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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4 stars
This overall is a solid standalone YA fantasy, focused on a young woman seeking revenge against those who betrayed her. This is described as a gender-swapped romantic Pakistani retelling of Count of Monte Christo.
The focus of this story surrounds the rage of the main character, however contains so much more around it such as romance, found family, difficult family dynamics, betrayal and magic with consequences.
I found the pacing fast, despite being a standalone, and there was always something happening. I enjoyed the different characters and their relationships, and found the main character to be strong and likeable, despite her ruthlessness and sole focus on revenge.
My only critique is I wish there was less focus on the romance, I wanted more information about the magic system and its impact, however I knew what I was going into and this has been described as a Romantasy.
The audiobook was a great listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This overall is a solid standalone YA fantasy, focused on a young woman seeking revenge against those who betrayed her. This is described as a gender-swapped romantic Pakistani retelling of Count of Monte Christo.
The focus of this story surrounds the rage of the main character, however contains so much more around it such as romance, found family, difficult family dynamics, betrayal and magic with consequences.
I found the pacing fast, despite being a standalone, and there was always something happening. I enjoyed the different characters and their relationships, and found the main character to be strong and likeable, despite her ruthlessness and sole focus on revenge.
My only critique is I wish there was less focus on the romance, I wanted more information about the magic system and its impact, however I knew what I was going into and this has been described as a Romantasy.
The audiobook was a great listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
eBook + Audio
Fiction / Fantasy / Young Adult / Retelling / Fade to black
⭐⭐⭐ / 5 🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
Using for Challenge or Prompts
Storygraph Read Retellings: The Count of Monte Cristo
Storygraph Read Around the World!!: Pakistan
Storygraph ABC Author First name: E
If I am honest, I do not know much about the original story of The Count of Monte Cristo. If it is about a count promising greatness and under-delivering, maybe it is a retelling? I guess I enjoyed this, but it was a soooo anticlimactic. One thing I can say with certainty is that she was not wrath!
Fiction / Fantasy / Young Adult / Retelling / Fade to black
⭐⭐⭐ / 5 🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
Using for Challenge or Prompts
Storygraph Read Retellings: The Count of Monte Cristo
Storygraph Read Around the World!!: Pakistan
Storygraph ABC Author First name: E
If I am honest, I do not know much about the original story of The Count of Monte Cristo. If it is about a count promising greatness and under-delivering, maybe it is a retelling? I guess I enjoyed this, but it was a soooo anticlimactic. One thing I can say with certainty is that she was not wrath!
Scoring:
Finished - .75
Writing Style - 1
Plot - .75
Characters - 1
Bonus - .5
Total - 4
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
This was so good!! I adored that this was a revenge story with actual revenge and didn’t make the FMC feel bad about taking the revenge because she was ruining people or offing them but rather having a bigger conversation about what your revenge costs you personally.
I loved Dani and I loved Noor. I loved how they loved each other. I loved how Maz and his relationship with Dani. Truly a wonderful read and such a good time!
I loved Dani and I loved Noor. I loved how they loved each other. I loved how Maz and his relationship with Dani. Truly a wonderful read and such a good time!
adventurous
mysterious
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
adventurous
fast-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
3 stars for this one. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it.
the concept sounded really cool and I am giving this three starts because I thought the magic system was interesting and unique and for the most part the book was well written.
I think I struggle generally with standalones, and this one definitely didn’t feel fleshed out enough to me. I would have probably preferred a duology to try and round out the characters and deepen/expand the plot. The ending made sense but I always feel that standalones rush the resolution.
I also personally struggle with situations where the MMC has wronged the FMC and you don’t know the full story or they’re withholding information from the FMC and you don’t know why and they just let you be angry at the MMC for almost the whole book and then expect forgiveness in the last 20% because of whatever revelation is made. To me, that is not enjoyable. But that’s me! Maybe others can tolerate that 😂 so I just didn’t really find it within me to come to peace with what had happened in the last bit of the book.
Finally, the amount of times that revenge and vengeance were mentioned sort of drove me crazy. I promise I understood the concept, I didn’t need it drilled into me THAT many times 😭
the concept sounded really cool and I am giving this three starts because I thought the magic system was interesting and unique and for the most part the book was well written.
I think I struggle generally with standalones, and this one definitely didn’t feel fleshed out enough to me. I would have probably preferred a duology to try and round out the characters and deepen/expand the plot. The ending made sense but I always feel that standalones rush the resolution.
I also personally struggle with situations where the MMC has wronged the FMC and you don’t know the full story or they’re withholding information from the FMC and you don’t know why and they just let you be angry at the MMC for almost the whole book and then expect forgiveness in the last 20% because of whatever revelation is made. To me, that is not enjoyable. But that’s me! Maybe others can tolerate that 😂 so I just didn’t really find it within me to come to peace with what had happened in the last bit of the book.
Finally, the amount of times that revenge and vengeance were mentioned sort of drove me crazy. I promise I understood the concept, I didn’t need it drilled into me THAT many times 😭