A review by valeriabee
A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

To be frank, I didn't expect to like the book because I know that it is hard for me to become immersed in a high fantasy world. That is to say that I did like the book. I appreciated Eva, Princess of Myre, magick of marrow and blood, and her internal struggle. It was an interesting approach to the struggle of identity and self-love that every person goes through at some point, especially in their teen years. The threat of death was a fun and interesting twist, especially as it was not a completely external threat. There was a plot-twist at the end that genuinely surprised me -- which is not something I can say often. It's the kind of surprise that makes you say "oh wow, i did not see that coming but that makes total sense." It bodes well for the book that I did shed a couple of tears along the way. I wasnt particularly fond of the romantic aspect of the novel because I generally have a dislike towards any romance that feels unnecessary or like a detraction from the main plot, when the romance isnt the main plot. Fortunately, this romance was not completely unnecessary and served as a healthy reminder that Eva is just a girl...sort of. Everything that I would usually consider a flaw is actually a strength in this novel and is part of what makes it great. I'm only upset that I didn't get all the answers I wanted right away. I also appreciate the theme of oppression without it being a blaringly obvious allegory for our real societies and histories of imperialism and colonialism. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings