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beastreader's review
4.0
This is the third book I have read by this author. The first two books are darker. So, this lighter touch is new for me but I really like this side of Ms. Weis as well as her dark side.
I am familiar with the stories of Alexander the Great but not of his wife. Well his less famous wife. Roxana was married to Alexander but than later cast aside as duty called and Alexander married royalty. Yet, Alexander loved Roxana. She was all he thought about when he was not conquering countries. Roxana started out as a tiny bud but by the end she had blossomed into someone great. She was a warrior, mother, wife, and a great woman.
From the first page until the last page; I was transported back in time. I was along for the journey, Roxana's journey. This was such an enjoyable book to read. I look forward to reading more books from Ms. Weis's lighter side.
I am familiar with the stories of Alexander the Great but not of his wife. Well his less famous wife. Roxana was married to Alexander but than later cast aside as duty called and Alexander married royalty. Yet, Alexander loved Roxana. She was all he thought about when he was not conquering countries. Roxana started out as a tiny bud but by the end she had blossomed into someone great. She was a warrior, mother, wife, and a great woman.
From the first page until the last page; I was transported back in time. I was along for the journey, Roxana's journey. This was such an enjoyable book to read. I look forward to reading more books from Ms. Weis's lighter side.
heylittlesiren's review
2.0
Is it possible to rate this book 5 stars at first then only 2 stars?
I enjoyed reading this book at first. The characters are so strong and the plot is nice. But in the middle it getting worst. Spoiler; many big characters died. And I was like, wait to hold my cup! I dislike and cannot enjoy this book after that. If only one character died I can tolerate. But one after another? That's a no-no. I did finish this book but in a hurry an unpleasant read.
I enjoyed reading this book at first. The characters are so strong and the plot is nice. But in the middle it getting worst. Spoiler; many big characters died. And I was like, wait to hold my cup! I dislike and cannot enjoy this book after that. If only one character died I can tolerate. But one after another? That's a no-no. I did finish this book but in a hurry an unpleasant read.
crystals_library's review
4.0
Admittedly I have not read much about Alexander the Great and his first wife Roxana, so I cannot speak to historical accuracy in regards to this book.
I loved the flow of Alexandrea's writing style. It was descriptive with a quick pace. Realm is predominately written from the perspective of 16 year old Roxana, her marriage to Alexander, and the rest of her life. Time moves fast, but not uncomfortably so.
I think the reason I enjoyed this book so much versus other books about this era is because war and battles were on the periphery. I do not enjoy reading about the specifics of battle. Just tell me who won and move on. That is exactly what happens in this book. And it makes sense because Roxana is not on the battle fields. I just want to read the drama and social interactions.
I admired Roxana's strength in a time when women were only to be seen and not heard.
Slight spoilers below (if you have zero knowledge of the length of Alexander's reign)
Once Alexander passes away, the story slowed down for me. And there were a lot of characters that we quickly introduced and a bit hard to follow. Obviously this book is about Roxana's life so it couldn't just stop when Alexander dies, but Roxana and Alexander's relationship was the most fascinating to me.
I loved the flow of Alexandrea's writing style. It was descriptive with a quick pace. Realm is predominately written from the perspective of 16 year old Roxana, her marriage to Alexander, and the rest of her life. Time moves fast, but not uncomfortably so.
I think the reason I enjoyed this book so much versus other books about this era is because war and battles were on the periphery. I do not enjoy reading about the specifics of battle. Just tell me who won and move on. That is exactly what happens in this book. And it makes sense because Roxana is not on the battle fields. I just want to read the drama and social interactions.
I admired Roxana's strength in a time when women were only to be seen and not heard.
Slight spoilers below (if you have zero knowledge of the length of Alexander's reign)
Once Alexander passes away, the story slowed down for me. And there were a lot of characters that we quickly introduced and a bit hard to follow. Obviously this book is about Roxana's life so it couldn't just stop when Alexander dies, but Roxana and Alexander's relationship was the most fascinating to me.
amullen03's review
4.0
So I think this is my favorite Alexander the Great story. I loved Roxana. She is fierce and spunky and everything you would want from a main character. Many times throughout the book, I forgot how old she was. The story starts with Roxana finding out that the greeks are coming and they need to be moved. They are found anyway, and she catches them all off guard. No one had ever swayed Alexander towards marriage before, why was she different. The trails and hardships she faced only make her stronger. I liked seeing things from alexanders point of view to. It is too easy to forget how much war there was.
The only thing that kept me from giving this story 5 stars was the length. When I got to 35-40% left, I struggled to finish. I felt the story could have ended and they last huge amount could have been an epilogue. Or a second book since it reads so different. I know all of this is important things that happened, I just felt it was unnecessarily long. Still a great book, especially if you love history.
The only thing that kept me from giving this story 5 stars was the length. When I got to 35-40% left, I struggled to finish. I felt the story could have ended and they last huge amount could have been an epilogue. Or a second book since it reads so different. I know all of this is important things that happened, I just felt it was unnecessarily long. Still a great book, especially if you love history.
jessicabeckett's review
4.0
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Review was previously posted here to Booked J. As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for participating in the blog tour/my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
When reading historical fiction, there has to be a certain type of atmosphere to the writing. One that fits the tone of the entire story. Fortunately for readers, there's a lot of energy in Realm and it all lives up to the unique and engrossing worldbuilding that Alexandrea Weis offers her readers.
Realm is a great deal of a romantic novel that relies on its history and gives readers a front row to this particular interpretation of it. The reading experience was almost addicted for me. Sparks were flying in the historical relationship and that really translated well. But, it was more than just historical and romantic plotlines--it was thoughtful and packed a seriously emotional punch to it.
There aren't too many historical romances out there that take real history and honor it while making it into a story of their own making. Weis doesn't take history for granted and instead builds on it in a way that makes her audience lean forward and listen to their heartbeat. Realm is an experience that is built for the romantic and fully honors the real world.
What I loved was the focus on Roxana and the side of history we so rarely hear about when compared to that of Alexander the Great. This isn't to say that Alexander isn't around and able to have his own voice, but this is ultimately Roxana's time to shine. Realm takes its self down a highly tense and romantic road and benefits from Weis and her compelling prose.
Further, the characters and their connections developed in a way that was completely indulgent but thoughtful. You watched them develop and grow together n real time and that, in itself, makes Realm a fantastic read. The ending feels both fulfilling and bittersweet, given what we know about history and the way that Weis developed their story.
Still, it was breathtaking and vivid. While reading it, I was struck with how easy it was to slip into a different time. And just how real this story felt and, well, was. Weis took something real and was able to breathe life into it.
Not to get overly babble prone and repetitive, but, I genuinely loved Realm and the way that it made me feel.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and the central romance. Its history was certainly not something I'd read about in the past, so it felt like a bit of a learning experience to which I promptly researched after finishing. Sometimes historical fiction can dip itself too far into history that it comes out feeling underwhelming and a bit too polished/modern, but Weis doesn't allow Realm to suffer such a fate--nearly every inch of the novel was engrossing and completely impossible to put down.
Review was previously posted here to Booked J. As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for participating in the blog tour/my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
When reading historical fiction, there has to be a certain type of atmosphere to the writing. One that fits the tone of the entire story. Fortunately for readers, there's a lot of energy in Realm and it all lives up to the unique and engrossing worldbuilding that Alexandrea Weis offers her readers.
Realm is a great deal of a romantic novel that relies on its history and gives readers a front row to this particular interpretation of it. The reading experience was almost addicted for me. Sparks were flying in the historical relationship and that really translated well. But, it was more than just historical and romantic plotlines--it was thoughtful and packed a seriously emotional punch to it.
There aren't too many historical romances out there that take real history and honor it while making it into a story of their own making. Weis doesn't take history for granted and instead builds on it in a way that makes her audience lean forward and listen to their heartbeat. Realm is an experience that is built for the romantic and fully honors the real world.
What I loved was the focus on Roxana and the side of history we so rarely hear about when compared to that of Alexander the Great. This isn't to say that Alexander isn't around and able to have his own voice, but this is ultimately Roxana's time to shine. Realm takes its self down a highly tense and romantic road and benefits from Weis and her compelling prose.
Further, the characters and their connections developed in a way that was completely indulgent but thoughtful. You watched them develop and grow together n real time and that, in itself, makes Realm a fantastic read. The ending feels both fulfilling and bittersweet, given what we know about history and the way that Weis developed their story.
Still, it was breathtaking and vivid. While reading it, I was struck with how easy it was to slip into a different time. And just how real this story felt and, well, was. Weis took something real and was able to breathe life into it.
Not to get overly babble prone and repetitive, but, I genuinely loved Realm and the way that it made me feel.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and the central romance. Its history was certainly not something I'd read about in the past, so it felt like a bit of a learning experience to which I promptly researched after finishing. Sometimes historical fiction can dip itself too far into history that it comes out feeling underwhelming and a bit too polished/modern, but Weis doesn't allow Realm to suffer such a fate--nearly every inch of the novel was engrossing and completely impossible to put down.
elylibrarysec's review
4.0
I like the idea of taking a story from history and putting a female spin on it.
Roxana doesn’t want to be like other girls/women. Since she lived in a time long past, we rely on the author to give us a sense of what it may have been like. We also get a glimpse into what Alexander the Great may have been like after he meets Roxana and her family.
This may be listed as a teen and young adult read but at times Roxana seems beyond her years. If you haven’t had “the talk” with your child, you may want to do that before giving them this book – just so they won’t be surprised with one of the scenes between Roxana and Alexander. It certainly can be considered a new adult and even adults will enjoy this book – especially if you love ancient history.
I grew up loving mythology but I just couldn’t seem to get the same feeling with history. If I had this as one of my textbooks than that might have changed how I felt about the subject. I know that this is a work of fiction but some is based on fact. This book may even have you wanting to check out what else was written about this couple. As well as make you curious as to what else this author has written. For the most part it’s getting to know Roxana and the woman she became. Maybe it can be a teaching moment or even a time where parent and child can read together – which may lead to a discussion.
It’s a book that is longer than some so finding a place to stop is not a bad thing. It’s not one of those books that will have you wanting to finish it in one sitting. You will want to continue picking this up until you get it finished. The ending says it all perfectly. You will get your money’s worth here.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Roxana doesn’t want to be like other girls/women. Since she lived in a time long past, we rely on the author to give us a sense of what it may have been like. We also get a glimpse into what Alexander the Great may have been like after he meets Roxana and her family.
This may be listed as a teen and young adult read but at times Roxana seems beyond her years. If you haven’t had “the talk” with your child, you may want to do that before giving them this book – just so they won’t be surprised with one of the scenes between Roxana and Alexander. It certainly can be considered a new adult and even adults will enjoy this book – especially if you love ancient history.
I grew up loving mythology but I just couldn’t seem to get the same feeling with history. If I had this as one of my textbooks than that might have changed how I felt about the subject. I know that this is a work of fiction but some is based on fact. This book may even have you wanting to check out what else was written about this couple. As well as make you curious as to what else this author has written. For the most part it’s getting to know Roxana and the woman she became. Maybe it can be a teaching moment or even a time where parent and child can read together – which may lead to a discussion.
It’s a book that is longer than some so finding a place to stop is not a bad thing. It’s not one of those books that will have you wanting to finish it in one sitting. You will want to continue picking this up until you get it finished. The ending says it all perfectly. You will get your money’s worth here.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
jessicamap's review
3.0
Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for the free copy in exchange for my honest review
I’ve picked up a few of Alexandrea Weis’ other books and really enjoyed the horror elements and the supernatural – all with a rich backdrop in New Orleans. REALM goes in a very different direction taking place in the era of Alexander the Great. One thing I love about Weis’ writing is that she can set the scene perfectly where you feel like you’re there with the characters. The amount of research put into this historical fiction book is very evident and that’s what I have come to love about the genre.
REALM falls into a different genre than her previous works I’ve come across. This would fall under the historical fiction/romance hybrid genre. While the romance isn’t the main focus, we do get to see the interactions between Alexander the Great and Roxana and the struggles she faces with loving a man with his kind of position of power.
There were many elements I loved – the interactions between the Greeks and the Persians, the development of the characters and their emotions felt throughout the book, and the world-building Weis does for us. My only issue was that there were a few parts where I felt it dragged on and I found myself losing interest part way through. I’m glad I stuck with it, but this was very different that what I was expecting.
If you’re looking for a historical fiction novel with a romance element, or if the era of Alexander the Great interests you, then this will be the perfect addition to your TBR.
I’ve picked up a few of Alexandrea Weis’ other books and really enjoyed the horror elements and the supernatural – all with a rich backdrop in New Orleans. REALM goes in a very different direction taking place in the era of Alexander the Great. One thing I love about Weis’ writing is that she can set the scene perfectly where you feel like you’re there with the characters. The amount of research put into this historical fiction book is very evident and that’s what I have come to love about the genre.
REALM falls into a different genre than her previous works I’ve come across. This would fall under the historical fiction/romance hybrid genre. While the romance isn’t the main focus, we do get to see the interactions between Alexander the Great and Roxana and the struggles she faces with loving a man with his kind of position of power.
There were many elements I loved – the interactions between the Greeks and the Persians, the development of the characters and their emotions felt throughout the book, and the world-building Weis does for us. My only issue was that there were a few parts where I felt it dragged on and I found myself losing interest part way through. I’m glad I stuck with it, but this was very different that what I was expecting.
If you’re looking for a historical fiction novel with a romance element, or if the era of Alexander the Great interests you, then this will be the perfect addition to your TBR.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review
2.0
*I received a free copy of Realm via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my review which is honest and unbiased.*
Realm started out pretty good, but the pace was extremely slow. And as Alexander the Great's story unfolded through Roxana's eyes, I had trouble enjoying it. None of the characters were multi dimensional, and the writing was rather repetitive. There was more telling than showing, and I felt like the narration was quite naive.
Realm started out pretty good, but the pace was extremely slow. And as Alexander the Great's story unfolded through Roxana's eyes, I had trouble enjoying it. None of the characters were multi dimensional, and the writing was rather repetitive. There was more telling than showing, and I felt like the narration was quite naive.
ruthsic's review
3.0
Warnings: physical violence (war, and homicide), xenophobia, mentions of rape, childbirth, death of newborn, death of family member, mention of cannibalism
Rep: the main character is a biracial woman; secondary POC characters
This novel is a retelling of Roxana of Bactria's life, from the moment she enters Alexander III's orbit, till the moment she dies. While she is the main character, it is more about how her life gets pulled into the engine of Alexander's empire, and how she has to constantly adjust herself to a life she didn't exactly envision. Two-thirds of the book are about her life with him, while the last third is about the political upheaval that was caused in the aftermath of his death. Occasionally going to other character POV, the story tries to give a expanded perspective on the life and death of Alexander the Great, and how it affected the people around him.
Roxana's story, while about her, is very much tied into Alexander's. Often, she wonders what kind of life she would have lived if she hadn't married him; this sentiment is tied in to the fact that for most of her marriage to him, she is living amidst a constant war for expansion, and her standing and future utterly depend on Alexander. Since she is married to him, she has to face xenophobia from the people in his camp, as she is a Persian governor's daughter, so she is looked down upon on two counts - being Persian, and being not-royalty. The romance between her and Alexander, and the friendship between her and Hephaestion are developed slowly, but it still felt a bit off-the-page kind of development or, at least, more tell than show. Aside from them, the only other person close to her is her maid, Morella. Even after his death, she has to hitch her hopes on whatever general promises to keep her and her infant son safe, so it is more like Roxana is pulled along the waves than have any agency of her own and this trend is evident pretty much throughout the whole book.
As for its narrative structure, I would say it is somewhere between being an engaging retelling and a historical biography. It occasionally pulls you in at times, but I reckon that's more the event than how it is told. It also takes a historian approach when answering to some rumors surrounding Alexander, like, who knows this is so confusing semantically, but then definitively addresses other historical question marks. Also, granted it is difficult to inject suspense in a historical story which you can just Google to know the outcome, but keep in mind I barely knew anything about this topic, so if there was an effort made to actually make the political maneuvering and backstabbing like a mystery, that would have made the book more interesting to read. As it is, I was underwhelmed by a plot that had the potential for drama, for intrigue and barely delivers on it only in the last third of the book.
Verdict: It is a good read from a historical perspective (it does seem well-researched), but as a story itself it is so-so.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Vesuvian Books, via Edelweiss.
Rep: the main character is a biracial woman; secondary POC characters
This novel is a retelling of Roxana of Bactria's life, from the moment she enters Alexander III's orbit, till the moment she dies. While she is the main character, it is more about how her life gets pulled into the engine of Alexander's empire, and how she has to constantly adjust herself to a life she didn't exactly envision. Two-thirds of the book are about her life with him, while the last third is about the political upheaval that was caused in the aftermath of his death. Occasionally going to other character POV, the story tries to give a expanded perspective on the life and death of Alexander the Great, and how it affected the people around him.
Roxana's story, while about her, is very much tied into Alexander's. Often, she wonders what kind of life she would have lived if she hadn't married him; this sentiment is tied in to the fact that for most of her marriage to him, she is living amidst a constant war for expansion, and her standing and future utterly depend on Alexander. Since she is married to him, she has to face xenophobia from the people in his camp, as she is a Persian governor's daughter, so she is looked down upon on two counts - being Persian, and being not-royalty. The romance between her and Alexander, and the friendship between her and Hephaestion are developed slowly, but it still felt a bit off-the-page kind of development or, at least, more tell than show. Aside from them, the only other person close to her is her maid, Morella. Even after his death, she has to hitch her hopes on whatever general promises to keep her and her infant son safe, so it is more like Roxana is pulled along the waves than have any agency of her own and this trend is evident pretty much throughout the whole book.
As for its narrative structure, I would say it is somewhere between being an engaging retelling and a historical biography. It occasionally pulls you in at times, but I reckon that's more the event than how it is told. It also takes a historian approach when answering to some rumors surrounding Alexander, like, who knows this is so confusing semantically, but then definitively addresses other historical question marks. Also, granted it is difficult to inject suspense in a historical story which you can just Google to know the outcome, but keep in mind I barely knew anything about this topic, so if there was an effort made to actually make the political maneuvering and backstabbing like a mystery, that would have made the book more interesting to read. As it is, I was underwhelmed by a plot that had the potential for drama, for intrigue and barely delivers on it only in the last third of the book.
Verdict: It is a good read from a historical perspective (it does seem well-researched), but as a story itself it is so-so.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Vesuvian Books, via Edelweiss.