Scan barcode
naechan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I don’t expect much from YA books anymore, but this was such a pleasant surprise. I thought the writing was proficient, the characters were likable with interesting dynamics between them. The plot and world building were entertaining and kept me engaged. The plot twist (if you could call it that) was very obvious, especially if you have seen the second book title/cover, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Even if I, as the reader, already knew about it, the mystery quickly became more about how the information was going to come out to light, how the characters would react to it and how the events would unfold once it all became clear. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite book ever, but I borrowed it from my library and I liked it enough to want to buy a copy for myself which is something I rarely do because I’m very selective with the books I chose to own. I’m really looking forward to the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
lilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book broke me. So if this sounds appealing to you, and you read it based on my review, please don't complain afterwards.
The start was very promising, but then there was a lot of world building and getting to know characters for like 30-50% of the book. Enough action and plot twists to keep me interested, but also very few bread crumbs of what I really wanted to read about to make me impatient. The second half is just a wild ride.
It is supposed to be YA and I recognize the typical tropes coming with a YA fantasy books. But most of them have a spin or are resolved in a new way, which I really loved. You expect things to happen, and then they do happen, but in unexpected ways to mess with your head. In fact, I truly believe, the author just wrote this book to mess with my head specifically. Especially with the ending, which makes me question everything I thought I knew about myself.
Anyway, this book also seems a little too brutal for YA? The stakes are definitely higher than usual, and the author isn't afraid of showing it.
The world building is interesting, and the mysteries are intriguing, but what I loved the most were the intense and intimate scenes between the characters. I held my breath so many times I lost count, tbh. Thank goodness, the sequel is coming out next month. Can't wait to get my heart ripped out and trampled on again.
The start was very promising, but then there was a lot of world building and getting to know characters for like 30-50% of the book. Enough action and plot twists to keep me interested, but also very few bread crumbs of what I really wanted to read about to make me impatient. The second half is just a wild ride.
It is supposed to be YA and I recognize the typical tropes coming with a YA fantasy books. But most of them have a spin or are resolved in a new way, which I really loved. You expect things to happen, and then they do happen, but in unexpected ways to mess with your head. In fact, I truly believe, the author just wrote this book to mess with my head specifically. Especially with the ending, which makes me question everything I thought I knew about myself.
Anyway, this book also seems a little too brutal for YA? The stakes are definitely higher than usual, and the author isn't afraid of showing it.
The world building is interesting, and the mysteries are intriguing, but what I loved the most were the intense and intimate scenes between the characters. I held my breath so many times I lost count, tbh. Thank goodness, the sequel is coming out next month. Can't wait to get my heart ripped out and trampled on again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
jeyjeyyy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Though it did have some inconsistencies and some stuff that didn’t quite make sense (still don’t know what exactly are lions), it is easy to lose yourself in the story. The plot twists had me gasping, the story is overall very well put together, the characters and their relationships are interesting and complicated in the best way, the world-building something not quite like anything I’ve ever seen. Loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
justineaxelle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’m struggling to form my thoughts on this book. I like some aspects of it and others I wanted to like but didn’t. The writing is good but doesn’t hook you in either, or only at some points throughout the story. I did like the characters but none of them stood out either. I think the plot and its complications overtook the characters and their dynamics completely, and I wanted to see more of the relationships developing. We literally got crumbs for a romantic ship and it was absolutely not enough. The plot twists were good, but there was also too much death. I wish C. S. Pacat would use other things to get her characters to develop other than experiencing deaths of loved ones. You shouldn’t have to kill 80% of your characters to make the plot move along and make your MC develop in some way.
It also didn’t go the way I thought it would in terms of storyline. Reading the first half of the book feels like listening to a song, waiting for the beat to drop and then suddenly it skips to another song and your brain is struggling to switch to another rhythm. I wanted to give the book 3 stars but the ending and the plot twists made it better.
It also didn’t go the way I thought it would in terms of storyline. Reading the first half of the book feels like listening to a song, waiting for the beat to drop and then suddenly it skips to another song and your brain is struggling to switch to another rhythm. I wanted to give the book 3 stars but the ending and the plot twists made it better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
arobear's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Slow to start, but worth a read. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and mystery of the bigger picture and the war. After the big twist I waned to throw my book across the room, which seems to be a theme for books I read by C. S. Pacat (in a good way). I'm interested to see where the story goes in the next book. If you enjoyed the political intrigue of Captive Prince you'll enjoy this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
bugcollector's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
what is this bs
and when is the next one coming out 👹😀
and when is the next one coming out 👹😀
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
nicamooch's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
The way this book builds in its entirety is amazing. I admit the first quarter is lot to get through especially, because of all the world building and establishment of characters, even I as a Pacat fan was starting to have my faith waver, BUT faith is restored 110%. Consider the rug pulled from beneath me several times, consider me in pain from this book. I’m so excited for Book 2!
I had to constantly pause the audiobook during chapter 34 lmao. I kept yelling “It’s not his name!” 😂
Also, that ending??? I’ve seen people constantly crying about the ending for this book and now I get it 😭 This is reading Prince’s Gambit for the first time kind of pain, I didn’t expect it to go this direction at all. Only Pacat can write a scene between characters like this and have it feel so tragic in a way unique to itself 😭
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Racism, Grief, and Colonisation
srm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Great worldbuilding and an interesting twist on the typical Chosen One narrative. Also, I can ship everyone in this book with everyone else in this book. Can't wait for the sequel.
Also need to mention that I listened to this one, and Christian Coulson, as always, is fantastic.
Also need to mention that I listened to this one, and Christian Coulson, as always, is fantastic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Grief
samchase112's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think what people were is less important than what they are. And what people are is less important than what they could be.
Even under the guise of an overcomplicated fantasy world and endless description of said world and each of its ultimately useless facets, CS Pacat is still a master of tension and romance. And that is the reason I come back to her books again and again.
A good chunk of the book (read: ~80%) is a lot of explaining and confusing details, and I really was not enjoying my time with it. The whole old world/new world and the Stewards as a community were a lot to take in, and honestly it didn't even matter much by the end; I just didn't really care about them or their purpose. And do I really need to? (Honestly, the smaller-scale political battles of CaPri felt more intense and important than the big world struggles of this one.) Violet is badass, and I already love Will. James has such potential, and unfortunately he was barely in this first installment. But once we get to the real twists, the real meat of the story, in the last 20% or so, this book becomes a CS Pacat book. Just as in Captive Prince, this first book is mainly a set up for the epicness that will (hopefully) be the rest of the trilogy. I cannot wait for the sequel to be released!
Reread October 2023
Second reading: unquestionably better than the first! Knowing all the world-building to come, I was able to fully immerse myself in the story and world, and it was glorious. The characters were captivating, the story relentless, and the intrigue top-notch. I was absolutely enthralled.
Even under the guise of an overcomplicated fantasy world and endless description of said world and each of its ultimately useless facets, CS Pacat is still a master of tension and romance. And that is the reason I come back to her books again and again.
A good chunk of the book (read: ~80%) is a lot of explaining and confusing details, and I really was not enjoying my time with it. The whole old world/new world and the Stewards as a community were a lot to take in, and honestly it didn't even matter much by the end; I just didn't really care about them or their purpose. And do I really need to? (Honestly, the smaller-scale political battles of CaPri felt more intense and important than the big world struggles of this one.) Violet is badass, and I already love Will. James has such potential, and unfortunately he was barely in this first installment. But once we get to the real twists, the real meat of the story, in the last 20% or so, this book becomes a CS Pacat book. Just as in Captive Prince, this first book is mainly a set up for the epicness that will (hopefully) be the rest of the trilogy. I cannot wait for the sequel to be released!
Reread October 2023
Second reading: unquestionably better than the first! Knowing all the world-building to come, I was able to fully immerse myself in the story and world, and it was glorious. The characters were captivating, the story relentless, and the intrigue top-notch. I was absolutely enthralled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, Grief, and War
Minor: Vomit