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lberg93's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.0
thornsides's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? Yes
3.5
darciwalton's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 no thoughts just vibes. murderous women? I’m in.
abbieday01's review against another edition
4.0
I think I liked this book from the first page. A halfling assassin owned by the king. A king who names his elite warriors "the arsenal" and the rank of the warriors or classifications are all weapons since the King has made this group of "halflings" he deems only good enough to be his personal weapons or killed. It is an interesting read - especially when the MC is reminded that sometimes choices are taken away and the choice simply becomes survive or be killed. And in order to survive a person will do and become anything....even to the point of destroying themselves.
That is until they are shown that we always have choices - but some are harder than others. I think the MC realizes that what she must do in order to "survive" is killing her slowly, one piece at a time. And what she must do to make a change may also mean death - but it will be a death with a purpose.
I do think that it is a bit cringy that she cuts the names of every mark into her skin. Maybe tattoos would have been easier to swallow but still yuck. I get it though - she carries her guilt with her, a walking signboard of her sins - things she's done as the King's Blade under his command and the scars that his own cruel son has left on her and others with his sadistic ways of torturing halflings by marking them with ancient ruins at the tip of his blade.
There are some triggers - obviously, in this book. It is a bit dark at times.
Worth the read - not too long, not too short
That is until they are shown that we always have choices - but some are harder than others. I think the MC realizes that what she must do in order to "survive" is killing her slowly, one piece at a time. And what she must do to make a change may also mean death - but it will be a death with a purpose.
I do think that it is a bit cringy that she cuts the names of every mark into her skin. Maybe tattoos would have been easier to swallow but still yuck. I get it though - she carries her guilt with her, a walking signboard of her sins - things she's done as the King's Blade under his command and the scars that his own cruel son has left on her and others with his sadistic ways of torturing halflings by marking them with ancient ruins at the tip of his blade.
There are some triggers - obviously, in this book. It is a bit dark at times.
Worth the read - not too long, not too short
garet's review against another edition
2.0
It was full of inconsistencies, felt very tropey and predictable, and didn't feel like characters were developed, the male main character seesawed between moody dourness and affection with no real reason for it, many actions in the book didn't feel like they had believable motivations, and I felt like world building was hastily/poorly explained.
garet's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
lindamoz's review against another edition
3.0
Wasn't bad, but I'm getting seriously tired of the same old fantasy tropes: assassin, fae, half fae/ling, dark fae with shadow powers, name that contain Ae- for fun. The story was good, but the world felt recycled from other premises.
I also thought the hierarchical structure of fae, elves, and halflings is very confusing and I couldn't keep them straight.
Not bad but don't know if I'm curious enough to keep reading.
I also thought the hierarchical structure of fae, elves, and halflings is very confusing and I couldn't keep them straight.
Not bad but don't know if I'm curious enough to keep reading.