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tessasophiewillemsen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.75
4.9 stars
alisonkinkead's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
vidhi26p's review against another edition
4.0
“I think for men such as him, this is love. And I think for women such as you and me, it must be enough.”
An exceptional ending to this trilogy, I couldn’t have imagined the ending. The writing was a lot more mature than previous novels and I enjoyed this one immensely. There was a lot less focus on the divine/magic and more on the history which I also appreciated.
After all, any book that makes me weep is a good book. I was happily surprised at how much I had grown to love these characters and how brutal it would be to lose them. In a world where politics & crowns are games to the death, Dray does an incredible job and making these historical figures seem very much human. Loved/hated/died over this ending.
An exceptional ending to this trilogy, I couldn’t have imagined the ending. The writing was a lot more mature than previous novels and I enjoyed this one immensely. There was a lot less focus on the divine/magic and more on the history which I also appreciated.
After all, any book that makes me weep is a good book. I was happily surprised at how much I had grown to love these characters and how brutal it would be to lose them. In a world where politics & crowns are games to the death, Dray does an incredible job and making these historical figures seem very much human. Loved/hated/died over this ending.
bluestjuice's review against another edition
5.0
I was expecting this to be good, but honestly... I am kind of blown away. Everything about Cleopatra Selene that aggravated me has been mellowed or given up by this point in her story, leaving her dramatically more mature, subtle, and relatable. At least, I found it that way. It was nice to see her seeming to negotiate with Augustus Caesar on a more even footing, and her flourishing relationship with Juba also seemed to follow a natural, but very satisfying arc. One other thing that other commentators have mentioned that struck me well was the way in which secondary characters were rounded out and had their own smaller story arcs - it created a wonderful, immersive world. And I sobbed like a child through the last fifth of the thing.
racheln23's review against another edition
5.0
I would give this book more than five stars if I could! The writing and cohesiveness in this novel is beyond exceptional. Stephanie Dray takes the incredible-but-true threads of Octavian history and weaves them together in a most impressive tapestry. The puzzle pieces of this period in history are placed so plausibly and accurately to make this the best historical novel I have ever read!
sabregirl's review against another edition
4.0
Selene was still insufferable for most of this book. Now I know why I waited so long to finish the series. (Besides forgetting about it.) The book was long winded too and I didn’t start to enjoy it until Selene grew a backbone and a brain. Plus it didn’t help that every time Caesar would show up I could barely read it for his insanity. Guess we’re supposed to see that.
blackcatbookbabe's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.5
abandonlakes's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
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
2.0
therapybard2021's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Note: I read this book a while ago and did not have proper access to a computer until now, so I can't be as detailed in this review as I would like to be. If any of the details seem off, that is why. I still remember my feelings very well and my review will accurately reflex them.
I really don't know what to say besides I wish more people would read this series. Selene is one of my favorite protagonists as she is the perfect mix of power and vulnerability. Her relationship with Juba should be incredibly toxic. Everyone rational part of my brain, fueled by modern sensibilities, wants to scream at Selene to get out. But she's also had such a terrible life and it's so nice to see her actually be happy. Despite everything, they love each other and I can't help but root for them. It helps a lot that Selene never backs down and forgets what Juba did to her in the past. She just loves him anyway and I am so relieved to see her happy with him.
I cannot under sell how beautiful of a writer Dray is. She's one of my favorites for a reason. She knows when to be flowery and well to hold back, let the emotions of the scene speak for themselves. It's a balance I rarely see an author reach. She manages to take me to this distant time period so completely that I can fall into it's foreign beliefs and morality easily. Dray is to historical fiction as N.K. Jemisin is to fantasy. I highly recommend both of their work despite their very different genres and writing styles.
I really don't know what to say besides I wish more people would read this series. Selene is one of my favorite protagonists as she is the perfect mix of power and vulnerability. Her relationship with Juba should be incredibly toxic. Everyone rational part of my brain, fueled by modern sensibilities, wants to scream at Selene to get out. But she's also had such a terrible life and it's so nice to see her actually be happy. Despite everything, they love each other and I can't help but root for them. It helps a lot that Selene never backs down and forgets what Juba did to her in the past. She just loves him anyway and I am so relieved to see her happy with him.
I cannot under sell how beautiful of a writer Dray is. She's one of my favorites for a reason. She knows when to be flowery and well to hold back, let the emotions of the scene speak for themselves. It's a balance I rarely see an author reach. She manages to take me to this distant time period so completely that I can fall into it's foreign beliefs and morality easily. Dray is to historical fiction as N.K. Jemisin is to fantasy. I highly recommend both of their work despite their very different genres and writing styles.