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booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.5
The White Rat books definitely have a trend towards featuring broody men who are good at stabbing things and carry around an enormous amount of (understandable but often overwrought) guilt. Stephen is no exception to this. He is a paladin whose god died suddenly three years ago, which left people disturbed and confused that a god could die, and triggered berserker rages in many of the paladins. The survivors are now in one of the White Rat’s temples, offering their services as protectors, guards, and whatever else the temple needs where muscled and frequently brooding swordsmen are of use. Grace is a perfumer who has an excellent sense of smell and finds herself rather suddenly in trouble.
Grace is so genuinely trusting that she needs someone more cynical and observant around to keep things from turning out badly when people take advantage of her. She can, and has, reset her life after betrayal, but it's so nice to see a part of her life where people help her rather than leaving her to sink or swim in the wake of abuse and betrayal. Stephen and his fellow paladins are living each day without their god, trying to be helpful rather than letting the black tide swallow them. It's nice to read a story where the main characters have lives separate from each other, but it's obvious how their lives are enriched by each other's company and possible affection. Zale is a fantastic wit and an even better lawyer, it's great to see them again.
While technically not a sequel, this is set in the world of the White Rat, mentions places featured elsewhere, and includes at least one character from SWORDHEART. The story itself is entirely new. The worldbuilding focuses on just a couple of locations, but describes places in a way that provides relevant information for this story while giving details which complement what that other White Rat books established. I recommend reading at least SWORDHEART before this, but the main thing that will affect is whether Zale is a new or familiar character.
Grace is so genuinely trusting that she needs someone more cynical and observant around to keep things from turning out badly when people take advantage of her. She can, and has, reset her life after betrayal, but it's so nice to see a part of her life where people help her rather than leaving her to sink or swim in the wake of abuse and betrayal. Stephen and his fellow paladins are living each day without their god, trying to be helpful rather than letting the black tide swallow them. It's nice to read a story where the main characters have lives separate from each other, but it's obvious how their lives are enriched by each other's company and possible affection. Zale is a fantastic wit and an even better lawyer, it's great to see them again.
While technically not a sequel, this is set in the world of the White Rat, mentions places featured elsewhere, and includes at least one character from SWORDHEART. The story itself is entirely new. The worldbuilding focuses on just a couple of locations, but describes places in a way that provides relevant information for this story while giving details which complement what that other White Rat books established. I recommend reading at least SWORDHEART before this, but the main thing that will affect is whether Zale is a new or familiar character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Blood, Violence, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Cursing, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Child abuse, Excrement, Terminal illness, Child death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Animal death, Alcohol, and Suicide
gothnailcare's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual harassment and Infidelity
wilybooklover's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
If there’s one interest that I love almost as much as fantasy romance novels, it’s fragrance, so a fantasy romance featuring a perfumer heroine felt like it was tailor-made for me.
Besides that, this was a delightfully fluffy romance juxtaposed against quite a dark storyline. That balance can be quite tough to pull off but T. Kingfisher does it so well. Grace and Stephen are two damaged but kind people who fall in love despite getting caught up in a web of political intrigue and a preponderance of severed heads (the cause of which was unbelievably creepy). Despite the dark background this story is infused with so much humour and warmth and hope. The hero knits socks! I loved it and will immediately move on to book two.
Oh, and we see the return of Zale and the Temple of the White Rat, from Swordheart! Sardonic Zale may be my favourite secondary character ever and I kind of want to read an entire series following them as they solve legal problems.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Sexual content, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Infidelity and Injury/Injury detail
caterwaul's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
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? No
4.5
I wasn't expecting the amount of worldbuilding that went into this book? Like okay, this is a fantasy romance, and because of that, I was kind of expecting a kinda basic fantasy world as a backdrop for the romance. But no! There's actually a fair amount of world in this book! It feels alive and bigger than just this story, and I think I'm a little disappointed that it wasn't a quest storyline a la Dragonlance or the Lord of the Rings because there's so much potential with this world.
I did very much enjoy the romance. Stephen and Grace are both fun characters with rough pasts, and I think they play off each other well. I also love that they have relationships outside of just each other and that those non-romantic relationships mean something to the characters and to the story. The sprinkling of politics and mystery on top is also wonderful- I do love political intrigue, though it only minimally appears in this book. Will definitely have to grab it's sequels at some point
I did very much enjoy the romance. Stephen and Grace are both fun characters with rough pasts, and I think they play off each other well. I also love that they have relationships outside of just each other and that those non-romantic relationships mean something to the characters and to the story. The sprinkling of politics and mystery on top is also wonderful- I do love political intrigue, though it only minimally appears in this book. Will definitely have to grab it's sequels at some point
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity
bethanycrowepowell's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A romantic, earthy fantasy reminiscent of Chalion hewing a little more contemporary in tone. I'd heard a lot about this series here and there, so finally jumped in. For me, it was an unusually successful gritty fantasy in a secondary world that centers a romance while still having a compelling plot, one that continues into the rest of the series even once the MCs of this book have found their happy ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Body horror, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Both protagonists are living with traumas that shape their reactions and impact how they move through the world. This is treated respectfully, even though it makes their journeys more complicated.mars's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
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
4.5
I haven't found a book as fun as this in a long time. It had all the things I've been currently looking for in a book: fluffy romance, an interesting world setting, a found family, and some lighthearted humor that, although some felt out of place, it brightened the mood to a somewhat somber & mysterious plot.
I'm so glad to have come across this book, as got me out of a reading slump. So excites to read more from the Saint of Steel series and to check out more of the author's books!
I'm so glad to have come across this book, as got me out of a reading slump. So excites to read more from the Saint of Steel series and to check out more of the author's books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Animal cruelty
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Stephen's god died a little after noon on the longest day of the year.
With a compelling opening line like that how could I not have a good time reading this book?
To be honest, it kinda similar to The Clockwork boys/The Wonder Engine and Swordheart in that they feature a competent female protagonist in her 30s and a tortured soul of a male paladin(-esque) love interest nearing 40 (+/- a few hundred years), but what can I say beyond I apparently love the trope? It isn't even that unexpected since it's the same author.
Also worth note is that our non-binary friend/lawyer Zale makes an appearance as well as a few other known entities from the world of the White Rat.
My quest to read all the things written under the T. Kingfisher pseudonym continues.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
buttermellow's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Gore, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Toxic relationship, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
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