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ahenrybitch's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Definitely check content warnings.
Its the type of writing style in which I have to pay attention or most of it will go over my head, but well worth it. The characters were so good and the plot was compelling. Probably one of the best historical fictions I’ve read.
Its the type of writing style in which I have to pay attention or most of it will go over my head, but well worth it. The characters were so good and the plot was compelling. Probably one of the best historical fictions I’ve read.
freya_amber's review against another edition
Found the writing style a bit hard to follow and wasn't impressed by the man being a rapist. Would rather read something else.
trashlyn_b's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gwynt's review against another edition
5.0
Easily the best book I read this vacation. I savoured it spreading it out over several days. What beautiful writing, and proof that romance can be a compelling and intelligent genre. I found the use of antiquated language fairly easy to grasp although the grammatical structure took some getting used to. In the end, it didn't seem to phase me. A beautiful and well told tale of medieval romance
abduck4's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mayann's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Medical trauma and Murder
Minor: Emotional abuse and Child death
downtown_kb's review against another edition
This was a good audio and I didn't mind the older language like a lot of reviews but considering the length I was dishearten by the fact nothing much had happened and I was already lost in the character names. Also, we spent a long time on her getting dressed and being fondled by a 16 year old boy "for show" in front of some person. still major ick. Also out hero had raped his wife because she had found god while he was at war and she didn't want to have sex but he was horny. He then devoted himself to a lady he never met but kept his vow of chastity to his nun wife. so weird. I was not into it.
smuttymcbookface's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-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
4.25
This was my first medieval romance where the dialect was clearly not modern (albeit, the afterword admitted that it was a mix of the two.) I thought it did a wonderful job of introducing you to it, and allowing you to follow it as a modern day reader.
The characters were brilliant. Ruck, moral to an absolute fault, was easy to love. His feelings of guilt and humiliation were wonderfully written, and there was no doubt that he was going to be liked throughout it all. Melanthe, on the other hand, was vulnerability wrapped in a cruel and vicious facade. It was clear she was crafted into the weapon she was, having married a man 30 years her senior at just 12, and lost countless loved ones when people learned of her attachment to them.
It was wonderful reading about her shedding her mask, and Ruck moving past the guilt of his past. There were sweet and tender moments, and I loved the inclusion of little details like Ruck finding stretch marks whilst she slept, knowing he could never ask her what they were or she'd be offended, but loving her all the more when he could see "flaws" he otherwise wouldn't have known were there.
I did find Melanthe's cruelty a bit difficult to handle at the end, and Ruck's steadfastness genuinely deserved a sainthood. But the story was brilliant nonetheless, mixing horror and sweetness and hilarious banter between the characters.
The characters were brilliant. Ruck, moral to an absolute fault, was easy to love. His feelings of guilt and humiliation were wonderfully written, and there was no doubt that he was going to be liked throughout it all. Melanthe, on the other hand, was vulnerability wrapped in a cruel and vicious facade. It was clear she was crafted into the weapon she was, having married a man 30 years her senior at just 12, and lost countless loved ones when people learned of her attachment to them.
It was wonderful reading about her shedding her mask, and Ruck moving past the guilt of his past. There were sweet and tender moments, and I loved the inclusion of little details like Ruck finding stretch marks whilst she slept, knowing he could never ask her what they were or she'd be offended, but loving her all the more when he could see "flaws" he otherwise wouldn't have known were there.
I did find Melanthe's cruelty a bit difficult to handle at the end, and Ruck's steadfastness genuinely deserved a sainthood. But the story was brilliant nonetheless, mixing horror and sweetness and hilarious banter between the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content, Child death, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Torture, and Grief
emilygigs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The version with historically accurate dialogue is INCREDIBLE and delight.