Scan barcode
clarabooksit's review
- 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? No
2.75
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and War
Minor: Xenophobia and Death of parent
wanderingtales's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and War
the_bookish_witch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed the book. I found the smut the primary point of the book but well balanced with the world building. I was what I expected and I enjoyed it.
Not fond of the unnecessary death of the horse though, im.hoping it ties into the second book
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Animal death, Grief, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
hobbit_at_heart's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Racism, and Animal death
shaipanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, and Animal death
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Violence
Minor: War, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Infidelity
greystory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
While this is kind of that, it fell flat and has a lot of "buts" tacked on to that description I wasn't anticipating.
It felt like things were meandering for most of the story and then suddenly remembered there was a plot and rushed through it before abruptly ending on an unsatisfying "to be continued." That rushed feeling, the sheer immaturity and impulsiveness of both main characters, and the really surface level depth of characters in general gave the whole thing a slightly sloppy feeling.
Found it weird King Ruven says Taegan usually talks out his feelings when at that point (half way through the story), we haven't seen Taegan talk about his feelings with Zorvut once, so he's not even doing that. Things work out when they finally do talk things out but that's not until like 2/3 of the way through the story. (and they bang like repeatedly for weeks prior to that??)
I was annoyed at Taegan's reluctance to even give Zorvut a chance or spend time with him, learn Orcish, his expectance that Zorvut would just compromise everything of his old life to mold himself to elvish ways, and so on. Taegan was super entitled and poor Zorvut deserves better.
By the time I got to the end of the book, I wasn't feeling the warm fuzzies or eager anticipation for the next installment I thought I would; I was kinda pissed. Pissed at Taegan's actions, pissed at Kehlvan, pissed that nobody thought twice about not trusting him, pissed that the King with zero personality was just letting everything happen despite supposedly working for ages on a peace treaty, pissed for the very flimsy excuse for war by the orcs,
PS the book blurb basically has the entire plot already there but doesn't waste 167 pages to say it.
Gods, 10/10 for that cover though!
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, War, and Xenophobia