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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a delightful book that I’m surprised more people haven’t read. The main character is so lovable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I usually love Kim Fielding's work, but I did not love this. There was just 'something' missing .. and my interest in the story seemed to peter out completely in the second half of the book when Brute and Gray left the palace. I also tended to find many of the secondary characters much more compelling than the MCs. The prince, Lord Maudit and even the whore Petrus. Brute (aka Aric) was simply too 'good' and Gray too pitiful. Except when Brute, against Gray's wish took him back the Vale ... I really didn't like that ... noble or otherwise, Gray's feelings were repeatedly ignored and that's just not cool ...
Sadly, not my favourite book by this author ...
Sadly, not my favourite book by this author ...
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-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
A beautiful and wonderful book that I loved from start to finish. Big thanks go to Sherry, whose glowing review made me read this. This had everything I ever hope for in a book, and more.
A series of complaints (please move on):
My biggest problem with this was that Brute fucked Grey… There was a power imbalance because Brute was his handler and this was never addressed or even thought of. I thought Brute going to the brothel was so he wouldn't take advantage of Grey, but … then he just went home and fucked Grey. (Turning down someone who finally wanted him… *shoutout to the size queen pretty boy).
Another issue I had was Brute and Gray themselves. Brute had some unfavorable traits and this can be chocked up to his world, but from the way it was written it just seems like the author’s thoughts - which isn’t necessarily bad, it just seems close minded/unknowledgable. Grey was also inconsistent. Mainly because he was like “this all happened because of the prince
My biggest problem with this was that Brute fucked Grey… There was a power imbalance because Brute was his handler and this was never addressed or even thought of. I thought Brute going to the brothel was so he wouldn't take advantage of Grey, but … then he just went home and fucked Grey. (Turning down someone who finally wanted him… *shoutout to the size queen pretty boy).
Another issue I had was Brute and Gray themselves. Brute had some unfavorable traits and this can be chocked up to his world, but from the way it was written it just seems like the author’s thoughts - which isn’t necessarily bad, it just seems close minded/unknowledgable. Grey was also inconsistent. Mainly because he was like “this all happened because of the prince
I enjoy reading well written fantasy so when I heard about 'Brute' by Kim Fielding, an author I already like, it was a no-brainer for me to want to read it. I'm always a little in awe of the worlds that writers create and I think, in my opinion, because fantasy can, literally, be anything at all, I get a lot of pleasure from reading that genre. This book struck me as being so much more than what I expected and instead it became a story of hope, of strength, of inner courage, of honor, and of love, the kind of love that sees a person for who they are and not what they look like.
Brute is a giant of a man at seven and a half feet tall and weighing over three hundred pounds. He has no family, no friends, and his whole life the villagers have treated him like he was a freak. He has no skills except of basic manual labor and even though he can perform the job of three men, he is not respected for that or treated well. When Brute rescues the prince from certain death, almost dies himself, and, in fact, loses his left hand, Prince Aldfrid asks him to come to the kingdom and he will find a job for Brute and a better place to live. Brute heals and heads to the kingdom to discover what in the world he could possibly do for a prince. He arrives and discovers that he's being given a nice apartment, good food, new clothes, boots, and a monthly income and all he has to do is watch over a shackled prisoner, Gray, and if the prisoner calls out in his sleep, Brute is to report what is said.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
Merged review:
I enjoy reading well written fantasy so when I heard about 'Brute' by Kim Fielding, an author I already like, it was a no-brainer for me to want to read it. I'm always a little in awe of the worlds that writers create and I think, in my opinion, because fantasy can, literally, be anything at all, I get a lot of pleasure from reading that genre. This book struck me as being so much more than what I expected and instead it became a story of hope, of strength, of inner courage, of honor, and of love, the kind of love that sees a person for who they are and not what they look like.
Brute is a giant of a man at seven and a half feet tall and weighing over three hundred pounds. He has no family, no friends, and his whole life the villagers have treated him like he was a freak. He has no skills except of basic manual labor and even though he can perform the job of three men, he is not respected for that or treated well. When Brute rescues the prince from certain death, almost dies himself, and, in fact, loses his left hand, Prince Aldfrid asks him to come to the kingdom and he will find a job for Brute and a better place to live. Brute heals and heads to the kingdom to discover what in the world he could possibly do for a prince. He arrives and discovers that he's being given a nice apartment, good food, new clothes, boots, and a monthly income and all he has to do is watch over a shackled prisoner, Gray, and if the prisoner calls out in his sleep, Brute is to report what is said.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
Brute is a giant of a man at seven and a half feet tall and weighing over three hundred pounds. He has no family, no friends, and his whole life the villagers have treated him like he was a freak. He has no skills except of basic manual labor and even though he can perform the job of three men, he is not respected for that or treated well. When Brute rescues the prince from certain death, almost dies himself, and, in fact, loses his left hand, Prince Aldfrid asks him to come to the kingdom and he will find a job for Brute and a better place to live. Brute heals and heads to the kingdom to discover what in the world he could possibly do for a prince. He arrives and discovers that he's being given a nice apartment, good food, new clothes, boots, and a monthly income and all he has to do is watch over a shackled prisoner, Gray, and if the prisoner calls out in his sleep, Brute is to report what is said.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
Merged review:
I enjoy reading well written fantasy so when I heard about 'Brute' by Kim Fielding, an author I already like, it was a no-brainer for me to want to read it. I'm always a little in awe of the worlds that writers create and I think, in my opinion, because fantasy can, literally, be anything at all, I get a lot of pleasure from reading that genre. This book struck me as being so much more than what I expected and instead it became a story of hope, of strength, of inner courage, of honor, and of love, the kind of love that sees a person for who they are and not what they look like.
Brute is a giant of a man at seven and a half feet tall and weighing over three hundred pounds. He has no family, no friends, and his whole life the villagers have treated him like he was a freak. He has no skills except of basic manual labor and even though he can perform the job of three men, he is not respected for that or treated well. When Brute rescues the prince from certain death, almost dies himself, and, in fact, loses his left hand, Prince Aldfrid asks him to come to the kingdom and he will find a job for Brute and a better place to live. Brute heals and heads to the kingdom to discover what in the world he could possibly do for a prince. He arrives and discovers that he's being given a nice apartment, good food, new clothes, boots, and a monthly income and all he has to do is watch over a shackled prisoner, Gray, and if the prisoner calls out in his sleep, Brute is to report what is said.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
I really enjoyed this one! In the beginning, I immediately got Princess Bride vibes and that did not slow down later in the book. Mind you, the plot is not like the movie at all, but it does feel like it takes place in a similar world and is inspired by some of the characters.
I love the disability rep in this book and the way it was sad and realistic, yet turned it around into happy and hopeful.
I do have to say though, that I have never doubted a HEA as much as during the reading of this. Not that this is a super sad book, which it is not, but near the end, I just didn't see how they could possibly continue together in the circumstances that they found themselves in.
A very sweet book, with protagonists that have wonderful chemistry and where every beat is fully earned!
I love the disability rep in this book and the way it was sad and realistic, yet turned it around into happy and hopeful.
I do have to say though, that I have never doubted a HEA as much as during the reading of this. Not that this is a super sad book, which it is not, but near the end, I just didn't see how they could possibly continue together in the circumstances that they found themselves in.
A very sweet book, with protagonists that have wonderful chemistry and where every beat is fully earned!
This was a sweet little romp of a fairytale trope. It certainly wasn’t what I expected going in, though I’m not even sure I really knew what that something was, but it was definitely enjoyable. Brute is such a sweet lump of a guy you can’t help but go awwwwwwww at his wonderful good nature. I just kept wanting for everything to turn out alright for him.
Brute grew up in a land with magic and wonder yet found himself to always be the object of scorn. His father was hung as a thief and his mother committed suicide shortly thereafter leaving Brute all alone in the world. When a abnormal growth spurt puts Brute over seven feet he’s left being taunted his whole life about being ugly and an ogre. Used as a common laborer and told he’d never amount to anything, verbally abused as stupid all it ever did was make Brute kind. Saving the life of a prince was never in Brute’s plan though. He’s never really looked for anything more in his life, but he couldn’t just let the prince fall to his death when it was in his power to save him even when saving him cost Brute one his hands and thus his livelihood. When the prince offers him a job as a guard of just one prisoner Brute has no other real options before him.
Gray Lehman is a witch. One stupid decision done out of pain for love though cost him his freedom and has left him trapped in a tower for years. His dreams reported back to the king via a string of guards who never stay long too creeped out by the blind man nearly mute because of his stutter who dreams of people’s deaths night after night. Dreams which inevitably will come true without some sort of interference. Gray’s been neglected and abused by his past jailors and he expects nothing more when his new caretaker is shown in. But that’s just not in Brute’s makeup.
I just wanted to hug Brute. He’s a dear man and I loved how all his struggles had just made him kind. He’s a man who doesn’t understand how anyone can deny others basic human decency. He doesn’t see how that should in anyway make him a hero. He is so selfless he’s willing to sacrifice himself for a stranger. You can’t help but want some one that true to not find happiness for themselves. Brute deserves to have someone, even if it is just one person, see how truly special he is.
I actually really liked Gray’s character. He’s not as wholly pure as Brute is so it makes him more identifiable even though this story is told from Brute’s perspective. He’s made mistakes in the past. He’s screwed up but royal and he has paid for it. I loved how incredulous he was at the little kindnesses Brute would offer his way. You really got to see the man emerge from the tortured trembling mess that Gray had become while incarcerated.
This story was made more enjoyable for me because these two men weren’t portrayed as perfect specimens of awesomeness. Brute aka Aric is huge, ugly and scarred on the outside but is the most beautiful human in his soul. Gray may have had the pretty exterior, but he’s made his share of mistakes and isn’t quite so pure inside. Together they see the beauty the other has to offer and encourage each other to be better men or to trust that they are amazing because someone else thinks so. I liked the slow burn of this story and while normally I like to actually indulge in reading about the sexy times between my main characters this story would have suffered to have really gone there. Hinting at their physical relationship before essentially fading to black suits the style of this story so much better. I never doubted the love these two had together and how much comfort they found just being near the other.
On a simple side note I loved watching Brute make friends around the castle. I liked seeing him explore the greater world and finally be seen for who he was not what he looked like. Ahhh stories with morals. :D
All in all this was a very well written enjoyable sweet story. It just didn’t somehow have that final zing to make it truly exceptional in my book. I very much enjoyed what I was reading but found myself going “awwwwwwwww” through the whole thing without any real “oh my” moments. Very solid story and well crafted. I will continue to come back to Ms. Fielding for the quality of her books. I enjoy them every time.
Brute grew up in a land with magic and wonder yet found himself to always be the object of scorn. His father was hung as a thief and his mother committed suicide shortly thereafter leaving Brute all alone in the world. When a abnormal growth spurt puts Brute over seven feet he’s left being taunted his whole life about being ugly and an ogre. Used as a common laborer and told he’d never amount to anything, verbally abused as stupid all it ever did was make Brute kind. Saving the life of a prince was never in Brute’s plan though. He’s never really looked for anything more in his life, but he couldn’t just let the prince fall to his death when it was in his power to save him even when saving him cost Brute one his hands and thus his livelihood. When the prince offers him a job as a guard of just one prisoner Brute has no other real options before him.
Gray Lehman is a witch. One stupid decision done out of pain for love though cost him his freedom and has left him trapped in a tower for years. His dreams reported back to the king via a string of guards who never stay long too creeped out by the blind man nearly mute because of his stutter who dreams of people’s deaths night after night. Dreams which inevitably will come true without some sort of interference. Gray’s been neglected and abused by his past jailors and he expects nothing more when his new caretaker is shown in. But that’s just not in Brute’s makeup.
I just wanted to hug Brute. He’s a dear man and I loved how all his struggles had just made him kind. He’s a man who doesn’t understand how anyone can deny others basic human decency. He doesn’t see how that should in anyway make him a hero. He is so selfless he’s willing to sacrifice himself for a stranger. You can’t help but want some one that true to not find happiness for themselves. Brute deserves to have someone, even if it is just one person, see how truly special he is.
I actually really liked Gray’s character. He’s not as wholly pure as Brute is so it makes him more identifiable even though this story is told from Brute’s perspective. He’s made mistakes in the past. He’s screwed up but royal and he has paid for it. I loved how incredulous he was at the little kindnesses Brute would offer his way. You really got to see the man emerge from the tortured trembling mess that Gray had become while incarcerated.
This story was made more enjoyable for me because these two men weren’t portrayed as perfect specimens of awesomeness. Brute aka Aric is huge, ugly and scarred on the outside but is the most beautiful human in his soul. Gray may have had the pretty exterior, but he’s made his share of mistakes and isn’t quite so pure inside. Together they see the beauty the other has to offer and encourage each other to be better men or to trust that they are amazing because someone else thinks so. I liked the slow burn of this story and while normally I like to actually indulge in reading about the sexy times between my main characters this story would have suffered to have really gone there. Hinting at their physical relationship before essentially fading to black suits the style of this story so much better. I never doubted the love these two had together and how much comfort they found just being near the other.
On a simple side note I loved watching Brute make friends around the castle. I liked seeing him explore the greater world and finally be seen for who he was not what he looked like. Ahhh stories with morals. :D
All in all this was a very well written enjoyable sweet story. It just didn’t somehow have that final zing to make it truly exceptional in my book. I very much enjoyed what I was reading but found myself going “awwwwwwwww” through the whole thing without any real “oh my” moments. Very solid story and well crafted. I will continue to come back to Ms. Fielding for the quality of her books. I enjoy them every time.