Scan barcode
mothmanisbbygrl's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This one just wasn't for me.
oshepard314's review
2.5
I love how fiercely Mehr wanted to protect her culture and her right to practice her beliefs, but she made a lot of choices that were so dumb. Also her two mentors didn’t mention some very, very important information about her ancestry to her that didn’t make sense to me. Like why forget to mention this huge thing that could happen to her and also holds a lot of significance in their rites? This starts to drag on and I was ready for the gods to just destroy their world.
cecurtis89's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
flexmentallo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? N/A
3.5
gardens_and_dragons's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This was a very atmospheric book about the story of Mehr, a young woman who is the illegitimate daughter of nobility, her mother being of a people the empire is hunting down. She goes a lot through her hardships - arranged marriage, prejudice, abuse by a religious figure of the empire, amongst other things. I think the only thing preventing me from rating higher is that the plot beyond the main relationship is not the most memorable, and a bit guessable - but overall very solid.
This was a quiet book more about her growth into a woman that can use her innate magic to call on the gods and shape their dreams, instead of just a tool for the empire to keep their political power. Not much happens plot wise, much is done via conversation, the rites (dances) she performs, and introspection.
One thing that helps lend her strength is through her respect, then friendship the eventual romantic relationship with her husband. Amun was a stranger to her when they married, as it was arranged by the powers that be to keep her, and therefor her magic, under control. He is a quiet man that lived a terrible life and is without hope for escape until they work together to free themselves and their people.
This was a quiet book more about her growth into a woman that can use her innate magic to call on the gods and shape their dreams, instead of just a tool for the empire to keep their political power. Not much happens plot wise, much is done via conversation, the rites (dances) she performs, and introspection.
One thing that helps lend her strength is through her respect, then friendship the eventual romantic relationship with her husband. Amun was a stranger to her when they married, as it was arranged by the powers that be to keep her, and therefor her magic, under control. He is a quiet man that lived a terrible life and is without hope for escape until they work together to free themselves and their people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Colonisation and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
kirstyreadsblog's review against another edition
4.0
Content warnings: racism/colourism, sexual assault and rape, domestic abuse, sexism, religious oligarchy (? I think)
Mehr is the daughter of a Governor of the Ambhan Empire and an Amrithi exile. In the Ambhan Empire Amrithi are outcasts as their magic comes from ancient Desert spirits named Daiva. When a magical storm threatens Mehr’s city, religious shamans and mystics come looking for someone who can dance to satisfy the Gods. Mehr offers herself for this task as well as an arranged marriage so no one will threaten her little sister.
This books is so incredibly well described, but that also means it’s super word-y and I struggled with reading it at any pace other than slowly simply because I didn’t want to miss anything. I personally prefer my books a bit faster in pacing, but if this were any differently paced it wouldn’t work as well as it does. There were long periods of time where people were travelling through desserts and man alive did I feel like I was too; you could feel the heat and the time going by simply from reading.
This is so slow burn, which I love. The romance blooms through the shared trauma the pair share and whilst they are kind of forced to be with each other at the beginning of the book everything between the pair of them was consensual. Everything between Mehr and Amun was so sweet and I was really gunning for them from their first interaction alone.
Continue my review: https://wp.me/p7j3Jr-2Lj
Mehr is the daughter of a Governor of the Ambhan Empire and an Amrithi exile. In the Ambhan Empire Amrithi are outcasts as their magic comes from ancient Desert spirits named Daiva. When a magical storm threatens Mehr’s city, religious shamans and mystics come looking for someone who can dance to satisfy the Gods. Mehr offers herself for this task as well as an arranged marriage so no one will threaten her little sister.
This books is so incredibly well described, but that also means it’s super word-y and I struggled with reading it at any pace other than slowly simply because I didn’t want to miss anything. I personally prefer my books a bit faster in pacing, but if this were any differently paced it wouldn’t work as well as it does. There were long periods of time where people were travelling through desserts and man alive did I feel like I was too; you could feel the heat and the time going by simply from reading.
This is so slow burn, which I love. The romance blooms through the shared trauma the pair share and whilst they are kind of forced to be with each other at the beginning of the book everything between the pair of them was consensual. Everything between Mehr and Amun was so sweet and I was really gunning for them from their first interaction alone.
Continue my review: https://wp.me/p7j3Jr-2Lj