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miss_berry315's review against another edition
1.75
I am so fed up with how this series has fallen apart. After the end of Paladin's Hope, you would assume the next installment would touch on the main theme running through the series, but alas, we get nothing. If I didn't have some interest in knowing what happens with the running plot, I would have DNF'd this one.
This book did not feel like it was in the same series as the rest of them. They're in an entirely different location attending some royal court event, Marguerite is a ""spy"" who will do ~whatever it takes~ to get information out of people (this is the author's attempt at being pro-sex worker, a minor improvement from the blatantly anti-sex worker comments from previous books in this series).
The relationship is boring, there is no banter, no friendship built at any point, Shane is insecure and awkward and full of guilt for even feeling lust towards a woman. The title should be "Paladin's Catholic Guilt" because my goodness it was laid on thick in this book. I'm talking, every damn time Shane has even the slightest lustful thought, he feels the need to serve penance for it.
Even though we get both Shane and Marguerite's POVs, we don't get any thoughts about each other, no pining or emotions, just the author telling us they like each other instead of showing it.
If the synopsis did not explicitly state that Shane was the love interest for Marguerite, I would have assumed it was Wren -- which would have honestly been a better story for both characters.
Which leads me to Wren's storyline in this book. She deserved so much better than the unnecessary descriptions the author repeatedly gave to us. I'm so beyond tired of women who aren't hyper feminine being written in this way. Did we really need another book where a woman is described as meek, chubby, unstylish, not conventionally pretty, frumpy, and insecure only to be put in situations where she has to wear a dress (*gasp* how silly goofy to make someone feel dysphoria!!) and then gets bullied and made fun of by conventionally attractive women?? Like, is this high school?? And to then have a man pretend to like her and date her when he really has ulterior motives to get information and ofc he would never date someone who looks like her is outdated, hurtful, and cheesy. She doesn't even really get a revenge arch or find her power in any way. Huge thumbs down, even more so once she is forced to spend time with him after knowing he was using her, just so the MCs could be alone together. Like, do not give this man a redemption arch, make him go tf away.
Honestly, between how caricaturized all of the characters are, the lack of continuation on the whole Saint of Steel thing, and the lack of relationship building, this book was really not that good.
The last 5ish chapters are probably the only good part of the whole thing and finally gave us a little bit to work with moving forward.
I may just end up skimming the next book whenever it eventually comes out.
I wish I could replace these books with Swordheart 4 times over tbh.
This book did not feel like it was in the same series as the rest of them. They're in an entirely different location attending some royal court event, Marguerite is a ""spy"" who will do ~whatever it takes~ to get information out of people (this is the author's attempt at being pro-sex worker, a minor improvement from the blatantly anti-sex worker comments from previous books in this series).
The relationship is boring, there is no banter, no friendship built at any point, Shane is insecure and awkward and full of guilt for even feeling lust towards a woman. The title should be "Paladin's Catholic Guilt" because my goodness it was laid on thick in this book. I'm talking, every damn time Shane has even the slightest lustful thought, he feels the need to serve penance for it.
Even though we get both Shane and Marguerite's POVs, we don't get any thoughts about each other, no pining or emotions, just the author telling us they like each other instead of showing it.
If the synopsis did not explicitly state that Shane was the love interest for Marguerite, I would have assumed it was Wren -- which would have honestly been a better story for both characters.
Which leads me to Wren's storyline in this book. She deserved so much better than the unnecessary descriptions the author repeatedly gave to us. I'm so beyond tired of women who aren't hyper feminine being written in this way. Did we really need another book where a woman is described as meek, chubby, unstylish, not conventionally pretty, frumpy, and insecure only to be put in situations where she has to wear a dress (*gasp* how silly goofy to make someone feel dysphoria!!) and then gets bullied and made fun of by conventionally attractive women?? Like, is this high school?? And to then have
Honestly, between how caricaturized all of the characters are, the lack of continuation on the whole Saint of Steel thing, and the lack of relationship building, this book was really not that good.
The last 5ish chapters are probably the only good part of the whole thing and finally gave us a little bit to work with moving forward.
I may just end up skimming the next book whenever it eventually comes out.
I wish I could replace these books with Swordheart 4 times over tbh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Classism
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
The pacing was a bit off, but it generally is when there is a stark contrast between periods of travel and then periods of court politics.
The aspects of religion, godhood, demonic possession, champions, and artificers are really interesting. I really wished that the whole World of the White Rat contained more about the White Rat, because their people are predominantly main side characters.
Since it's been mentioned that it is planned to be seven books in this series I imagine that we get one for each of the remaining paladins. I'm looking forward to Wren, and eventually Judith, though I expect with what happened at the end of this book, she might be the focus of the end of the series.
The aspects of religion, godhood, demonic possession, champions, and artificers are really interesting. I really wished that the whole World of the White Rat contained more about the White Rat, because their people are predominantly main side characters.
Since it's been mentioned that it is planned to be seven books in this series I imagine that we get one for each of the remaining paladins. I'm looking forward to Wren, and eventually Judith, though I expect with what happened at the end of this book, she might be the focus of the end of the series.
Content Warnings
Minor: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Animal death, Slavery, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Grief, Child abuse, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Vomit
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