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lucypreston's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a fantasy Rapunzel retelling and the story centres around the romance between Selestra and Nox as well as their quest to save the Six Isles from the tyranny of the king.
I really enjoyed the world building and the beautiful descriptions throughout this book and for a fantasy novel I found it very easy to understand. I thought the plot was very clever in that you could tell it was inspired by Rapunzel but there were enough twists that it was still engaging and unpredictable. The protagonists felt fully developed and I enjoyed discovering their backstories and motivations as the plot went on.
However, I think it would've been interesting if the villains had more fleshed out characters. Also, I did find some of the dialogue slightly cheesy and the central love story felt a bit forced. I also found some of the fight scenes dragged on slightly and interrupted the pace of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: War
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Thanks to Macmillan Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- If you're looking for a lush YA fantasy you can burn through in a weekend, PRINCESS OF SOULS is the book for you.
- The magic system in this book was unique, and it was interesting to learn more about it alongside Selestra as she discovered the true history of her people over the course of the book.
- The Festival of Predictions part of the plot was a bit overcomplicated, but I was more than happy to follow Selestra and Nox across the kingdom as they tried to outrun their fates.
- If you're looking for a lush YA fantasy you can burn through in a weekend, PRINCESS OF SOULS is the book for you.
- The magic system in this book was unique, and it was interesting to learn more about it alongside Selestra as she discovered the true history of her people over the course of the book.
- The Festival of Predictions part of the plot was a bit overcomplicated, but I was more than happy to follow Selestra and Nox across the kingdom as they tried to outrun their fates.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Murder, Blood, Gore, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Violence
stephanialopez's review
adventurous
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? No
5.0
Alexandra Christo has once again brought us into this fantastical world of magic and mythical creatures in beautiful manner. The world feels so fleshed out even though the characters are restricted to their geographic space because of a century-long reign and don't know much about the rest of the world; just knowing that this story in the same universe as Christo's other novel, To Kill a Kingdom, really gives the world an extra boost.
I loved how bits and pieces of Rapunzel's story are weaved throughout in little bites but this story still stands out as distinct from the fairytale. There are certainly elements taken from it—like a princess locked away for her power, a cocky guy who guides her away from her prison, and some things that venture into spoiler-warning-worthy components—but Princess of Souls has grit that sends this story forward into something audiences older than those of fairytales will find intriguing.
The characters themselves are also remarkable. Selestra, the heir witch, has so much fear inside of her but her goodness still shines through. It was really satisfying to see her grow into herself by the end. And Nox, the cocky solder, has a motivation that is so understandable but you can't help but wish he'd choose an easier path. I was on the edge of my seat hoping to see them both succeed in their personal and joint goals. I was also on the edge of my seat watching their relationship develop. The enemies-to-lovers was so well done! They never lost their bickering even as they fell into something they didn't anticipate. I really liked seeing them fight against these feelings but slowly give in. The tension between the two main characters hit the balance so well and felt natural.
I am so glad I read this book. It was such a great read and I cannot wait to see what else Christo has to offer us!
I loved how bits and pieces of Rapunzel's story are weaved throughout in little bites but this story still stands out as distinct from the fairytale. There are certainly elements taken from it—like a princess locked away for her power, a cocky guy who guides her away from her prison, and some things that venture into spoiler-warning-worthy components—but Princess of Souls has grit that sends this story forward into something audiences older than those of fairytales will find intriguing.
The characters themselves are also remarkable. Selestra, the heir witch, has so much fear inside of her but her goodness still shines through. It was really satisfying to see her grow into herself by the end. And Nox, the cocky solder, has a motivation that is so understandable but you can't help but wish he'd choose an easier path. I was on the edge of my seat hoping to see them both succeed in their personal and joint goals. I was also on the edge of my seat watching their relationship develop. The enemies-to-lovers was so well done! They never lost their bickering even as they fell into something they didn't anticipate. I really liked seeing them fight against these feelings but slowly give in. The tension between the two main characters hit the balance so well and felt natural.
I am so glad I read this book. It was such a great read and I cannot wait to see what else Christo has to offer us!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
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