Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - To Poison a King

Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

To Poison a King by S.G. Prince

6 reviews

kwthor's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

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teaand_tomes's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

To Poison a King by S.G. Prince is a captivating fantasy novel that explores themes of sacrifice, self-discovery, and redemption. From the very first line, "My hands did not shake on the day I killed the king," the reader is instantly drawn into a world of intrigue and suspense.

S.G. Prince's writing is nothing short of phenomenal. The author's ability to convey Selene's emotions is palpable, allowing the reader to experience her despair, fear, and longing for redemption. The character development is masterfully done, as we witness Selene's growth from a conflicted assassin to a compassionate healer. The relationship that develops between Selene and the king is beautifully portrayed, with layers of complexity and an underlying sense of forbidden love.

What sets To Poison a King apart is Prince's ability to delve deep into the characters' emotions and motivations. The narrative unfolds slowly, allowing the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story and appreciate the journey of the characters. The author's attention to detail and vivid descriptions make every scene come alive, creating a rich and immersive reading experience.

While the story is set in a fantasy world, it tackles real and relatable themes of love, betrayal, and the consequences of one's actions. The emotional depth of the novel is reminiscent of The Life of Pi, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.

In conclusion, To Poison a King is an emotionally poignant and beautifully written fantasy romance. S.G. Prince's storytelling prowess shines through, making this book a must-read for fans of character-driven narratives and immersive world-building. Prepare to be captivated by a tale of sacrifice, redemption, and the power of love.

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tinyelfarcanist's review

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dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Selene’s first mistake was poisoning the king, her second was falling in love with him.

A blessing, they called me when they needed me. A witch, they called me when they did not.

What a beautiful book! The prose is exquisite and the character development remarkable. While Selene is the only POV, even minor characters feel real.

There are multiple references to a legend from a fictional book called The River of Reversal. The title is that of an actual short story written as a prequel to this one, and you can get it for free by signing up for the author’s newsletter.

Daughter of the royal physician, young alchemist Selene is part of a long line of healers bound to the royal bloodline. After living under the shadow of her alluring mother, Persaphe, she opens up to people who see the true her. We witness Selene grow from a bullied girl to a powerful woman who reclaims her position in court as she gains confidence in her abilities.

Being an age-gap romance with Selene being a minor for the majority of the book, it walks on the very delicate line of painting the male love interest as a groomer, but given their circumstances, the power shifts from one character to another and I never felt an abuse of authority from any of them.

Part coming-of-age and full slow-burn romance, this book is character-heavy and meant to be slowly savoured. I hadn’t even reached 10% and my heartstrings were already being pulled. I was enraptured by this tale from start to finish.

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discoverelysian's review

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

it’s 4 am, and i just finished this book. the fatigue came as soon as i closed my ipad, but i want to write the review asap. so, please, don’t be too harsh on me if you see any nonsense sentences.

i would recommend this book to those who love:

a character-driven fantasy
slow burn romance
healing craft from the plants. magic or talent or both, you decide
characters that you want to hug and protect with all your heart
trust bonded over books and discussions over stories

i discovered To Poison a King by accident. i was searching for a next read, and suddenly this book came out of nowhere, caught my attention, and willed me to read it. the premise of a failed assassination attempt, a blooming romance between the king and his murderess, as well as the author’s warning that this is a character-driven story, won me over completely.

this book is indeed character-driven, and as such, it’s slow-paced. up until chapter 14, nothing was thrilling. the previous chapters only laid the foundation of the characters and their relationship. i did not mind a bit and engulfed each moment with rapt interest. i witnessed Selene grow and own up to her power with confidence. i saw Elias stumbled and crawled out of his shell to become the king he’s meant to be and proud of.

it was such a wonder to follow their journey every step of the way. not just to their character development but also to their grown feelings towards each other. it baffled me initially to know the 9 years gap between them because it started when Selene was only 14. but watching them, that feeling melted slowly. their interactions in the king’s library, the discussions and banters, warmed my heart and made me wish the best for them.

i love how the side characters were written. they are fleshed out with strong characterization that made it hard to forget about them. i just wished for a different ending for Persaphe, a more severe one. i could see where she was coming from. her life had not been easy, and her scars forever haunted her. call me ruthless, but i still think after what her greed had done, she did not deserve such a quick end.

as for the plot, i could guess what the ending would be from the beginning. the way this book was written, Selene’s narration always left clues and glimpses of the future. but my eyes were still glued to each chapter, and i was desperate to know how things led up to that ending. if you are looking for the adventurous side of a fantasy tale, this book does not have many. even if there were some, they were not focusing on world-building, instead they focused on the characters.

all in all, To Poison a King was a story that enthralled me with its character development. it is a fairytale that does not shy away from the gruesome parts, yet it lays them down and lets the characters embrace them—their pasts, weaknesses, and scars—with grace. that being said, through Selene’s development, this book has a hopeful note to it that left me reflecting deep into my own heart and managed to steal a few tears from me. cannot wait for the next installment in the series!

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lizgriffinwords's review

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adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

4.75

Thank you to the author for the gifted eARC of TO POISON A KING.

If you like the classical “voice” of Assassin’s Apprentice or The Name of the Wind, this book is perfect, especially showcasing a female main character. It has a hint of frame-narrative and is true slow burn (glimmers of Beauty and the Beast vibes), with remarkable buildup and character tension. Though the main character starts out young, the themes and style are decidedly NOT YA.

Content warning for attempted sexual assault.

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ells___'s review

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adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

If you love a slow burn and deep dive into a characters mind this book is for you, if you don’t you might still love it like I did. Usually I’m screaming at the characters to hurry up and like each other already and then annoyed when it’s a first clash of passion and disproportionate to the growing emotions. Prince lets us grow our feeling for the couple alongside them as well as our hate for the ‘villain’ in the most devourable way.
Now on top of this relationship goodness we got a plot twist that makes sense and leads you to open your eyes to all the hints sprinkled in the first half of the book AND some coming of age/growing into your magic that dose have our main character automatically a master with her magic. She stumbles and needs others to point out some needed actions and strength. Overall this book was beautiful and will likely go on my reread list.

>>>>>>>>>spoilers<<<<<<<<<<

The only reason I didn’t not give this book 5 stars was I was expecting and wanted an unhappily ever after. The first line of the book reads “My hands did not shake on the day I killed the king.” Seams like pretty clear foreshadowing, especially when we find out her initial attempt failed. Now this line could be interpreted as their relationship killed his old self and he’s a new and freed man because of her but I was just waiting for the twist and second attempt on his life. Prince even gave herself the perfect set up for a twist ending too. In the cavern she states “It seemed, really, as if this was all a dream.”, she also sprinkles in other thoughts and actions that just seams too go to be true. I was waiting for her to wake up with a change of heart or having already killed him in the dream state something that lead to the first line coming to fruition.
S.G. PRINCE IF YOU SEE THIS PLEASE GIVE US AN ALT TRAGEDY ENDING!

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