Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Paladin's Grace

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

24 reviews

miss_berry315's review

medium-paced

3.0

I originally dnf'd this book, realized the Saint of Steel series can be read as stand-alone books, read Paladin's Strength and Paladin's Hope, started Paladin's Faith and realized I wanted more context so I went back to this one.

I dnf'd this book originally because of the scene where Stephen and Grace meet. It is fairly early in the book and I really felt like the author could have done literally anything other than have Stephen practically SA Grace.
IDC if this is a spoiler, it's really not done well and adds absolutely nothing to the story overall.
Stephen is walking back home when he hears someone running and he determines that the person sounds like they're in trouble, so he wants to help (paladin things). Grace approaches him near an alleyway and asks Stephen to help her hide. Stephen then grabs her, shoves her against the wall so she's hidden from the people chasing her, and begins dry humping her and acting as if he is having sex. She plays along with it, he's apologizing the whole time (super uncomfortable) and the people chasing her end up leaving them alone. It's important to note that this happens in an alleyway very close to this city's version of a 'Red Light District' aka a place where sex workers are known to be present and offering services. The author does not write about sex workers in a positive way. The language used is outdated, Stephen says he would 'never be involved with a sex worker' and Grace is relieved. Its just really not empowering and starts the relationship between these two off in a very uncomfortable place. Why couldn't Stephen help Grace into a crate or behind some barrels, or in a pile of trash or literally anything in the entire world that could have been realistically in the alleyway? Why did the author see the only option as borderline SA??

Other than that, the book was fairly boring in plot, characters, and romance. Grace is defined by her relationships and career. I felt like the perfume making stuff could have been interesting, but kind of fell flat. I understand it's hard to write about how someone may have a natural ability to create something and how they often will incorporate that into their lives however they can, but the way that Grace can differentiate smells within complex ones just came off like the whole 'chosen one' 'special-special' trope that protagonists often have.

Content Warnings

distilledreads's review

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I went into Paladin’s Grace knowing practically nothing about the plot. I genuinely don’t think I read past the first line of the summary, but I was hooked by the premise of a paladin’s god dying and needed to read it. So, imagine my absolute DELIGHT to find out this was a fantasy romance. Kingfisher had me hook, line, and sinker the whole way through and this has become a new favourite series.

I have seen so much praise for Kingfisher online throughout the years, but I don’t read horror, so I never had the opportunity to experience her writing for myself. I am so, so happy I was finally able to change that because I loved the characters she created in this series.

Even though there was an alarming number of severed heads (I was always worried about the severed heads, Stephen), I found this to be the perfect cozy fantasy. I’m not sure if I was just under a rock and missed all discourse about this series, but it is an absolute travesty in my opinion that this series wasn’t dominating the subgenre during the recent surge of cozy fantasy. There is no needless subplot of stalking and sexual harassment, and the treatment of such within the book is handled incredibly well.

Stephen, the paladin MMC, was refreshingly respectful and well-aware when his behaviour slipped from protective to creepy. Grace, the perfumer FMC, was a fierce character self-described as a grey mouse, but watching her confidence grow had me fist-pumping the air.