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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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:
Complicated
Highest rating I can give. Best thing I've ever read. Saffron & Cylvan have my heart & soul for ever 🥹😻
It's not a groundbreaking story but still very entertaining! I do really love the ending and will definitely read the rest of the series!
My only gripes are the human names are kind of stupid. It also felt like Cylvan just... switched personalities half way through? I wish it was a little more gradual development to him liking Saffron. The whole scene of Cylvan feeding Saffron the fae strawberry also felt hella off?
My only gripes are the human names are kind of stupid. It also felt like Cylvan just... switched personalities half way through? I wish it was a little more gradual development to him liking Saffron. The whole scene of Cylvan feeding Saffron the fae strawberry also felt hella off?
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So, I was honestly so confused for the first chapter or two. However, once the story gets going it doesn’t stop.
I love the way people and places are described. I love how effortlessly gender is handled, the one character calls their birthgiver mother and them in the same sentence and it just felt really nice, I’m not sure how to explain it.
It will 100% make you tear up the two main characters go through so much pain together.
On to book two!
I love the way people and places are described. I love how effortlessly gender is handled, the one character calls their birthgiver mother and them in the same sentence and it just felt really nice, I’m not sure how to explain it.
It will 100% make you tear up the two main characters go through so much pain together.
On to book two!
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know it didn't really get a chance to get going, but names like Dewdrop and Lettuce? C'mon.. It reads like it was written by a 13 year old angsty middle school girl.
2.5
Didn't even get halfway through. I couldn't pull through to see how shitty Sybil was going to redeem himself. I'm just not a fae girl and that's okay
Didn't even get halfway through. I couldn't pull through to see how shitty Sybil was going to redeem himself. I'm just not a fae girl and that's okay
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
- Setting: 5/5
- Enjoyment: 5/5
- Writing: 4/5
- Characters: 5/5
- Plot: 4/5
- Readability: 5/5
What did you think of the book? What will you take away from it?
This is my second read of this book and I liked it a lot more the second time around. The lush details and world-building stand out amongst the crowd of slap-dash romantasy settings that generally lack depth and interest.
What was the aim of the book, and how well did the author fulfill it?
Ultimately, Graves is simply writing a love story about two star-crossed lovers who are torn apart by social status, community expectations, and their respective abusers. But they are also sowing the seeds of a much grander tale of curiosity, autonomy, legacy and discovering your own magic.
Would you recommend this book to others? Who is the target audience?
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants "high fae/human romantasy but make it gay," but I would also recommend it to anyone who is skeptical of romantasy as a subgenre. It is a very well-balanced mix of fantasy and romance elements. There's enough character development and romantic scenes for romance readers and enough delicious details about the world for a fantasy fan to chew on.
Additional Notes
I found myself appreciating Saffron as a protagonist much more the second time around. Knowing the context of who he will become makes it much easier to clock the foundation Graves is laying down in this book.
My own lack of reading comprehension and rustiness is to blame for many of the complaints I originally had with this book. Graves' style is heavily metaphoric, bordering on surrealist at times. There are still minor grammatical issues here and there as can be expected from an independently published book. But they're not distracting.
Overall, I had a great time diving back into this world and experiencing all these characters again. Cylvan is capricious, petty, and vain as a high fae love interest should be. But he is also deeply empathetic, thoughtful, and attentive even before Saffron returns his affections. He also has a bone-dry sense of humor that both Saffron and I find delightful.
The supporting cast is also fantastic in this series; from charming best friends and mentors, to deliciously vile villains with competing complex motivations. They are all distinct and add so much to the story. Sometimes the supporting cast in a romance book can feel like cardboard cutouts or plot devices. But in Rowan Blood, they really feel like other people with their own lives and motivations outside the main couple.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Gore
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Kellen has consistently wrecked me emotionally and this book had ALL the feels and darkness. Cylvan is not lovable at the beginning of this book. He’s a shitty high fey with very little regard for humans. Luckily, we get to see his character development and vulnerability. Saffron was an awesome character with a long history of abuse, abandonment, and servitude in a world that hates humans, but is all he knows. The world was wonderfully complex and engaging, although it did take a bit for me to understand enough of what was going on to invest in the characters. Super enjoyed it, terrified and excited for book 2.
Spice: 2/5
Spice: 2/5
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No