Reviews

Fray by Rowenna Miller

nonesensed's review

5.0

 Sophie has survived a revolution and is now betrothed to a crown prince. As fairy tale like as it sounds, reality is much harsher. While Prince Theodore struggles to write a reform bill that will please the rightfully upset common people of Galitha but still get approved by the governing body of nobles, Sophies faces equal challenges, if on a smaller scale, in deciding how her life will go. She cannot marry a prince and keep her atelier. She cannot forget how to cast curses. She cannot have her brother back, even though he lives. What will the future hold for her and all her fellow Galithians?

I predicted I would eat my way through this book like a box of chocolates, and I was right! Such a page turner! I love it when stories of revolution and political change have a realistic continuations, and this definitely is that. 

While I also love the magical aspect of Sophie's tale, it's the emotional and political parts that had me chomping at the bit waiting for my library to get a copy of the second and third book in this trilogy. I wanted to know if Sophie would reunited with her brother, would get to keep her atelier, would get to marry Theodore and be happy. I wanted to know how the supposed leadership of Galitha would react post-revolution, how the regular people on the street would deal with the aftermath of bloodshed and also with the promise of more access to power. I got all of this is spades, and I very well pleased!

There's only one thing I'm less than happy about, but it's not an actual critique of the book, it's more of a personal "nope", and it's such a brief part of the book it's almost not worth mentioning.

I hate it when animals die in stories (and in real life) for whatever reason. Adult humans hurting and killing each other I can deal better with, because humans have slightly more say-so in where they are and understanding of other humans. Animals dying is like small children dying, so Onyx dying from the poison meant for Sophie broke my heart.

Highly recommend this series thus far! Will be moving on to book 3 a-sap! 

lalexvp's review against another edition

3.0

I love the ideas in this series. I love the feminism, the way that complexity is detailed and broken down as opposed to a basic good guy vs bad guy narrative. But the character development really needs some help. Our lead is rather dull and I can’t understand why she’s so important as a person, though as a symbol she’s fleshed out well enough. Her quick and underdeveloped love was the biggest downfall of the last book, but in this one he’s barely around and they have no moments together which actually make their love a deep, living thing. I will read the next one, but if this had been the first in the series I probably wouldn’t have bothered.

the_storycorner's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

3.5

kiradical's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

satashii's review

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Picking up a bit after the first book, we see our main character Sophie becomes more entangled with her Prince.  Life has not gotten less complicated with her elevation in status from paramour to fiancé and politics remain a central focus of the story. 

As a middle part of a trilogy, I expected some dragging in the middle and it wasn’t too terrible.  Sophie is an intersting POV to tell this revolutionary story through and quite different as a choice from other stories imo. 

Her brother makes a reappearance and the grief she feels from his betrayal is a major feature of her story throughout the books.  I’m still not a fan of her brother but the biggest flaw of the story is that Theodore starts out vivid and intersting and then gradually felt more wooden and cookie cutter as the story went on.  I’m not sure everyone will have this experience but I started suspiciously looking at other, secondary male characters as potential triangle love interests about halfway through because Theodore was beginning to be too one-note for me and I wondered if he and Sophie are going to last. The addition in the last half of the book of a military man was especially raising my eyebrow (and he’s much more interesting imho).

TL:DR I will be reading the third.  I find the story compelling and an interesting take on revolution from a monarch to a more democratic society.  I suspect tragedy awaits our characters given the setup for war at the end but I remain curious.  

columnclub's review

medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

3.5

I wasn't as sure of the plotting in this one - certain minor twists

(like Merhaven and his wife being traitors)

seemed incredibly obvious from the outset, and the story moves from location to location in a way that feels a little unfocused at times. I also struggled to tell some of the new characters apart (why were Dira and Duana's names so similar?!). That being said, I liked seeing more of the world, and Alba was an interesting addition to the cast. The ending leaves a really intriguing setup for the third book, and I actually liked Theodor a bit more in this one. (Just a bit, though.) I'm mostly reading these for the lovely descriptions of historical clothing, and of course on that front, they really deliver.

alexalily's review

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and War

Moderate: Grief, Lesbophobia, Murder, Kidnapping, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Death, Gun violence, and Sexual content

khourianya's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

jennms_qkw's review

4.0

I really really like this fantasy world and the strong women characters and the romance.

I actually have the first novel in this trilogy on my kindle, but I picked this one up browsing at Millcreek. It's got a sewing theme. And magic. And many different countries. Class conflict. Oh and music.

I can't wait to finish!

tboofy's review

3.0

Not as good as the first one, and it felt really long, but still enjoyable if you liked the first book