Reviews with content warning for Deadnaming - The Witch King

Really wanted to like this one, but found myself constantly frustrated, really only finished it because I got attached to the characters

Pros:
-Lots of diversity and queer rep
-Lovable characters, maybe worth it for that if you can deal with the rest

Cons:
-The metaphors are VERY heavy handed and often literally explained by the characters, and frankly most of them feel very shoehorned in
-The pace was all over the place
-The plot didn’t really have a satisfying build or conclusion
-The writing itself doesn’t feel very polished, kind of jarringly edited in some places
-I found the world building really frustrating

you find out in the last few pages that witches actually have much stronger magic than fae, so how did the people with more power end up as the oppressed ones in this society?

-Too much attention is given to things that don’t matter, at one point several pages are spent giving detailed physical descriptions of a long procession of people we literally never see again, near the end of the book, when we could have been wrapping up plot points that were instead left unaddressed

Content Warnings

cardboardvox's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful tense 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

4.0

I was really excited to read this book, and I read through the whole thing in one sitting. I'm worried the language won't hold up long term, but it's part of what made the characters so real for me. I have Wyatts and Briars and Jins in my life, and it was so nice to see them on page. It's full of discussions of transness and queerness that are true to how I experience the queer community, and it's really nice to see presented for a younger audience so honestly. The metaphors in this book are not subtle, heavy handed and frankly discussed directly in the text - but I'm an adult, and this is a YA book, so it probably doesn't hurt to have things literally spelled out. The main villain is a little cartoonish, but that's fine, because the reveal of his accomplice was quite satisfying, with enough foreshadowing provided that I wasn't entirely surprised (that's good). Looking forwards to some kind of follow up, or at least more content from the author.

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kilic's review

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adventurous dark 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

3.75

Content Warnings

literarypenguin's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny 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

I never realized that the inside of a book can be just as beautiful as the outside. This book was truly a delight and by the end I couldn't wait for the story to continue.

Wyatt, a witch from the fae land of Asalin, has been living in the human world for years. One day his way of living is turned upside down when The Fae Prince Emyr, his former betrothed, comes looking for him and intends to take him back and go through with the engagement. Wyatt thought the contract did not apply anymore as he is no longer a female witch and cannot produce heirs to the throne and one devastating night resulted in his home turning their backs on him. Now Wyatt must travel back to the home he thought he would never see again and figure out what he truly wants.

Wyatt was a very interesting and complex character to follow. At times he could be impulsive, act without thinking, angry at the world and everyone in it and selfish. Other times he was caring and very loyal to the people he loved. I loved reading about what made him think the way he did and how trauma played a role into making him the person he is today. He went through substantial growth and by the end he did grow more as a person. He was a good person deserving of love and compassion but he also wasnt perfect. He made mistakes and will probably make more. I loved his character!

I also liked how Wyatt's anger was connected to him being trans. He would see people being themselves and living their lives but he would think to himself that he never got that chance. That it was taken from him because of the society he grew up in. He also was insecure about his body and how it looked. He wasnt as much ashamed of it as he was that it didnt feel complete. He felt like part of him was missing. He just didnt want to be judged by the world as much as he already judged himself.

I adored the relationship between Wyatt and Emyr and how they were trying to figure out where they stood. The development between the two of them was really sweet and very believable. I really believed that these two were childhood sweethearts and had a moment of lost trust between them. The rekindling and realization of feelings was very well done. Also Emyr was just adorable and such a cute love interest.

The world and side characters that inhabited it were so engaging as well. The diversity and complex personalities between all the characters was very engrossing to read about. The world itself and the rules was very interesting. I loved learning about this world and how it worked. I cant wait to learn more and see what else this world has to offer.

I can honestly say I can not wait to see where this story takes me next and to read more about these characters. I hope this author goes on to write more amazing works like this one.

Content Warnings

anna_23's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

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