ellieb09's review against another edition
dark
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
The story was compelling and interesting. The development of relationships was complex and fitting for each character. The political intrigue was engaging. The reversal of the roles of prince and princess seen wish Lada and Radu was refreshing. But there was something missing in this story that left me unsatisfied in a way I can't identify.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, War, Classism, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Sexism, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Slavery
thaliareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
For me, the beginning of the book felt a bit meandering and by the time I made it to the end I understood the setup and enjoyed the story overall, but I think if I hadn't been listening to the audiobook I would have stopped reading pretty early on because it didn't grab my attention until about halfway through. However, I'm glad I did finish it. I would read or listen to the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Child death, and Confinement
Moderate: Death, Murder, Islamophobia, Homophobia, Slavery, Religious bigotry, War, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent
I want to start by prefacing that the author does not come off as homophobic, islamaphobic, or otherwise bigoted. These content warnings are present because of the time period and context of when the book takes place. Spoilers to clarify:Spoiler
In this book the two main characters are basically sold to the primary ruler of the region in exchange for more support fighting his battles. The region where this ruler presides is primarily Islamic and while one of the MCs finds it fascinating and comforting in their time of crisis, the other doesn't want to be forced from the religion they've grown up in and does come across as bigoted. In addition, due to the time period, women are seen as secondary citizens and really lack the respect of the men. This is a consistent recurring theme throughout the entire book where one of the MCs is denied equal treatment and denied the ability to follow her desired path in life. The next issue is that one of the MCs realizes that they're gay however, once again, due to the time period it wasn't safe for them to be open about who they are. While they do find solace in certain people who feel the same way they do, there's still an overwhelming sadness about the closeted nature with which the MC must live. Finally, as it is war time on and off throughout the book there are instances of torture, death, and murder throughout the entire plot, including one of the MCs accidentally killing a child during a conflict.
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