kimberlylarkspur's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As with the previous books in the series, the plot and characters are beautifully-conceived, but the writing is often juvenile and poorly edited. Issues around misuse of words aren't quite as common as in the previous three.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Pedophilia
netgyrl's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars - SD Simper is an amazing author. She says in the book that love and hate are so close to each other. I think they can be sides of the same coin. I would say that I hate and love this series.
I am going to get a bit spoilerly to try and explain my complex feeling about this story.
So, why didn't I just walk away? Well, it's SD Simper's fault.
The way she writes the story kept me 10o% hooked. Even when I could only bring myself to read a few pages a day, I could not, not finish it. Especially when I thought (WRONGLY) that this was the last book. I HAD to know how the hell it would end. Imagine my surprise, when at the end I see at least one more book coming. UGH.
Anyway - I need a break. My heart and soul can't take anymore right now. Will I read the next one? Maybe? Probably. But right now I need the fluffiest, lowest of the angst romance to sooth my battered psyche.
I am going to get a bit spoilerly to try and explain my complex feeling about this story.
Spoiler
It's so dark. Two of the main characters are really despicable people. Ayla is basically an amoral, sociopathic, serial killer/torturer, perpetrator of genocide who has killed/murdered 100,000's of people. She sleeps like a baby at night. Her atrocities do not bother her at all. Her one redeeming quality, if you can even call it that; she loves Flowridia. I would posit that Flowridia, is even worse. Khastra says to her "... you are either the biggest idiot on this realm or the wickedest woman to walk it." I was like, amen Khastra, say it louder for the people in the back. Flowridia is worse then Alya because she knows what she is doing is wrong and does it anyway for fully selfish reasons. What Flowra does to Lara is the most heinous crime in the story. That story line... omg... i hate it soooooooo much!!! and I hate them and yet and I am rooting for them? It makes me feel bad, like rubber necking at a 20 car pile up. Fascinated by the gruesome spectacle.So, why didn't I just walk away? Well, it's SD Simper's fault.
The way she writes the story kept me 10o% hooked. Even when I could only bring myself to read a few pages a day, I could not, not finish it. Especially when I thought (WRONGLY) that this was the last book. I HAD to know how the hell it would end. Imagine my surprise, when at the end I see at least one more book coming. UGH.
Anyway - I need a break. My heart and soul can't take anymore right now. Will I read the next one? Maybe? Probably. But right now I need the fluffiest, lowest of the angst romance to sooth my battered psyche.
isoka's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gracerichards11's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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
claudiereads's review
5.0
Holy shit! This book!
I feel like my head’s about to explode, but it’s all starting to make sense now…
This series is great! Hope we won’t have to wait long for the next — final? — installment.
I feel like my head’s about to explode, but it’s all starting to make sense now…
Spoiler
I think I know what Flowridia’s bargain with Casvir will lead to, even though I hope I’m wrong. However, all the clues are pointing in that direction — Staella’s scroll, probably containing the secret of Ilune’s conception; Ayla’s reaction to the news; last but not least, Chaos seems like she’d be an almost-exact replica of Ayla, but with additional necromantic powers… And in Casvir’s tender care, she would grow up to be a horrible threat, damn that deal-making horned bastard...This series is great! Hope we won’t have to wait long for the next — final? — installment.
megan_by_force's review
5.0
I had perused a review of either this book or of the one prior where someone stated they couldn't quite swallow the growth of Flowridia's character. I find it to be a fascinating dichotomy of her thoughts and actions and just how far someone will push, even if it goes against everything they thought they were.
I remain enraptured by the relationship between Ayla and Flowridia, even though it can be vile.
It's impossible not to be endeared to Etolié. And Khastra has a weird sense of honor, but I'm here for it.
Learning the morality of other characters has been great as well while we're slowly unraveling this sort of cyclical mystery with subtleties and nuances that just keep helping the story to grow. And while there was one twist I saw coming from the third book and really hoped would happen differently, I really can't wait to find out what Simper does with it.
I remain enraptured by the relationship between Ayla and Flowridia, even though it can be vile.
It's impossible not to be endeared to Etolié. And Khastra has a weird sense of honor, but I'm here for it.
Learning the morality of other characters has been great as well while we're slowly unraveling this sort of cyclical mystery with subtleties and nuances that just keep helping the story to grow. And while there was one twist I saw coming from the third book and really hoped would happen differently, I really can't wait to find out what Simper does with it.
wineywitch202's review
dark
emotional
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
4.25
beeskneesandtoes's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I was a little hesitant at first to give this book 5 stars but finally I decided that it deserves it. After all the only issue I had was the fact that there were some grammatical errors and repeating words.
More important are the reasons why I think this awesomeness piece of writing deserves the rating I settled on.
First of all, this book is a part of an incredible series. Each instalment was better than the previous one and how often does that happen? I cannot wait for the next one and whatever comes after that!
That said, I absolutely fell in love with the world that the author introduced us to. The world and the characters. Ayla - a monster, a murderer, a wicked woman - yes. But also an abused child, a lover who, against all odds, seems to love truly, although in her own, mad way. It seems that Ayla Darkleaf is too cruel for the world but as it turns out, there's one woman who would simply accept her and all her insanity. And that woman - Flowridia - is no better. Watching her slowly becoming who she feared she would be and then even worse was infuriating at times, and thus beyond thrilling.
Of course, Khastra and Etoliè steal the spotlight. Khastra being her gentle and loving self, Etoliè being a drunk fool. Whenever there was something about them I was smiling.
Finally, Lara. The empress is that sort of character you love throughout the whole story.
This book is an amazing tale about how monsters are created, how being good always ends in heartbreak. What amazes me since the second book of this series is how the reader has no choice but to feel characters' anguish and fear and pain themselves. And there is a lot of all that. I am amazed and emotionally hungover in the best way possible.
More important are the reasons why I think this awesomeness piece of writing deserves the rating I settled on.
First of all, this book is a part of an incredible series. Each instalment was better than the previous one and how often does that happen? I cannot wait for the next one and whatever comes after that!
That said, I absolutely fell in love with the world that the author introduced us to. The world and the characters. Ayla - a monster, a murderer, a wicked woman - yes. But also an abused child, a lover who, against all odds, seems to love truly, although in her own, mad way. It seems that Ayla Darkleaf is too cruel for the world but as it turns out, there's one woman who would simply accept her and all her insanity. And that woman - Flowridia - is no better. Watching her slowly becoming who she feared she would be and then even worse was infuriating at times, and thus beyond thrilling.
Of course, Khastra and Etoliè steal the spotlight. Khastra being her gentle and loving self, Etoliè being a drunk fool. Whenever there was something about them I was smiling.
Finally, Lara. The empress is that sort of character you love throughout the whole story.
This book is an amazing tale about how monsters are created, how being good always ends in heartbreak. What amazes me since the second book of this series is how the reader has no choice but to feel characters' anguish and fear and pain themselves. And there is a lot of all that. I am amazed and emotionally hungover in the best way possible.
wanderlust13's review
5.0
Honestly, I am so glad that there is not a book in the series after this one. I’m glad the fifth one is still being written. I need a little break because I am going through an intense emotional hangover at this point. This book was a lot longer than the previous ones, and I can absolutely see why. So many different things happened to these characters and you can see them grow immensely. I do like that we get a lot more interpersonal relationships in this book. There’s a lot of growth between characters that help them form the decisions they make as the book continues. A lot of secrets are unfolded and a lot of inner turmoil is confronted. I do appreciate all the time that has taken to give each of these characters their growth. Honestly at this point everything is a spectrum between light and dark and good versus evil. I don’t think I can see any protagonist or antagonist in the usual black and white. Everybody has done some pretty fucked up things but they also do them with good intentions. I love all of these characters and it’s sad but also brilliant to see them make the choices that they make.