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A review by hannahinpages
Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald
2.0
2.5??
I'm not entirely sure about my rating on this one. Beyond The Ruby Veil has left me feeling incredibly conflicted, so let's talk about it!
First and foremost, the marketing of this book as sapphic is pretty untrue. There was barely an ounce of anything remotely sapphic, just a couple of vague sentences. I think it would be better off as marketed as just an enemies story between two powerful and unlikeable women. There was more talk about the MLM side character than the WLW lead.
Now let's talk about our WLW lead.
I didn't like our leading lady, and unlikeable characters are usually my cup of tea. They're compelling, unique, and intriguing. But our MC was missing all three. There was nothing about her to make her remotely interesting. Her lines and motives fell flat and ended up being annoying more than anything else. Unlikeable characters need a push and pull about them, or else they can be misery to read. The mistreatment and honestly verbal abuse of her best friend felt entirely unnecessary in her overall character arc. At times it felt like the book was trying too hard to make her arrogant, unlikeable, and different, leading to disjointed dynamics and sequence.
Overall the story was entertaining, and I enjoyed the dark aspects of the plot. Dark fantasy stories are among my favorites, so it's no surprise there. However, something was missing from the story for me. That, mixed with the general discontent with our characters, ultimately lead to a disappointing read.
I'm not entirely sure about my rating on this one. Beyond The Ruby Veil has left me feeling incredibly conflicted, so let's talk about it!
First and foremost, the marketing of this book as sapphic is pretty untrue. There was barely an ounce of anything remotely sapphic, just a couple of vague sentences. I think it would be better off as marketed as just an enemies story between two powerful and unlikeable women. There was more talk about the MLM side character than the WLW lead.
Now let's talk about our WLW lead.
I didn't like our leading lady, and unlikeable characters are usually my cup of tea. They're compelling, unique, and intriguing. But our MC was missing all three. There was nothing about her to make her remotely interesting. Her lines and motives fell flat and ended up being annoying more than anything else. Unlikeable characters need a push and pull about them, or else they can be misery to read. The mistreatment and honestly verbal abuse of her best friend felt entirely unnecessary in her overall character arc. At times it felt like the book was trying too hard to make her arrogant, unlikeable, and different, leading to disjointed dynamics and sequence.
Overall the story was entertaining, and I enjoyed the dark aspects of the plot. Dark fantasy stories are among my favorites, so it's no surprise there. However, something was missing from the story for me. That, mixed with the general discontent with our characters, ultimately lead to a disappointing read.