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teganbeesebooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, War, Murder, Death of parent, Gun violence, Blood, Cursing, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Grief, Child death, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
jennalerm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
kalynnar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Genocide, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Classism, and Gun violence
lastblossom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
A volatile romance with great cat-and-mouse moments, and plenty of drama.
Thoughts
It's rare that a book promising cat-and-mouse delivers quite as well as this one. Usually you only get a bit of banter before the kissing starts, but there are some real twists and deceptions locked up in this one, and I loved it. (Don't worry, there's also kissing.) Anyone looking for conflicted leads with angst and internal hurts will find plenty here to go around. The chemistry between Rune and Gideon is volatile, with a dash of spice, and a really believable enemies-to-lovers(?)-to-enemies(?) roller coaster relationship. World building is effective, with rules about the use of magic explained with quick, but consistent strokes. Author's notes mention The Scarlet Pimpernel (a personal favorite) as a light inspiration, and I can totally see the spaces where it peeks through. I will say that I have never seen a character marked for death so obviously as [Name Redacted], and when they died I found myself somewhat relieved that it finally happened so I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. Recommended reading for fans of morally gray, complex relationships, hunter vs. hunted relationships, and a splash of dark fantasy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Graphic: Self harm and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Minor: Classism