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abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, and Drug abuse
elskabee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
How did I end up here? Why did I read this? And why did I find it so oddly compelling???
This is a book that defies classification. I can hardly call it it a romance based off the the first book, but it's not really about anything in particular? And yet I had to keep reading to find out what happens!
Damen is just stuck in shitty situation with no real way to do anything about it lol. He's kind of dumb and is somewhat self-admittedly a himbo in that he prefers the physical violence of his homeland over the poisonous psychological and political warfare of the Veretian court. He can't figure out pretty much anything until he's told or it becomes painfully obvious lol but I'm not that mad. I wish he had more of a personality as most of the time he felt a bit wooden.
Laurent on the other hand is fascinating as hell. He's a huge asshole and makes this book enemies to lovers in the extreme because he treats Damen (and really everyone he's not trying to politically seduce) terribly. Buuut as you grow to understand him and the shitty situation he is also in and you learn more about the inner workings of the court... well it's hard not to start to have a little tiny bit sympathy for him. Trying to understand why he behaves the way he does is one of the most intriguing parts of this book for me.
In terms of the overall worldbuilding, I wish the slave system was a bit more explained as it's left pretty vague. Like, are they actually slaves? How much choice do they have in the matter (aside from Damen)? Other than that I thought it was reasonably well done with explaining what needed to be explained but not ever info-dumping or giving extraneous information. The politics of the court was chef's kiss. I LOVE political intrigue and this is full of it and it's pretty well done imo. The author is good; there was stuff early on that I thought were questionable but the author made me come around on why those aspects were included.
This is a book that defies classification. I can hardly call it it a romance based off the the first book, but it's not really about anything in particular? And yet I had to keep reading to find out what happens!
Damen is just stuck in shitty situation with no real way to do anything about it lol. He's kind of dumb and is somewhat self-admittedly a himbo in that he prefers the physical violence of his homeland over the poisonous psychological and political warfare of the Veretian court. He can't figure out pretty much anything until he's told or it becomes painfully obvious lol but I'm not that mad. I wish he had more of a personality as most of the time he felt a bit wooden.
Laurent on the other hand is fascinating as hell. He's a huge asshole and makes this book enemies to lovers in the extreme because he treats Damen (and really everyone he's not trying to politically seduce) terribly. Buuut as you grow to understand him and the shitty situation he is also in and you learn more about the inner workings of the court... well it's hard not to start to have a little tiny bit sympathy for him. Trying to understand why he behaves the way he does is one of the most intriguing parts of this book for me.
In terms of the overall worldbuilding, I wish the slave system was a bit more explained as it's left pretty vague. Like, are they actually slaves? How much choice do they have in the matter (aside from Damen)? Other than that I thought it was reasonably well done with explaining what needed to be explained but not ever info-dumping or giving extraneous information. The politics of the court was chef's kiss. I LOVE political intrigue and this is full of it and it's pretty well done imo. The author is good; there was stuff early on that I thought were questionable but the author made me come around on why those aspects were included.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, War, and Trafficking
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Fire/Fire injury
fudanshi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and War
Moderate: Incest
dazaireads's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Child abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Murder, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, War, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, and Violence
alysae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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
5.0
Okay, there's a lot to say about this series.
First of all, the trigger warnings are not to be taken lightly. Rape, slavery and pedophilia is very much present from the very first chapters of book 1 throughout the story. If this is something that you don't think you could handle, then please don't read the book.
I read the first book back when it came out when I was thirteen and couldn't even get past the fourth chapter. The scenes are very explicit and the themes are hardcore. I knew I was too young to read this.
However, I finally tried it again as a friend bought this book and liked it. I remembered trying to read it and how controversial it already was at the time. I can see why it could be, but honestly it shouldn't.
This story is about a prince turned slave in his enemy's country. You know this when you start reading it, you also know what kind of society inspired this story, so you should know that it wouldn't be all roses.
The first book was mostly world-building and learning to know the characters. Not much happens regarding the plot, but it is very hardcore. The real action happens at the end of the book, and continues on the second one. I'm glad I had an edition with both books so I could continue directly with the second one.
Now, regarding book 2. It was excellent. The plot definitely thickened, the characters' interactions were great, loved the banter. But the politics and plot twists are infinitely what kept me reading. So many things happened, characters I thought were important weren't... Some things were predictable, but some left me flabbergasted.
The ending was awesome and I can't wait to read book 3 to know what happens next.
First of all, the trigger warnings are not to be taken lightly. Rape, slavery and pedophilia is very much present from the very first chapters of book 1 throughout the story. If this is something that you don't think you could handle, then please don't read the book.
I read the first book back when it came out when I was thirteen and couldn't even get past the fourth chapter. The scenes are very explicit and the themes are hardcore. I knew I was too young to read this.
However, I finally tried it again as a friend bought this book and liked it. I remembered trying to read it and how controversial it already was at the time. I can see why it could be, but honestly it shouldn't.
This story is about a prince turned slave in his enemy's country. You know this when you start reading it, you also know what kind of society inspired this story, so you should know that it wouldn't be all roses.
The first book was mostly world-building and learning to know the characters. Not much happens regarding the plot, but it is very hardcore. The real action happens at the end of the book, and continues on the second one. I'm glad I had an edition with both books so I could continue directly with the second one.
Now, regarding book 2. It was excellent. The plot definitely thickened, the characters' interactions were great, loved the banter. But the politics and plot twists are infinitely what kept me reading. So many things happened, characters I thought were important weren't... Some things were predictable, but some left me flabbergasted.
The ending was awesome and I can't wait to read book 3 to know what happens next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, and Slavery
Moderate: War, Death, Violence, and Child death
Minor: Animal death
nexusgoblin's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Slavery, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Murder, War, and Pedophilia
ellieeeeeee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i like the overarching plot and characters enough to read the rest of it but was def a little too rapey for me in that first half ngl
the writing shifts from fanfiction-esque to ya fantasy-esque but it's not a dealbreaker
the writing shifts from fanfiction-esque to ya fantasy-esque but it's not a dealbreaker
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Slavery
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, War, and Pedophilia
coodeehr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery
Moderate: Violence
Minor: War
mousieta's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Slavery
Moderate: War
dragonbloom's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.75
This is a controversial book. After years of hearing from other people what I should think of the book, I decided to form my own opinion.
I hated it.
Fundamentally, I feel it is too horny to be an adventure story, but not horny enough to be erotica. My issues with the plot only compound it.
Laurent, our love interest, is gifted Damen as a sex slave. The court he is surrounded with is hedonistic and sexual, with courtiers regularly having sex in public.
Despite this, there is only one actual sex scene, when Laurent has another sex slave force oral on a tied up Damen. If you are looking for some dark erotica, perhaps find it elsewhere, this is lacking in sex.
Despite ordering Damen’s abuse at the hands of his servants,Laurent never personally lays hands on him. I can only assume, as we are supposed to find him more forgivable than if he had personally beaten and raped Damen. I do not. Rape fetish fiction is not my thing, but I understand people like it. However, it would be nice if we didn’t pretend the abuser is not an abuser, as he abuses by proxy.
I found the story predictable. On several occasions, the chapter would end with Laurent dramatically informing the ever oblivious Damen something I had guessed chapters ago, much to Damen’s shock. In these moments, he comes off, not unfamiliar with the venomous court of a foreign land, but stupid.
The regent’s, who’s name escapes me, “pet”,a 13 year old boy, plotline, feels a lazy effort to make Laurent look better in comparison to his uncle. “Oh, sure, he’s a violent abuser, but look! He’s not a child molester!” I have not read further, but I suspect Laurent was molested by him also. Just a guess. Regardless, the pedophilia is not romanticised, but is not handled with the sensitivity such a… Well, sensitive, topic demands.
The only thing I can give the book credit for is consistent characterisation, and good use of showing instead of telling.
If you like slow burn, abusive noncon fanfiction, this is probably the book for you. For me? God, no.
I hated it.
Fundamentally, I feel it is too horny to be an adventure story, but not horny enough to be erotica. My issues with the plot only compound it.
Laurent, our love interest, is gifted Damen as a sex slave. The court he is surrounded with is hedonistic and sexual, with courtiers regularly having sex in public.
Despite this, there is only one actual sex scene,
Despite ordering Damen’s abuse at the hands of his servants,
I found the story predictable. On several occasions, the chapter would end with Laurent dramatically informing the ever oblivious Damen something I had guessed chapters ago, much to Damen’s shock. In these moments, he comes off, not unfamiliar with the venomous court of a foreign land, but stupid.
The regent’s, who’s name escapes me, “pet”,
The only thing I can give the book credit for is consistent characterisation, and good use of showing instead of telling.
If you like slow burn, abusive noncon fanfiction, this is probably the book for you. For me? God, no.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Sexual harassment, Racism, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Trafficking, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, War, Death of parent, Violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Suicide
Much of the book is spent musing on the beauty of, specifically pale, skin.