You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
a bloodbath - its the trickery of game of thrones and the luscious indulgence of something that sees politics for what it is and bares it in all its twisted beauty. davico is the culmination of my favourite kind of trope the almost, nearly decent with a lacking spine, sharing a fear and a nervous disposition towards the weave of complex intention, utterly undergone a fire and forge by steel and blood. to see that break apart and reforged, pieces of deceit, darkness, steel, cruelty, rile elegant strength, strategy all of it weaved by the straggling remains of a boy who loved the voiceless living world, and enamoured in the battered, snared host of dragon scale, claw and teeth. serpentine soul enmeshed to forge a new creature and beast, davico di regulai. its the build up that delivers it all best, to give davico a healing hand in youth, a young boys bleeding open heart, a sensitivty that endears him to the so called Firmos, while he struggles in the world of Cambios, where his father in merchanter grace and twisted sense manipulates and designs to call of empire like a drunk kings night of ecstasy. the imagery is excessively infused with sex and lust and figs and roots and as such is political intrigue, not only of power but of raw wanting. so it is that davico suppresses his wants in favour of what he can love and understand wholeheartedly, to recognise plants and herbs and flowers by smell or sight. davico goes from wylan naivete and the entire story, world building and narrative builds him very believably into an apprentice of kaz-like cunning in a city, navola that could be ketterdam, that deals with a world steeped in what reads as an authentic an italian touch, Merai and Cheroux and Torre Amo lift out of the page, felt real by the ambassadors and figures that leap out to clash metaphorical swords with a young growing heir. I wish to see the rage that he might unleash, to see the struggle of his morality now enmeshed with an animal, bestial host
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Jumped into this book not knowing what to expect and it has my HEART. Can't wait for the sequel.
I was excited about this book but have sadly DNFed it. I had every intention of reading it when I requested an ARC from Netgalley but politics and graphic violence are just not my thing. (I DNFed the first Game of Thrones book for the same reason.)
Turns out I should have taken Holly Black's cover quote as a warning ("Reading Navola is like slipping into a luxurious bath full of blood.") I'm sure Navola is well written and I'm sure there are readers who will love it, but I'm out.
Turns out I should have taken Holly Black's cover quote as a warning ("Reading Navola is like slipping into a luxurious bath full of blood.") I'm sure Navola is well written and I'm sure there are readers who will love it, but I'm out.
slow-paced
Good but mostly slow. This is not similar to PB’s previous books at all, which I much prefer.
slow-paced
Took about 400 pages to get going, then had an ok plot for a bit. Was promised dragons, got weird stepsibling dynamics instead
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Intensity turned up beyond 11!