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lncolgate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Stellar read! Just exquisite! Emotionally wrecked throughout and by the end!
Rebecca Ross has fantastic prose writing. Beautiful sentences -gorgeous imagery and metaphors. Draws out pure emotion while reading —never forced, never saccharine, never this is how you’re SUPPOSED to feel. You just feel all the characters emotions intensely.
The book reads as both fantasy and historical fiction. The fantasy is magical realism rather than traditional swords and sorcery or even steampunk. It’s effortless blend. The world feels so real and akin to our own. I can’t help but think of contemporary events going on and how people experiencing the effects of war directly would feel reading this.
Every main character is well developed. Hell even the bit characters you remember. There’s not too many and they’re all interconnected with Roman and Iris’s story.
The letters are so beautifully written. Man haven’t read a contemporary epistolary novel like that in a long time; honestly can’t remember if I’ve read one outside Dracula, Little Women, and Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. So much thought and care put into them. Again, it all feels so real-ironic given it’s a fantasy novel where I’m not normally looking for realism. Emotions and stories they tell one another are just pure, unfiltered.
The story is tragic, exciting, and full of emotion. I wolfed it down from start to finish. I couldn’t get enough. Felt like I didn’t want to stop to breathe at times. I forgive even the massive cliffhanger ending because this book is just that good. I feel Ross does close one arc—the relationship and romance between Iris and Roman. The start and the culmination of it. Now we have a trial—a quest. It’s an epic romance sure to endure the rest of time.
Rebecca Ross has fantastic prose writing. Beautiful sentences -gorgeous imagery and metaphors. Draws out pure emotion while reading —never forced, never saccharine, never this is how you’re SUPPOSED to feel. You just feel all the characters emotions intensely.
The book reads as both fantasy and historical fiction. The fantasy is magical realism rather than traditional swords and sorcery or even steampunk. It’s effortless blend. The world feels so real and akin to our own. I can’t help but think of contemporary events going on and how people experiencing the effects of war directly would feel reading this.
Every main character is well developed. Hell even the bit characters you remember. There’s not too many and they’re all interconnected with Roman and Iris’s story.
The letters are so beautifully written. Man haven’t read a contemporary epistolary novel like that in a long time; honestly can’t remember if I’ve read one outside Dracula, Little Women, and Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. So much thought and care put into them. Again, it all feels so real-ironic given it’s a fantasy novel where I’m not normally looking for realism. Emotions and stories they tell one another are just pure, unfiltered.
The story is tragic, exciting, and full of emotion. I wolfed it down from start to finish. I couldn’t get enough. Felt like I didn’t want to stop to breathe at times. I forgive even the massive cliffhanger ending because this book is just that good. I feel Ross does close one arc—the relationship and romance between Iris and Roman. The start and the culmination of it. Now we have a trial—a quest. It’s an epic romance sure to endure the rest of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
casey_bloom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A captivating story that can easily be read in one setting. Ross has a poetic lyrical prose writing style that was magical to read.
Aesthetic and Tropes:
Aesthetic and Tropes:
- Dual POVs
- War - in the trenches
- Gods at war & magic
- Letters/pen pals
- Workplace rivals -> lovers
- He falls first
- Found family
The letters were my favourite part of the story as they were intimate and raw and showed how two people can form a connection through vulnerability, sharing their feelings of loss and grief with one another.
I adored the found family aspect of this story, the array of characters that we meet on Iris and Roman’s journey was special and I loved the bond they all formed.
My only negative is that I would have liked a bit more of an in depth explanation of the world building and magic system as I found it lacked depth at times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
katiekaiser's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
Almost immediately, I knew this was going to be a 5-star read. Rebecca Ross’s writing style immediately drew me into this world. I loved Iris and Roman. The book was so well-written. I felt like I was there with them. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read the second book and find out what happens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit
kerryamchugh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
julells's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely adored every single bit of this book and now I can't wait to read the second one (because the ending left me weeping and with way too many questions). Also, the writing style was just perfection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting
micaelamariem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Ahhhhh! I’m so glad I finally got around to reading this! It was a slow start for sure but that made me appreciate the characters for who they were and the writing style as well. I love the “you’ve got mail” type of concept (but make it ✨ magic ✨). I also appreciated the World War Two parallels—the propaganda, the banning of music, the bombs and bunkers, the sirens. It was like looking at history with a fantasy lens in a fantasy world. The friendships were heartwarming and the romance adorable.
And the cliffhanger plot twist ending??? I need more omg. I’m so nervous for these cinnamon roll characters and there are still so many questions I have about the war and the myths and the impeccable Worldbuilding. I need the sequel now.
And the cliffhanger plot twist ending??? I need more omg. I’m so nervous for these cinnamon roll characters and there are still so many questions I have about the war and the myths and the impeccable Worldbuilding. I need the sequel now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
stormeno's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Classism
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
valinorlady's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and War
Moderate: Violence and Blood
Minor: Alcoholism
ashley_reya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A painful story of loss threaded with such beautiful moments of joy. Iris and Roman will charm you into their whirlwind of a story. I’ve best described it as the second act of She Loves Me but there is a war going on. And such a quick but powerful read! I felt like I blinked and 100 pages went by 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Terminal illness and Vomit