A review by clumsyqueenie
The Man or the Monster by Aamna Qureshi

5.0

“And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door—the man, or the monster?”

Rating: 4.5 stars
★★★★★

consider reading this review on my blog!

The Lady or the Lion is one of the books I wanted to read this month, and since I already had the e-ARC for its sequel, I thought Why not try it? Little did I know I was going to be swooning and crying over the book. It all happened in three days; there was no internet for a good while so I binged the duology and have absolutely no regrets! ✌️

The Man or the Monster is a delightful sequel that lives up to its hype and delivers a lot more! Filled with court intrigue and forbidden romance, The Lady or the Lion leaves readers on a horrid cliffhanger, but thankfully its sequel is now here to save you from prolonged waiting.

The Man or the Monster picks up right after The Lady or the Lion, after the infamous trial of Marghazar. Durkhanai is left to fend for herself after nearly everyone seems to have turned on her. Due to this seclusion, she, as a character, grows a lot during this book. I loved to see Durkhanai go from the spoiled princess of Marghazar to a respectable and dutiful to-be-queen. Her development really shows in the sequel, especially as her relationships with quite a lot of characters towards the end of the book progressed very well.

There were many twists we couldn’t have seen coming and the betrayals really hit the marks! The political tension was so much more better than in the previous novel. We get to see the story from others’ points of view, whose stories often went unheard. I have a feeling I won’t stop if I start about Asfandyar, but here goes! Lots of familial connections and loyalties are explored and tested throughout the novel but Durkhanai and Asfandyar’s love for each stands true. The ending was so wholesome and cute (or not, more about that in a bit)! And honestly, I think the slow burn was really well-done in this one!

So, the ending. Huh. That was the most brutal and beautiful ending anyone could’ve asked for?!?! I never ever saw that coming but oh my gods, it made sense but also it didn’t. I know I’m not making any sense, but I’m afraid of spoiling so you’ll have to do with what I can! Just trust me, you’re in for a real treat! Hope this review moves you enough to pick up this series because we fans need someone to scream with!

— Thank you Edelweiss, CamCat Books and Rockstar Book Tours for presenting me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.