Scan barcode
dean_reviews's review
adventurous
challenging
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? Yes
4.25
Woven in Darkness was an intriguing story that takes place in a well developed world with a unique and vibrant magic system. I am so thankful that I received an ARC of this story as it was a wonderful weekend read to escape into the world of Astria.
***Content Warnings for this book:
Sexual Content, Violence, Slavery, Injury/Injury Detail, Blood, Child Death, Death, War, Sexual Abuse (referenced)****
We follow Zaria as she fights to change the life that her and her siblings have been forced into. Encountering new places, people, challenges, and dangers.
We get to see life in this world as one of the lowest people on the class rungs and then as one of the highest and most privileged people. All the while knowing that danger and intrigue lies around any corner.
I can see why other reviewers are comparing to to ACOTAR, and I will admit it has some similar feelings to it, I would say though that one big difference for me is that she is given a choice fairly early on in the forced-proximity aspects to opt to stay or leave that situation. Which I really appreciate.
I would compare it to later relationships over early ones in that series.
However, like ACOTAR, it is not always apparent that the male lead is not white. I was definitely about 50% through the book before I realized that he was a person of color, and that was because it made it clear a few times in quick succession.
I went back and listened to the introduction of Harken again, and I would say that it is fair I was confused. There are only once when features are described to let me know that he is not white until it is used in a romantic setting. Other than his skin tone being mentioned once and a strong jawline... there are no clues to his ethnicity that make it clear to my minds eye that he is a person of color. I think what threw me is that I was listening sped up while also catching the hair color but not the skin color description. (I will also say, his eye color is often mentioned and that inclined me to give the character a more 'otherworldy' skin tone.)
What really made me think that he was probably a person of color was how often he is called "savage"... which is probably the only place where I wish the race was made more evident or where a different wording choice was made.
I would also like to say that I do not think these issues could have been resolved by swapping which character was not white... because than the slave would be the person of color and that would feel allllll kinds of icky.
Even taking into account my concerns with the race portrayal in the story (which I honestly would encourage you to ask someone who is not as pale as a ghost to get a better idea of what to look for when ensuring good representation) I did really enjoy this series. I liked that it wasn't a high spice book but had a little with a lot of plot. I liked the world that was created and the lore and background that has depth and spans centuries of time in the world.
I loved that the world felt fleshed out.
I never felt like there was exposition in places that didn't make sense. That even when we are being told things through the lens of Zaria finding out, she does not come off as ignorant or stupid, rather that she just couldn't know because she was never provided the space to learn those things.
I LOVE me a good fantasy romance with a lot of intrigue and plot and this book did that for me.
I became invested in the characters and their stories, hopeful and concerned. Excited and tense.
Overall, I would absolutely read this again and would love to read more deep and engaging worlds and stories by this author.
***I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion and thoughts about what I read.***
***Content Warnings for this book:
Sexual Content, Violence, Slavery, Injury/Injury Detail, Blood, Child Death, Death, War, Sexual Abuse (referenced)****
We follow Zaria as she fights to change the life that her and her siblings have been forced into. Encountering new places, people, challenges, and dangers.
We get to see life in this world as one of the lowest people on the class rungs and then as one of the highest and most privileged people. All the while knowing that danger and intrigue lies around any corner.
I can see why other reviewers are comparing to to ACOTAR, and I will admit it has some similar feelings to it, I would say though that one big difference for me is that she is given a choice fairly early on in the forced-proximity aspects to opt to stay or leave that situation. Which I really appreciate.
I would compare it to later relationships over early ones in that series.
However, like ACOTAR, it is not always apparent that the male lead is not white. I was definitely about 50% through the book before I realized that he was a person of color, and that was because it made it clear a few times in quick succession.
I went back and listened to the introduction of Harken again, and I would say that it is fair I was confused. There are only once when features are described to let me know that he is not white until it is used in a romantic setting. Other than his skin tone being mentioned once and a strong jawline... there are no clues to his ethnicity that make it clear to my minds eye that he is a person of color. I think what threw me is that I was listening sped up while also catching the hair color but not the skin color description. (I will also say, his eye color is often mentioned and that inclined me to give the character a more 'otherworldy' skin tone.)
What really made me think that he was probably a person of color was how often he is called "savage"... which is probably the only place where I wish the race was made more evident or where a different wording choice was made.
I would also like to say that I do not think these issues could have been resolved by swapping which character was not white... because than the slave would be the person of color and that would feel allllll kinds of icky.
Even taking into account my concerns with the race portrayal in the story (which I honestly would encourage you to ask someone who is not as pale as a ghost to get a better idea of what to look for when ensuring good representation) I did really enjoy this series. I liked that it wasn't a high spice book but had a little with a lot of plot. I liked the world that was created and the lore and background that has depth and spans centuries of time in the world.
I loved that the world felt fleshed out.
I never felt like there was exposition in places that didn't make sense. That even when we are being told things through the lens of Zaria finding out, she does not come off as ignorant or stupid, rather that she just couldn't know because she was never provided the space to learn those things.
I LOVE me a good fantasy romance with a lot of intrigue and plot and this book did that for me.
I became invested in the characters and their stories, hopeful and concerned. Excited and tense.
Overall, I would absolutely read this again and would love to read more deep and engaging worlds and stories by this author.
***I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion and thoughts about what I read.***
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Slavery
Moderate: Violence, Confinement, War, Sexual content, Child death, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
More...