A review by morebedsidebooks
Witch's Knight by Evelyn Silver

2.5

Witch’s Knight by Evelyn Silver is the first book in the paranormal romance Bloodline Chronicles series. Featuring an isolated witch named Sarai Reinhart (bisexual polyam) with unusual darker skills becoming involved with powerful vampires. Particularly the impressive Knight Commander Marcelle de Sauveterre (bisexual polyam). 

I love gathering an assortment of queer vampire books and am always on the lookout for new additions. I thought Witch’s Knight was an interesting debut novel with a neat premise, mixing lore for its own distinct worldbuilding. Both Sarai and Marcelle have backstories filled with adversity but are resilient, faceted characters. Though unfortunately, sexual assault in the book fell into a cliché. 

Spoiler A vampire named Nicolas sexually assaults Sarai not once, but even after facing punishment a second time. The second time Sarai is able to use her necromancy skills on Nicolas, leading to his destruction. This is done in self-defense of not only herself, but her love interest Marcelle who comes to the defense of Sarai. But later to quote Marcelle:  ‘“She… is an enchanting little thing. I don’t know if I’ve ever been around someone whose scent draws me in so completely.” She almost added, no wonder Nicolas snapped and tried to take her, but decided it was best not to mention the late monster.’  So, Nicolas, the attempted rapist vampire, monstrously attacked Sarai because he was under such emotional strain from Sarai being special and just that irresistible it broke him? This is such a common idea. Nevertheless, it is also offensive in this case. Sexual predators are responsible for their actions. How attractive one finds their victims does not matter! Such rationalization shifts responsibility. Then to relate an experience in any way to that of an attempted rapist... Marcelle’s line was even more jarring coming as it did the morning after her and Sarai had sex for the first time. Given the genre, a significant aspect is the taboo romance between the two that forms (witches and vampires haven’t mixed for millennia). Too despite how Marcelle is supposed to be manipulating Sarai, since Marcelle’s sire the Crown Prince Setanta (pansexual polyam) wants to use Sarai in political maneuvers. So, already a complicated relationship, the intensity between Marcelle and Sarai might as well as turned to dust in an instant for me. 


This book unfortunately won’t be staying in my collection. 
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