Scan barcode
nyxesss's review against another edition
3.0
Characters 8
Writing 8
Plot 7
Entertainment 4
6.8★
I just don't like tournaments that much
Writing 8
Plot 7
Entertainment 4
6.8★
I just don't like tournaments that much
sielaur's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
laurajaylive's review against another edition
5.0
I started this book and time stood still. I finished reading this monster in two days, in which time, I fell in love with the characters, world, and conflict within its pages.
I enjoyed the unexpected cyren world and traditions, their lifestyle and customs, and the challenge facing our main character.
To fight for the role of Queen is not expected to be easy, but the trials Roh goes through are far more treacherous than she expects. Being banded with a human makes the adventure that much more exciting for the reader.
Book two, here I come!
I enjoyed the unexpected cyren world and traditions, their lifestyle and customs, and the challenge facing our main character.
To fight for the role of Queen is not expected to be easy, but the trials Roh goes through are far more treacherous than she expects. Being banded with a human makes the adventure that much more exciting for the reader.
Book two, here I come!
lalas_books219's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Super drawn out and I couldn’t get into it.. took me over a month to read this book just to be disappointed
leannekitties's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
jenna_bookworm_5822's review against another edition
1.0
DNF @ 65%. Just couldn't connect and wasn't interested enough to push through.
lauramg's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Fabulous
betharanova's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
Oh, hello? I've had the time of my life with this one, AND it broke my reading slump! So tasty and refreshing~
In a mysterious world that reveals itself in small, tantalizing pieces, Rohesia is a young cyren at the bottom of the lair's society. She works as a bone cleaner in the slums, too far down to hear Saddoriel's enchanting music. More than that, she's branded as the daughter of a notorious criminal. She and her friends have always dreamed of entering the Queen's Tournament, a chance to challenge the centuries-long rule of the cyren queen and take her place. The question becomes: what is Roh willing to do to win?
And the answer is: a lot, for a YA protagonist! Forget your softheaded and softhearted heroines whose kindness makes them stupid. Throw out the 'problematic' protagonist whose sarcasm is the only basis for their insistence that they're a bad person. Now I give you Roh: a young woman raised in a society where ruthlessness, strength, and cunning are valued. A young woman who fiercely loves the few people she holds close but aims for her goals just as fiercely, no matter who is in her way. She actually is smart, alert for threats and advantages, and practical. Roh gets things DONE. And I love her SO much.
The side characters have life, too. Harlyn and Orson could have been Roh's bland childhood friends, present just to prop her up with side conversations, but no. They clearly mean something to Roh. When they're not there, she misses them and wonders how they'd react. When they are, the narrative is fond and familiar. We even get to see them interact without her, and without it being ABOUT her. Every character Roh interacts with obviously has their own thing going on, an unknown motive or distraction, and it absolutely fills the plot with tension along the way.
I have to talk about the humans. As part of the tournament, each cyren is given a sort of human Tamagotchi, whom they have to keep alive and relatively healthy throughout the trials (despite their competitors' best efforts). Captured humans are divvied out, and Roh is made responsible for a young man. Understandably, this young man's main focus is something like, "I was kidnapped and put in a cage and this evil palace is made of human bones!!" to which Roh responds along the lines of, "Yes, we've all seen the bones, now stop embarrassing me in front of the nobles." Their dynamic evolves wonderfully, and I enjoyed every single point along the way. And the same is true of the worldbuilding their conversations spark; it was so interesting to see what Roh could, couldn't, or wouldn't answer about the state of Saddoriel and the relationship between cyrens and humans.
And there are so many unanswered questions, about the world, about Roh's parents, and about other characters' secrets. But I feel strongly that all that will be the realm of the sequels. The writing was so good, never forgetting a thread that could be woven back in later, that I trust the rest of this series to satisfy on all fronts.
In a mysterious world that reveals itself in small, tantalizing pieces, Rohesia is a young cyren at the bottom of the lair's society. She works as a bone cleaner in the slums, too far down to hear Saddoriel's enchanting music. More than that, she's branded as the daughter of a notorious criminal. She and her friends have always dreamed of entering the Queen's Tournament, a chance to challenge the centuries-long rule of the cyren queen and take her place. The question becomes: what is Roh willing to do to win?
And the answer is: a lot, for a YA protagonist! Forget your softheaded and softhearted heroines whose kindness makes them stupid. Throw out the 'problematic' protagonist whose sarcasm is the only basis for their insistence that they're a bad person. Now I give you Roh: a young woman raised in a society where ruthlessness, strength, and cunning are valued. A young woman who fiercely loves the few people she holds close but aims for her goals just as fiercely, no matter who is in her way. She actually is smart, alert for threats and advantages, and practical. Roh gets things DONE. And I love her SO much.
The side characters have life, too. Harlyn and Orson could have been Roh's bland childhood friends, present just to prop her up with side conversations, but no. They clearly mean something to Roh. When they're not there, she misses them and wonders how they'd react. When they are, the narrative is fond and familiar. We even get to see them interact without her, and without it being ABOUT her. Every character Roh interacts with obviously has their own thing going on, an unknown motive or distraction, and it absolutely fills the plot with tension along the way.
I have to talk about the humans. As part of the tournament, each cyren is given a sort of human Tamagotchi, whom they have to keep alive and relatively healthy throughout the trials (despite their competitors' best efforts). Captured humans are divvied out, and Roh is made responsible for a young man. Understandably, this young man's main focus is something like, "I was kidnapped and put in a cage and this evil palace is made of human bones!!" to which Roh responds along the lines of, "Yes, we've all seen the bones, now stop embarrassing me in front of the nobles." Their dynamic evolves wonderfully, and I enjoyed every single point along the way. And the same is true of the worldbuilding their conversations spark; it was so interesting to see what Roh could, couldn't, or wouldn't answer about the state of Saddoriel and the relationship between cyrens and humans.
And there are so many unanswered questions, about the world, about Roh's parents, and about other characters' secrets. But I feel strongly that all that will be the realm of the sequels. The writing was so good, never forgetting a thread that could be woven back in later, that I trust the rest of this series to satisfy on all fronts.
katesim17's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25