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A review by josy
Reeve of Veils by A.K. Faulkner
3.0
~ 3.5 stars ~
After having read the next book in this series [b:Page of Tricks|35249389|Page of Tricks (Inheritance, #5)|Amelia Faulkner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496002974s/35249389.jpg|56600423] I have the strong urge to correct part of my review and my rating.
The thing is, in POT an important fact will be revealed that I didn't know when I read this book. Knowing this now, I can see certain things in a new light.
I don't know if I should have picked up on this fact and didn't or if it was intentionally written so that the reader doesn't recognize it immediately for what it is. But whatever the reason, I now feel like a jerk for judging the relationship between Freddy and Mickey so harshly. The fact that we don't see diversity like this often certainly played a role in why this possibility didn't even cross my mind. Thumbs up to the author for writing a character like Freddy!
I still think that Freddy is self-absorbed, arrogant, and somewhat ruthless and I still don't like him very much but the 'mystery' that has been the relationship is solved. Now I know why "I didn't understand it" and why I had the feeling that Freddy isn't "even capable of these emotions". Huh, I guess I picked up on something after all. Only I couldn't put it into perspective. The sentence "This was better than mere romance. It was a true partnership." makes complete sense now.
For everyone who wants to see if they can pick up on this important detail about Freddy on their own, I'm gonna put it into spoiler tags:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ 2.5 stars ~
I'm not really sure what to think about this book...
In essence, it's a retelling of the events that happened in the second book of the series [b:Knight of Flames|31455563|Knight of Flames (Inheritance, #2)|Amelia Faulkner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471319781s/31455563.jpg|52160041], this time told from Freddy's (Quentin's brother) and Mikey's (Laurence's ex-dealer) POV.
Some parts of the second book, those where Laurence and/or Quentin have been present, have been exactly the same in this book. If you, like me, have read 'Knight of Flames' recently, it can be tedious at times to read the exact same conversations and events again.
After the second book, Freddy remained a mystery. There hasn't been a lot of insight into his character and his motives. This was rectified in 'Reeve of Veils'. BUT I didn't like Freddy at all. I had my suspicions about his sincerity and they have been confirmed. He's an arrogant, manipulative jerk whose every action is only geared to further his own personal gain without regard to anyone else.
This time though, Freddy's and Mikey's 'relationship' remained a mystery to me. I didn't understand it. Like at all. I don't know what Freddy's motivation to pursue Mikey was (if you can call it that) when he first met him. Was it pity or sympathy? Nothing in Freddy's behavior and characterization let me believe he's even capable of these emotions. It was more like he needed a project to entertain himself with and I couldn't shake this feeling. What starts out with a 'proposition' evolves into something else but as much as I wanted to, I couldn't believe what the author tried to sell me: that "What they had was special..." that they loved each other, that "This was better than mere romance. It was a true partnership." Freddy did care for Mikey and tried to help him but during the whole book I couldn't help but think that he was only investing in him to keep his new toy well and healthy. But since the series isn't yet completed, I have hope that Freddy will redeem himself. Maybe once he has, my feelings about his relationship with Mikey will also change.
Still, I will read the next book in the series for sure because I need to know how this story continues (cliffhanger ending!!). I just hope it will be told from Quentin's and Laurence's POV again. I don't like being in Freddy's head.
Please pay attention to the trigger warnings: graphic child abuse, implied rape, and drug abuse.
Read as part of my EuroPrideCon reading challenge: to read new-to-me-authors before the convention (https://europridecon.jimdo.com/).
After having read the next book in this series [b:Page of Tricks|35249389|Page of Tricks (Inheritance, #5)|Amelia Faulkner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496002974s/35249389.jpg|56600423] I have the strong urge to correct part of my review and my rating.
The thing is, in POT an important fact will be revealed that I didn't know when I read this book. Knowing this now, I can see certain things in a new light.
I don't know if I should have picked up on this fact and didn't or if it was intentionally written so that the reader doesn't recognize it immediately for what it is. But whatever the reason, I now feel like a jerk for judging the relationship between Freddy and Mickey so harshly. The fact that we don't see diversity like this often certainly played a role in why this possibility didn't even cross my mind. Thumbs up to the author for writing a character like Freddy!
I still think that Freddy is self-absorbed, arrogant, and somewhat ruthless and I still don't like him very much but the 'mystery' that has been the relationship is solved. Now I know why "I didn't understand it" and why I had the feeling that Freddy isn't "even capable of these emotions". Huh, I guess I picked up on something after all. Only I couldn't put it into perspective. The sentence "This was better than mere romance. It was a true partnership." makes complete sense now.
For everyone who wants to see if they can pick up on this important detail about Freddy on their own, I'm gonna put it into spoiler tags:
Spoiler
Freddy is aromantic = he doesn't feel romantic attraction. Of course, he is still capable of loving someone and caring about the people close to him but not in the "traditional" romantic way.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ 2.5 stars ~
I'm not really sure what to think about this book...
In essence, it's a retelling of the events that happened in the second book of the series [b:Knight of Flames|31455563|Knight of Flames (Inheritance, #2)|Amelia Faulkner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471319781s/31455563.jpg|52160041], this time told from Freddy's (Quentin's brother) and Mikey's (Laurence's ex-dealer) POV.
Some parts of the second book, those where Laurence and/or Quentin have been present, have been exactly the same in this book. If you, like me, have read 'Knight of Flames' recently, it can be tedious at times to read the exact same conversations and events again.
After the second book, Freddy remained a mystery. There hasn't been a lot of insight into his character and his motives. This was rectified in 'Reeve of Veils'. BUT I didn't like Freddy at all. I had my suspicions about his sincerity and they have been confirmed. He's an arrogant, manipulative jerk whose every action is only geared to further his own personal gain without regard to anyone else.
This time though, Freddy's and Mikey's 'relationship' remained a mystery to me. I didn't understand it. Like at all. I don't know what Freddy's motivation to pursue Mikey was (if you can call it that) when he first met him. Was it pity or sympathy? Nothing in Freddy's behavior and characterization let me believe he's even capable of these emotions. It was more like he needed a project to entertain himself with and I couldn't shake this feeling. What starts out with a 'proposition' evolves into something else but as much as I wanted to, I couldn't believe what the author tried to sell me: that "What they had was special..." that they loved each other, that "This was better than mere romance. It was a true partnership." Freddy did care for Mikey and tried to help him but during the whole book I couldn't help but think that he was only investing in him to keep his new toy well and healthy. But since the series isn't yet completed, I have hope that Freddy will redeem himself. Maybe once he has, my feelings about his relationship with Mikey will also change.
Still, I will read the next book in the series for sure because I need to know how this story continues (cliffhanger ending!!). I just hope it will be told from Quentin's and Laurence's POV again. I don't like being in Freddy's head.
Please pay attention to the trigger warnings: graphic child abuse, implied rape, and drug abuse.
Read as part of my EuroPrideCon reading challenge: to read new-to-me-authors before the convention (https://europridecon.jimdo.com/).