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midnacine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
I'm always hesitant to give the first book in a series 5 stars because it takes my brain some time to get used to the world and characters, so I don't really connect until like a third of the way through. I only clarify that now because I think that's the only reason I didn't give this book the full 5 stars.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
_linnea_'s review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest, Abortion, and Pregnancy