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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
DNF. The reviews that loved this are correct and it wasn’t what I was in the mood for at the time! Maybe I’ll come back when I am.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read a few books in the past that promote political intregue and instantly my interest was pequed...but I was always let down... But not here!! This is what I wanted.
This isn't an adventure it's just Maia trying his best. In a sense not much happens but also I feel like you learn a lot about the world and the people... Though while reading it I would get confused by names constantly. thankfully there's a glossary at the back which I referred to OFTEN. But there's no map....I'd love a map please.
Seeing Maia change and evolve as a person wa she highlight.. seeing him be naive, to be bitter and angry to ... Letting go and basically saying 'fuck you I'm gonna do what I want!' and what he wanted was friends!!
And oh boy the pining, the pining for a connection, for a lil buddy and he nearly gets it and NOPE...
it's heartbreaking and there were about 2 ..3? Moments where my heart breaks for this halfgoblin boy. He is such a genuinely good lil guy who doesn't want to burden people and wants to treat everyone farely. And then Csevet is just having pick up after him all the time...and giving him advice. He's a good secretary, but I worry about the guy.
I really felt immersed, I loved how they spoke with 'thou art..' and such as well as how they addressed a character... So many titles?? It did get a bit confusing. But I have a short attention span. So a slow moving and involved book isn't a good idea.. bit I had fun!
This isn't an adventure it's just Maia trying his best. In a sense not much happens but also I feel like you learn a lot about the world and the people... Though while reading it I would get confused by names constantly. thankfully there's a glossary at the back which I referred to OFTEN. But there's no map....I'd love a map please.
Seeing Maia change and evolve as a person wa she highlight.. seeing him be naive, to be bitter and angry to ... Letting go and basically saying 'fuck you I'm gonna do what I want!' and what he wanted was friends!!
And oh boy the pining, the pining for a connection, for a lil buddy and he nearly gets it and NOPE...
it's heartbreaking and there were about 2 ..3? Moments where my heart breaks for this halfgoblin boy. He is such a genuinely good lil guy who doesn't want to burden people and wants to treat everyone farely. And then Csevet is just having pick up after him all the time...and giving him advice. He's a good secretary, but I worry about the guy.
I really felt immersed, I loved how they spoke with 'thou art..' and such as well as how they addressed a character... So many titles?? It did get a bit confusing. But I have a short attention span. So a slow moving and involved book isn't a good idea.. bit I had fun!
Just kind of whatever, I was in the middle of a series of average fantasy novels (city of brass) and just couldn’t finish this one.
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
There were lots of things I liked about this book, primarily the worldbuilding and the language. I liked seeing Maia grow as a character. I wasn't overfond of the assumption that a fantasy world would be cruel to queer people.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the political intrigue of this book! Maia as a main character was also surprisingly charming; it's interesting to have the POV character be genuinely kind and use that kindness to their own advantage.
However, what knocks off stars is the naming systems for the characters, titles, and locations. The overly complicated and similarly-sounding names just made the story difficult to follow rather than adding to the worldbuilding.
However, what knocks off stars is the naming systems for the characters, titles, and locations. The overly complicated and similarly-sounding names just made the story difficult to follow rather than adding to the worldbuilding.
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have bounced off this story a few times, but it was finally the right time and place for long fantasy names and isolated friendless exiled princes to become isolated emperors.
Honestly I like this book more as a concept piece rather than in execution - I think it's a genuinely fascinating example of how a book can mostly take place in like, three rooms (a bedroom, a receiving room (there are, I think, three receiving rooms but they are just about degrees of formality and comfort) and a ballroom. Maia is the Emperor, which means he can make decisions but he can't do things. He visits a sick woman who was kind to him; he asks his secretary to procure more coal for the household and reflects that that's what it means to be emperor, you just ask other people to put themselves out for you. It's a novel that is a series of meetings; Maia wakes up dreading them, and you sympathize about burnout.
He is very goodhearted, and it's nice to watch his treacherous court bloom around him in loyalty as he tries his best to learn as quickly as possible. I do think it's a genuinely fascinating take on the "farmboy becomes king" story, given that it's a lot about The Harsh Realities of Bureaucracy (so many meetings); I also like that the emotional culmination is a bit sideways from standard
it's weird but different! I admire the swing, and it will undoubtedly influence how I think about fantasy politics forever.
Thing I really liked: TWITCHY EARS!!!!
Honestly I like this book more as a concept piece rather than in execution - I think it's a genuinely fascinating example of how a book can mostly take place in like, three rooms (a bedroom, a receiving room (there are, I think, three receiving rooms but they are just about degrees of formality and comfort) and a ballroom. Maia is the Emperor, which means he can make decisions but he can't do things. He visits a sick woman who was kind to him; he asks his secretary to procure more coal for the household and reflects that that's what it means to be emperor, you just ask other people to put themselves out for you. It's a novel that is a series of meetings; Maia wakes up dreading them, and you sympathize about burnout.
He is very goodhearted, and it's nice to watch his treacherous court bloom around him in loyalty as he tries his best to learn as quickly as possible. I do think it's a genuinely fascinating take on the "farmboy becomes king" story, given that it's a lot about The Harsh Realities of Bureaucracy (so many meetings); I also like that the emotional culmination is a bit sideways from standard
Spoiler
(there's no epic friendships here, just an epically competent secretary and alliances and like, warm working relationships; the victory is in scoring time in your schedule for self-care, and is much less about surviving an assassination attempt.)it's weird but different! I admire the swing, and it will undoubtedly influence how I think about fantasy politics forever.
Thing I really liked: TWITCHY EARS!!!!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated