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plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
tense
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? No
3.5
I really enjoyed A River of Royal Blood, and was excited to see the rest of Eva and Isa’s story. Unfortunately, I didn’t find A Queen of Gilded Horns nearly as exciting. While I liked seeing various relationships develop, especially Eva and Isa’s, and Eva and Aketo’s, the book was dreadfully slow. There was very little action in the first 250 pages, and at that point, only 105 pages from the end, I wasn’t sure if there was enough book left to properly wrap everything up. Although all loose ends were technically tied when I closed the book, I felt unsatisfied. The last couple of chapters were rather anticlimactic, and the epilogue sadly quite vague. Good, but vague. I liked the way it ended, but I wish there was more.
Also, I can’t be sure, maybe I’m reading too much into this, but… I think that Baccha and Falun are a couple in the epilogue?? Or are on the brink of becoming one?? If that’s the case, I’m completely on board. I absolutely ship it.
Representation
Representation
- Black protagonist and side characters
- gay side character
- queer side character (woman interested in men and women)
- Black queer side character (man interested in multiple genders)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Self harm, Violence, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Racism, Xenophobia, and Confinement
Self harm is tagged because it’s used for blood magic. Blood is largely but not entirely tagged for the same reason. The abuse occurred prior to the story (by the protagonist’s mother), as did the parent death (the protagonist’s father).
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