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ellanarose's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
somebooksomewhere's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse and Blood
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Injury/Injury detail
ehmannky's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Take all of the typical political intrigue in high fantasy but instead of centering on backstabbing, terrible courtiers, focus on a genuinely kind and empathetic one and you get this absolute marvel of a novel. So much of this book is Maia, half-goblin half-elf, ascending to the throne after the death of his terrible father and his three older brothers and dealing with court life and adjusting to the burden being placed on his shoulders. And there are like entire chapters dedicated to Maia just learning the about like...policy and intracourt drama and I was riveted. At first I was thoroughly thrown by the use of the use of the majestic pronouns "we" being used instead of "I" and the many, many elf and goblin names and the intricacies of the court, but this just made me relate to Maia more.
What makes it interesting is that Maia is a fundamentally good being who is genuinely interested in the characters around him and ensuring that no one is mistreated the way he was mistreated when he was growing up. Like, I loved that he really does just win people to his cause by just treating people with the basic respect they deserve. And there is death and drama! It's just not dealt with by vengeance and hatred. I! Love! This! Book!
Just as wonderful the second time around as it was the first.
What makes it interesting is that Maia is a fundamentally good being who is genuinely interested in the characters around him and ensuring that no one is mistreated the way he was mistreated when he was growing up. Like, I loved that he really does just win people to his cause by just treating people with the basic respect they deserve. And there is death and drama! It's just not dealt with by vengeance and hatred. I! Love! This! Book!
Just as wonderful the second time around as it was the first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Grief
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Blood, and Death of parent