A review by mirandyli
Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat

adventurous dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

This series was ok. Before you read it take note of all the content warnings. Content warning: everything. I like the world building but the relationships are super toxic. 

Damen and Laurent's relationship is especially yikes. They both lie to each other constantly for their own gain. Because Damen killed Laurent's brother a few years ago, Laurent orders Damen to be whipped 50 times in the first book and is miffed that he didn't die from it. Yet SOMEHOW... they still fall in love after that??? Because Damen is obsessed with pale skin and blonde hair (excuse me while I go vomit).

The series basically ends with Laurent killing Damen's brother and saying, "We've killed each other's brothers so we're even now. I no longer hate you and we can rule peacefully. Kiss kiss." Excuse me sirs, go to therapy. 

And now that Damen has been a slave, he's now going to advocate for the end of slavery, despite being in support of it before? That's just a whole bag of yikes. 

There were also a bunch of predictable moments (like that Laurent knew Damen's identity the whole time, Laurent was raped by his uncle and Jokaste would claim that her baby was Damen's).


Still a fast-paced decent read and I was able to finish the series in a week. I haven't read a fantasy book in a while and this series was a pretty good start to getting back into the fantasy genre. 
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