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A review by e_whitethorn
Aisling: A Spell Unbinding by A.E. Jürgens
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I really enjoyed book 1, and I was still not prepared for how much I LOVED this second installment. Once I picked it up, I could not stop, and ended up finishing it in one day.
This book TRULY has all of the tropes everyone says they want (but no one ever really gets):
a real enemies to lovers, a true morally grey LI, slow burn, forbidden love, touch her and die.
Jurgens prose are so lyrical and evoke such incredible imagery. I’m also a sucker for a good Aurthurian vibed quest and this book hits that very specific spot. I love that maps were included in this book! And for how vast this world is, she keeps her worldbuilding tight and clean. I never felt overwhelmed by it or confused. And if book 1 was beautifully pastoral, book 2 captures the magic, whimsy, and enchantment of a frosty winter kingdom.
The editing was improved in this installment, and the pacing was impeccably done. The development in Aisling’s character was wonderful as well, to finally see some of her vulnerability and to see her start to understand herself and what it is she wants.
I read a review that said this series is not a romance and I very much disagree. This is not an insta love kind of story, this is truly a slow burn. It takes a long time for our main characters to really get to know one another, see different sides of each other, and understand the other’s motivations before coming to the decision that they choose one another. Along the way, the reader experiences the tension, the longing, the angst, the yearning, and the frustration that culminates in a very satisfying pay off.
One of my criticisms with book 1 was I felt there were some missed opportunities to give the reader more of an emotional pay off. And I do still have that same criticism with this book. (Though I do think it was done better here)
This book TRULY has all of the tropes everyone says they want (but no one ever really gets):
a real enemies to lovers, a true morally grey LI, slow burn, forbidden love, touch her and die.
Jurgens prose are so lyrical and evoke such incredible imagery. I’m also a sucker for a good Aurthurian vibed quest and this book hits that very specific spot. I love that maps were included in this book! And for how vast this world is, she keeps her worldbuilding tight and clean. I never felt overwhelmed by it or confused. And if book 1 was beautifully pastoral, book 2 captures the magic, whimsy, and enchantment of a frosty winter kingdom.
The editing was improved in this installment, and the pacing was impeccably done. The development in Aisling’s character was wonderful as well, to finally see some of her vulnerability and to see her start to understand herself and what it is she wants.
I read a review that said this series is not a romance and I very much disagree. This is not an insta love kind of story, this is truly a slow burn. It takes a long time for our main characters to really get to know one another, see different sides of each other, and understand the other’s motivations before coming to the decision that they choose one another. Along the way, the reader experiences the tension, the longing, the angst, the yearning, and the frustration that culminates in a very satisfying pay off.
One of my criticisms with book 1 was I felt there were some missed opportunities to give the reader more of an emotional pay off. And I do still have that same criticism with this book. (Though I do think it was done better here)
SPOILERS
This author does an excellent job of showing the reader vs telling in her writing. But when it comes to big emotional relational interactions, I wish she would show more of the characters’ emotions in those instances. For example, when Aisling chooses Lir over Dagfin- I was desperate for more of Lir’s reaction to that decision. I also wanted to know Aisling’s thoughts when Lir decided to exact revenge over the child sacrifice in Bludhaven, especially considering the conversation they had the previous evening. And I would have enjoyed a Lir pov during their binding as well since that was such an important fate altering decision and he was finally vulnerable in his feelings toward Aisling (and also we been WAITING for that scene, so I think I speak for most when I say having more would have been very welcomed😮💨).
I can not wait for book 3!!! I can’t wait to learn more about these characters and their relationship together and their relationship with their power. (I am also shamelessly hoping for more spice 🙃)