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amy_in_the_city's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The exposition was clunky at times with characters explaining things to people who already knew that information or having Cassia tell her plans to her dog. I think someone out there must be telling writers not to have the characters explain things in their inner monologue. I agree that isn't a great way of doing exposition, but I'd prefer inner monologue explanations over the "as you already know" conversations between characters. The pacing was off too. The first quarter of the book was difficult to get through. There was so much exposition but not much was actually happening and we didn't really know what the stakes were. This is more of a minor issue , but during the sex scenes, the main characters use made-up words (rhabdos and krana) in Lio's language to refer to their genitals. It was weird and took me out of the scenes a bit.
Where this book really faltered for me was in some of the more exclusionary aspects I felt lurking in the background. While Hesperine society was on the surface very sex-positive and accepting of different sexual orientations, there were some parts of the LGBTQIA+ community that I felt might be unwelcome in this world. There was some gender essentialist language used throughout the book. At one point, Cassia refers to her nether regions as "the emptiness inside her that marked her as a woman." Also, Hesperines believe that everyone has a fated mate and adults are supposed to feed off their lovers. If they don't have a lover, it seems they have to live off animal blood, which isn't as nourishing. I guess asexual and aromantic people don't exist in this world. In Lio's attempts to be sex-positive when he's going off about the lack of sexual freedom for women in Cassia's kingdom, he equates sex as being essential to being a real person and being alive, saying "We understand that desires are sacred. They make us who and what we are. They prove to us we live, that we are thinking, feeling beings with a consciousness seperate from others." Despite all the sex positivity, there was still quite a bit of the "virginity is a gift" type of sentiments. There is also some ableist language with the Hesperine healer, referring to some people with disabilities, saying he can "make their bodies whole again." All of these things just rubbed me the wrong way. I'll still read the next book in the series, but I'm hoping that it has less exclusionary language and that there is more explanation of how certain groups exist in Hesperine society.
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual violence, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Hate crime, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Death of parent, and War
booksarefriends_notfood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
So. I would say that I liked this book. The political intrigue aspect is interesting, the worldbuilding is a bit sparse and seems to rely on conventional setting stereotypes, the religious aspect is bizarre, and the magic systems are largely unexplained.
For the romance: I initially enjoyed the pining, the obvious adoration, the soft boy, the timid girl with hidden strength, etc... But then they hooked up and it became intolerable. I cannot deal with the words used for penis and vagina. Not the barbaric 'sword' and 'sheath' metaphor used in Tenebra nor the ones in the Hesperine language which I refuse to type out. It literally sounds like the penis is a Pokémon and the image remains firmly stuck. Beyond that, it also felt very juvenile in that they banged and then it was very insta-ride-or-die which was hugely out of character for the woman, if not also the man (in theory) especially considering that it largely takes place in the span of a month.
To be honest, my favorite character was the animal companion, Knight.
I am unsure if I will continue on to read the next book, but there's a good chance.
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
midnacine's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
I was recommended this book on Tiktok by someone with a very small following, so I went into this hoping the algorithm had taken me to where I needed to be. And thanks be to the Tiktok algorithm gods, because I fell in love.
While high fantasy romance series are definitely up my alley, the tropes used in this were so different to what I typically enjoy, and I was surprised with how much I loved them. The prose walks that fine line between poetic and difficult to understand, but the more I read the more I got used to it. Lio and Cassia are some of the most well-developed characters I've seen out of a first book, and their romance is heartbreaking in all the best ways. And the world building was absolutely phenomenal.
If you're looking for a forbidden romance that will make you cry, political intrigue and assassination plots that will have you on the edge of your seat, and a truly unique view on mourning and honoring life, this is the book for you.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Gore, Sexual assault, Vomit, Grief, Murder, and War
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Violence, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
words_and_dreams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Vela Roth has created a fully realised world, rich in detail, lore and history.
The story follows Cassia, the bastard daughter of the King of Tenebra, who is a cruel tyrant. (Seriously he is the worst.) She spends her life staying hidden and out of the way, to ensure her own survival at a dangerous court.
She meets Lio, a Hesperine ambassador, who is this worlds version of a vampire. Vampires in this story are not what you have seen or read before. They are wise, benevolent and at one with nature, I really liked the characterisation of their people.
Cassia was strong and resourceful and has had to endure much. While it takes a while to earn her trust, once you do, she is fiercely loyal. Lio is kind and patient and I loved how their relationship took time to grow. I love how Cassia grows from thinking of only her own survival to that of other people who are also under her father's thumb. Lio goes from idealistic ambassador to seeing the pain and suffering in the world and why someone like Cassia is so weary and pessimistic.
The story is full of court intrigue, political machinations, themes of racial prejudice and magic. There is also a great cast of background characters that add to the world without being too much. This is part one of four so the story is not resolved by the end and you really feel for the couples predicament. Cannot wait to read the next installment.
The authors writing is poetic and lyrical without being too flowery or bogged down by unnecessary words. The world feels beautiful and melancholic at the same time.
My only critique is that the first part of the book is a little slow and quite heavy in exposition where one character is explaining their culture to another. I feel as though it could have been edited down a little.
Fab read, beautiful love story. Looking forward to more.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and War
Minor: Death and Death of parent