this book between Reshi and Kestral and all that unresolved ugly shit will be addressed. If not, I'm not sure I want to read it. I hope the third book turns this into the typical middle book of a trilogy where everything goes really wrong and the big finale of the last book fixes all the issues and wraps things up in a satisfying way. Fingers crossed. Though I'm not sure Kestral can actually redeem himself after this. Maybe he was possessed...
cappuccino_yuki_teddy's review
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
megandawn's review
2.0
I really enjoyed the first part of this duology, but sadly Mistress Mage was brought down by the same thing that almost ruined Witchmark for me: Characters doing awful things with no consequences. Worse, in the case of this book, because it never even acknowledges that the thing the character did is that bad, and I think the reader was still supposed to sympathise with them. Some minor spoilers for the book follows.
When last we saw Reshi his fear of commitment had seen him running away from Kestral and their love, which I remember finding unbelievable at the time, but Reshi's pathological fear of being tied to someone was much clearer and easy to understand in this book. And it really is a pathological fear on his part, owing to his awful childhood and the scars (figurative and literal) it left upon him. Reshi is genuinely scared of feeling like someone owns him.
So, Kestral's response to this? HE LITERALLY PUTS A COLLAR AROUND RESHI'S NECK. And not just any collar, but one that cuts him off completely from his shapeshifting magic so he can't turn into a bird and fly away again. But, no, don't you see, he just loves Reshi so much. And Reshi ran away from him! I mean, ok, sure, Reshi explicitly told Kestral that as soon as their quest was done he would run away, but that still doesn't make it ok that he actually did it. Because Kestral loves him, like, so much. So even if the collar is just a touch cruel, what Reshi did was just as, nay, WORSE, than that.
No really this is what the book kept putting down. I was not picking it up.
In truth what Kestral did to Reshi was abhorrent, but characters doing abhorrent things isn't a dealbreaker for me. What is though is when every other characters and every aspect of the narrative acts like it's not that bad. One offhandedly mentions that maybe it was a little cruel, but certainly no one speaks out against it or stops being buds with Kestral over it.
This would be like if a character was upset that their lover had chosen to leave them and broke their legs so they couldn't leave so easily again. That's what Kestral does by cutting Reshi off from his abilities. And there are times when this puts Reshi in real danger, (like he still climbs like someone who thinks they can turn into a bird, for example) and Kestral even acknowledges that, but does not take off the collar. He even sends Reshi into danger, telling him that he's sure he'll figure it out.
When Reshi keeps tugging on the collar BECAUSE HAVING A MAGIC COLLAR AROUND YOUR NECK IS UNCOMFORTABLE, Kestral is annoyed because he thinks Reshi is doing it to be obnoxious. This is an actual directly quoted thought that Kestral has:
"Reshi had better be prepared to beg me on bended knees to remove that rusting collar"
Kestral never makes the decision to remove the collar himself, another character makes him. (Because it's making their quest harder, not because its FUCKING CRUEL), and he never grows to feel bad about it. This is the closest he comes:
"The collar may have been a mistake, but I don't regret it."
Again, Reshi's big crime was telling Kestral he didn't want a relationship and that he would leave, and then following through. When even Reshi starts having thoughts about how he hurt Kestral by doing that, as though what they've done to each other is equal, I felt literally ill. Please remember that Reshi has real reasons for his fear, which Kestral knows about, and even if he didn't IT'S NOT A CRIME TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER. It's also not a crime to find them and try to win them back, which is what I was expecting from this book. Patience and understanding from Kestral, not truly unpleasant to read abuse.
In short, Kestral is abusive. And the book refuses to acknowledge it. As you can see, it bothered me a little, and even though I really wanted to like this book I don't think I can recommend it. It still gets two stars because I liked the newly introduced character of Nico, and it was well written (content aside).
When last we saw Reshi his fear of commitment had seen him running away from Kestral and their love, which I remember finding unbelievable at the time, but Reshi's pathological fear of being tied to someone was much clearer and easy to understand in this book. And it really is a pathological fear on his part, owing to his awful childhood and the scars (figurative and literal) it left upon him. Reshi is genuinely scared of feeling like someone owns him.
So, Kestral's response to this? HE LITERALLY PUTS A COLLAR AROUND RESHI'S NECK. And not just any collar, but one that cuts him off completely from his shapeshifting magic so he can't turn into a bird and fly away again. But, no, don't you see, he just loves Reshi so much. And Reshi ran away from him! I mean, ok, sure, Reshi explicitly told Kestral that as soon as their quest was done he would run away, but that still doesn't make it ok that he actually did it. Because Kestral loves him, like, so much. So even if the collar is just a touch cruel, what Reshi did was just as, nay, WORSE, than that.
No really this is what the book kept putting down. I was not picking it up.
In truth what Kestral did to Reshi was abhorrent, but characters doing abhorrent things isn't a dealbreaker for me. What is though is when every other characters and every aspect of the narrative acts like it's not that bad. One offhandedly mentions that maybe it was a little cruel, but certainly no one speaks out against it or stops being buds with Kestral over it.
This would be like if a character was upset that their lover had chosen to leave them and broke their legs so they couldn't leave so easily again. That's what Kestral does by cutting Reshi off from his abilities. And there are times when this puts Reshi in real danger, (like he still climbs like someone who thinks they can turn into a bird, for example) and Kestral even acknowledges that, but does not take off the collar. He even sends Reshi into danger, telling him that he's sure he'll figure it out.
When Reshi keeps tugging on the collar BECAUSE HAVING A MAGIC COLLAR AROUND YOUR NECK IS UNCOMFORTABLE, Kestral is annoyed because he thinks Reshi is doing it to be obnoxious. This is an actual directly quoted thought that Kestral has:
"Reshi had better be prepared to beg me on bended knees to remove that rusting collar"
Kestral never makes the decision to remove the collar himself, another character makes him. (Because it's making their quest harder, not because its FUCKING CRUEL), and he never grows to feel bad about it. This is the closest he comes:
"The collar may have been a mistake, but I don't regret it."
Again, Reshi's big crime was telling Kestral he didn't want a relationship and that he would leave, and then following through. When even Reshi starts having thoughts about how he hurt Kestral by doing that, as though what they've done to each other is equal, I felt literally ill. Please remember that Reshi has real reasons for his fear, which Kestral knows about, and even if he didn't IT'S NOT A CRIME TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER. It's also not a crime to find them and try to win them back, which is what I was expecting from this book. Patience and understanding from Kestral, not truly unpleasant to read abuse.
In short, Kestral is abusive. And the book refuses to acknowledge it. As you can see, it bothered me a little, and even though I really wanted to like this book I don't think I can recommend it. It still gets two stars because I liked the newly introduced character of Nico, and it was well written (content aside).
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