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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
”The ones we love aren’t lost to us forever. Love endures past anything else. It’s the strongest energy in the universe.”
5 stars. Okay, so I’ve been sleeping on Sophie Lark. I know she’s beloved and everything but honestly none of her other books has ever interested me but this one caught my eye even before it was released. I’m now interested in reading through her backlist because this was absolutely amazing. Gorgeously written and completely immersive it had me hooked from the very beginning and I loved the artwork that was throughout they really enhanced the reading experience.
This is a slow building and lush as hell story. I was never a fan of the animated film Anastasia but the real history of the Romanov’s fascinates me so I was very interested to get another retelling and take on it and I think Lark did a fabulous job. I loved the world building and the magic system used. The characters are all so fleshed out and well developed. Anastasia herself went through the best character development. She was a bit tough to get behind in the beginning but by the end I was rooting for her and how much she had grown. Her romance with Damian is slow burn and so romantic. I really liked his character as well and how much he loved Anastasia. They had a beautiful relationship.
Rasputin…wow. What a villain. I was super intrigued by his character. He was intense and cruel and mysterious. I love a good villain and Rasputin was a fantastic villain.
Overall, this review is getting dumb long but I fucking loved this book. It’s well over 600 pages but it definitely didn’t feel like it to me and I really want more.
5 stars. Okay, so I’ve been sleeping on Sophie Lark. I know she’s beloved and everything but honestly none of her other books has ever interested me but this one caught my eye even before it was released. I’m now interested in reading through her backlist because this was absolutely amazing. Gorgeously written and completely immersive it had me hooked from the very beginning and I loved the artwork that was throughout they really enhanced the reading experience.
This is a slow building and lush as hell story. I was never a fan of the animated film Anastasia but the real history of the Romanov’s fascinates me so I was very interested to get another retelling and take on it and I think Lark did a fabulous job. I loved the world building and the magic system used. The characters are all so fleshed out and well developed. Anastasia herself went through the best character development. She was a bit tough to get behind in the beginning but by the end I was rooting for her and how much she had grown. Her romance with Damian is slow burn and so romantic. I really liked his character as well and how much he loved Anastasia. They had a beautiful relationship.
Rasputin…wow. What a villain. I was super intrigued by his character. He was intense and cruel and mysterious. I love a good villain and Rasputin was a fantastic villain.
Overall, this review is getting dumb long but I fucking loved this book. It’s well over 600 pages but it definitely didn’t feel like it to me and I really want more.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
i haven’t read such a fulfilling book in so long. this was in fact 600 pages but it was so so good like it just was ugh maybe i have extremly low standards or i was waiting for this book to come out for too long but i just loved anya and damien so much. like the ending was expected but it was still so good
Would've been better as a series instead of one book, but still good.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
I really enjoyed this because I am able to separate the true life history of the Romanovs from this fictional retelling. After reading some of the other reviews for this book, it's clear that not everyone can do this.
This is a 4.5/5 for me. The magic system is interesting, but it's not clear why everyone has magic. They just do. And they all have different magic, except for Anastasia and her dad. It's tragic, as it should be, but the HEA ending was a bit over the top. All the main characters got what they wanted (land, titles, etc) and it didn't negatively impact anyone? Hmm.
That said I found the story to be captivating and the plot moved along at a steady pace. Rasputin is the perfect villain. I put it down for a week and forgot who was who but that's the curse of Russian fiction. I highly recommend it.
This is a 4.5/5 for me. The magic system is interesting, but it's not clear why everyone has magic. They just do. And they all have different magic, except for Anastasia and her dad. It's tragic, as it should be, but the HEA ending was a bit over the top. All the main characters got what they wanted (land, titles, etc) and it didn't negatively impact anyone? Hmm.
That said I found the story to be captivating and the plot moved along at a steady pace. Rasputin is the perfect villain. I put it down for a week and forgot who was who but that's the curse of Russian fiction. I highly recommend it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Rewriting of Anastasia’s life blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. Set in an alternate 1919 Russia, the story follows Anastasia, the fourth daughter of the emperor, who lacks a magical gift, leading to a journey filled with magic, forbidden love, and destiny and a happier ending.
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is much longer than it needs to be but I rather enjoyed this Romanov retelling. The world building is both historical and fantasy. The magic system is cool and the connection between Anastasia and Damien is well thought out.