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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
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:
N/A
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The setting and characters hold much potential for a harrowing story of humans as indentured servants to the Fey and finding their freedom through their own means. However the pacing of the narrative felt slow and a little haphazard. Important plot elements were chosen to be swept aside to make way for a romance plot that distracted from the more dire situation the MC and his community was finding themselves surrounded by. I want to say this wasn't a bad book! It had some good moments that I enjoyed parsing through---worldbuilding, magic system, and folklore. I do hope things I consider to be a con will improve in the next book in the series. First books are always a challenge to write. (Laying the tracks before the train and etc). Regardless, there is room to grow, and hopefully characters, pacing, and the world will do so!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail
The book really had my interest in the last 3/4ths of it Where Saffron was beginning to stand up for the Beantighes and putting his focus into helping his community instead of focusing on Cylvan and his problems. But maybe that's just me not caring for Cylvan as a character.
Even after round 2, THIS BOOK IS JUST AS INCREDIBLE. And the audio SLAPPED SO HARD!
~synopsis~
Saffron is a human in the fae world, but he has outlived his appeal and faces being sent back to the human world, his only hope is to find a patron.
Without academic training, Saffron struggles to find endorsement, as he can only read due to the stolen books he has recovered. One book in particular has always been close to his heart, as he found himself enamoured with the previous owner who left eloquent annotations. Unexpectedly, fate thrusts Saffron into meeting the true owner, but Saffron’s fantasies of this beautiful soul meet a harsh light, as the devilish prince Cylvan wishes vengeance upon him.
To resolve this tension, a deal is made which leads Saffron to unearth dark magic, which puts him in grave danger. As sinister plots are revealed and unlikely bonds form, Saffron struggles to choose between his freedom, friends, and the one he loves.
~review~
Just as Saffron is in love with Cylvan’s book, I am enamoured with this novel. It has become an instant favourite, and I cannot wait to read more from the Rowan Blood series.
Encapsulating the best parts of fantasy and dark academia, as well as illustrating a beautiful enemies to lovers, slow-burn, angst filled, lgbtqia+ romance is what makes this novel extraordinary.
Libraries, a good book always has a library in it and I would die to see the academic library described, honestly the whole world created that dark appeal of a magical place that would just eat you up. I also loved the gradual world building since the reader is learning alongside Saffron.
Distinctive, alluring characters is what made me fall in love with this book, and I definitely came to cherish many of them, and I would love to find more about their own stories - especially Nimue and Elluin.
Conclusively, I would and will recommend this book to everyone, not just because it is extraordinary, or has great representation, or is basically a concoction of all my favourite things, but mainly because I would love to talk about this book with someone else.
Saffron is a human in the fae world, but he has outlived his appeal and faces being sent back to the human world, his only hope is to find a patron.
Without academic training, Saffron struggles to find endorsement, as he can only read due to the stolen books he has recovered. One book in particular has always been close to his heart, as he found himself enamoured with the previous owner who left eloquent annotations. Unexpectedly, fate thrusts Saffron into meeting the true owner, but Saffron’s fantasies of this beautiful soul meet a harsh light, as the devilish prince Cylvan wishes vengeance upon him.
To resolve this tension, a deal is made which leads Saffron to unearth dark magic, which puts him in grave danger. As sinister plots are revealed and unlikely bonds form, Saffron struggles to choose between his freedom, friends, and the one he loves.
~review~
Just as Saffron is in love with Cylvan’s book, I am enamoured with this novel. It has become an instant favourite, and I cannot wait to read more from the Rowan Blood series.
Encapsulating the best parts of fantasy and dark academia, as well as illustrating a beautiful enemies to lovers, slow-burn, angst filled, lgbtqia+ romance is what makes this novel extraordinary.
Libraries, a good book always has a library in it and I would die to see the academic library described, honestly the whole world created that dark appeal of a magical place that would just eat you up. I also loved the gradual world building since the reader is learning alongside Saffron.
Distinctive, alluring characters is what made me fall in love with this book, and I definitely came to cherish many of them, and I would love to find more about their own stories - especially Nimue and Elluin.
Conclusively, I would and will recommend this book to everyone, not just because it is extraordinary, or has great representation, or is basically a concoction of all my favourite things, but mainly because I would love to talk about this book with someone else.
I really enjoyed this book, and I am waiting for the library to get the second one for me to read.
The mythology felt well-fleshed out and easy to follow. I also appreciate a genre book about somebody who is remarkable as a character, but who doesn't fall into icky "Chosen One" tropes. While Saffron survives some wild stuff, he is fleshed out and it's believable that his pure grit and stubbornness is enough to get him through.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE any genre book that does right by its queer characters and readers. The author incorporates queer characters in a way that feels real and beautiful.
I'd recommend this for folks who love fantasy with romance elements and anybody who loves impossibly beautiful men. If you enjoy Sara J Maas but are icked out by some of the heteronormative weird stuff she does, you should read this. If you like cottagecore, hobbits, witchy stuff, fairies, and don't mind a little violence, you should read this.
The mythology felt well-fleshed out and easy to follow. I also appreciate a genre book about somebody who is remarkable as a character, but who doesn't fall into icky "Chosen One" tropes. While Saffron survives some wild stuff, he is fleshed out and it's believable that his pure grit and stubbornness is enough to get him through.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE any genre book that does right by its queer characters and readers. The author incorporates queer characters in a way that feels real and beautiful.
I'd recommend this for folks who love fantasy with romance elements and anybody who loves impossibly beautiful men. If you enjoy Sara J Maas but are icked out by some of the heteronormative weird stuff she does, you should read this. If you like cottagecore, hobbits, witchy stuff, fairies, and don't mind a little violence, you should read this.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Stalking, Sexual harassment
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’m parting ways with this book as I’m refining my TBR, and it didn’t quite fit with what I’m looking for right now.
"You are more than just a pixie", he went on. "If I am indeed a raven —then you are the treasure I wish to spend all my days appreciating."
I have read a lot of books about fae, some stellar (the Spiderwick Chronicles forever hold a special place in my heard), some quite good and some not very interesting, but none as beautifully detailed as this one.
Kellen Graves had me hooked right at the very beginning of the Prince of Sorrows: the descriptions of the pixies, the landscapes, the buildings, the clothes, the names, the characters (the diversity!), were all truly otherworldly and ethereal. Their mastery of this very peculiar writing style was simply enthralling.
I only regret the occasional weirdly modern-sounding words and expressions peppered throughout what I can only describe as very sophisticated writing, as well as the fact that some sentences didn't make any sense.
I enjoyed the subtle mix and the parallels between reality (the mythology, the city names) and fantasy (the fairytales, the fantastical creatures). I also loved the two magic systems, though I really wish there had been more politics involved and world-building explained, because the plot sometimes felt a little dull and incomplete, and the romance and the mystery didn't always work together well.
What I'm the most torn about is Saffron and Cylvan's "relationship": yes, it was a slow burn in the sense that they didn't get together until the second half of the book, but they also didn't have much in common and Cylvan's ever changing behaviour towards Saffron had me gritting my teeth throughout most of their interactions.
(Honestly, had the two main characters not been so annoying and blubbering, and hollow personality-wise at times, this would have been a four-star book. There was so much potential ugh...)
I ended up being a tad disappointed in the ending, but all-in-all it was very promising and I'm starting the second book next.
I have read a lot of books about fae, some stellar (the Spiderwick Chronicles forever hold a special place in my heard), some quite good and some not very interesting, but none as beautifully detailed as this one.
Kellen Graves had me hooked right at the very beginning of the Prince of Sorrows: the descriptions of the pixies, the landscapes, the buildings, the clothes, the names, the characters (the diversity!), were all truly otherworldly and ethereal. Their mastery of this very peculiar writing style was simply enthralling.
I only regret the occasional weirdly modern-sounding words and expressions peppered throughout what I can only describe as very sophisticated writing, as well as the fact that some sentences didn't make any sense.
Handwritten notes down the side described how pixies flocked around moving water, but only drank from cupped leaves and flowers; how one could tell when they were reveling by the flower petals and stolen downy-fur they wove into skirts, though otherwise fluttered naked; how they were inherent thieves, and the source of most campus rings and house pins going missing.
I enjoyed the subtle mix and the parallels between reality (the mythology, the city names) and fantasy (the fairytales, the fantastical creatures). I also loved the two magic systems
Spoiler
and I cannot wait for Saffron to come into his powerWhat I'm the most torn about is Saffron and Cylvan's "relationship": yes, it was a slow burn in the sense that they didn't get together until the second half of the book, but they also didn't have much in common and Cylvan's ever changing behaviour towards Saffron had me gritting my teeth throughout most of their interactions.
He touched Saffron's black and blue cheek again with fingers gentle enough to hold smoke. His hand shook like it was difficult for him to hold back, but Saffron didn't know what else to say.
(Honestly, had the two main characters not been so annoying and blubbering, and hollow personality-wise at times, this would have been a four-star book. There was so much potential ugh...)
I ended up being a tad disappointed in the ending
Spoiler
because the antagonist was simply absent from the book, sigh...Now your own impertinence will spill high fey blood across this campus, until the lake runs as red as I do. My spirit will only rest when I am satisfied with your work. Until then, so long as your students see me walking these grounds... They should consider their lives at the mercy of your competence.