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witcheep's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I got more out of analysing the characters than from the plot; the plot doesn't offer anything very new to a reader who consumes a lot of fantasy. The magic system is built upon affinities of different kinds of magic and has the potential to be interesting, but unfortunately it is left somewhat vague. The big plot lines are quite predictable, but the smaller nuances and the intertwining of different plot lines is entertaining and at some points even surprising.
In the beginning of the book the main character Ana is an annoyingly naive, impulsive and irrational person who sees the world as black and white, divided clearly into good and evil. She has always regarded the world from the perspective of a vastly privileged aristocratic heir, which skews her thinking. Suddenly Ana is framed for the murder of her father, the emperor. Ana flees to avoid execution, but struggles to change her attitude and view of the world, even when her new position of no privileges forces her to face a whole new side to the world. I almost DNF'd the Blood Heir because how annoying Ana was, especially with her friend May.
Ramson's character is what saved the story for me and kept me reading. He is introduced as a crime lord, but it is revealed that he is actually more like ahenchman, altough high in the hierarchy, and comes from a more morally noble background . His world views include thinking everyone as some shade of gray, the choises and actions defining people rather than them being just good or bad. It is a little disappointing that he isn't written as a properly bad character.
Ana and Ramson don't always get along, but they get friendly with each other in their own ways even if they make mistakes along the way. It is fun reading her and Ana's bickering. Ramson's views on gray morality and defining choises rub on Ana as well, and she begins to try to think for herself a little more (and while doing so, slowly sheds the naivety and impulsiveness a little, yay! ). This impact to Ana is also resiprocated, since Ana makes Ramson question his morality and motivations as well. That is what I enjoyed the most in the book. I always seem to enjoy seeing characters having an impact in each other's way of thinking and acting, especially when it offers both of them something that makes them more contented with themselves.
In the beginning of the book the main character Ana is an annoyingly naive, impulsive and irrational person who sees the world as black and white, divided clearly into good and evil. She has always regarded the world from the perspective of a vastly privileged aristocratic heir, which skews her thinking. Suddenly Ana is framed for the murder of her father, the emperor. Ana flees to avoid execution, but struggles to change her attitude and view of the world, even when her new position of no privileges forces her to face a whole new side to the world. I almost DNF'd the Blood Heir because how annoying Ana was, especially with her friend May.
Ramson's character is what saved the story for me and kept me reading. He is introduced as a crime lord, but it is revealed that he is actually more like a
Ana and Ramson don't always get along, but they get friendly with each other in their own ways even if they make mistakes along the way. It is fun reading her and Ana's bickering. Ramson's views on gray morality and defining choises rub on Ana as well, and she begins to try to think for herself a little more (
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Torture, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent and Sexual assault
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
2.0
I don't know how I feel about this one. It presented an interesting depiction of slavery and indenturement positioned in a world outside of the Americas. But the execution kind of fell apart at the end.
Ramson was not the hardened criminal mastermind we were promised. He does think through his plans, but, whether it's his age or his original privilege, he is outsmarted by basically everyone he comes across. Some of his plans bear fruits, but he really does go through it, at the end of the day, despite all his planning. I did love how his character was fleshed out through flashbacks, but I couldn't get behind his overall characterization.
The same goes for Ana. She's said to be fierce and a badass, but she loses her battles often too. She doesn't have a good handle on her power and her own limitations (until suddenly at the end). Again, I loved how her story is built up, but there's definitely something missing from her.
It was so interesting seeing the Affinites' different powers. It really helped with the world building and the magic. Again, the slavery and indenturement aspect was so interesting and full of nuance in a way that breaks your heart. Additionally, the rebellion is presented in a way that you want to get behind, but also notes the impact and consequences of over correction. There are a lot of questions of morality, particularly what action goes too far? At what point is the hero a villain?
Lastly, the end was so staged. I hated how dramatic it was cause I thought of the solution immediately and it made me mad that everything was just yelling in a court room. Felt flimsy, though, again, I guess it was the age showing, in that Ana believed yelling crimes out in court would really change the tides. I don't know. This was a miss for me for the most part, but I truly do feel like this will set up the rest of the series well. I'm also curious to see how Amelie's writing improves as I go through her repertoire.
TW: blood, death, injury detail, murder, slavery, imprisonment, kidnapping, racism, drowning, fire/fire injury, death of a parent, branding, child death
Ramson was not the hardened criminal mastermind we were promised. He does think through his plans, but, whether it's his age or his original privilege, he is outsmarted by basically everyone he comes across. Some of his plans bear fruits, but he really does go through it, at the end of the day, despite all his planning. I did love how his character was fleshed out through flashbacks, but I couldn't get behind his overall characterization.
The same goes for Ana. She's said to be fierce and a badass, but she loses her battles often too. She doesn't have a good handle on her power and her own limitations (until suddenly at the end). Again, I loved how her story is built up, but there's definitely something missing from her.
It was so interesting seeing the Affinites' different powers. It really helped with the world building and the magic. Again, the slavery and indenturement aspect was so interesting and full of nuance in a way that breaks your heart. Additionally, the rebellion is presented in a way that you want to get behind, but also notes the impact and consequences of over correction. There are a lot of questions of morality, particularly what action goes too far? At what point is the hero a villain?
Lastly, the end was so staged. I hated how dramatic it was cause I thought of the solution immediately and it made me mad that everything was just yelling in a court room. Felt flimsy, though, again, I guess it was the age showing, in that Ana believed yelling crimes out in court would really change the tides. I don't know. This was a miss for me for the most part, but I truly do feel like this will set up the rest of the series well. I'm also curious to see how Amelie's writing improves as I go through her repertoire.
TW: blood, death, injury detail, murder, slavery, imprisonment, kidnapping, racism, drowning, fire/fire injury, death of a parent, branding, child death
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Death of parent, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping and Fire/Fire injury
ronjaorsomething's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Murder
singalana's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book has a great concept: a crown princess, accused of treason, has to work together with a crime lord to prove her innocence. The people in this world are divided into two categories: those who have no magic, and those who have magic - an affinity to a certain element. The main character - Ana - has no idea what life is like for those living with magic in her kingdom, and how her chosen companion, conman named Ransom Quicktongue plays into this status quo.
The main characters are exactly as you would expect them to be: a wilful princess and a silver-tongued criminal. As the story progresses, we get more and more glimpses into the past that shaped these characters into who they are today. Other than the two main characters, there’s a host of other characters, who all have a role to play in the story.
The story started strong with an interesting, action-packet setup. Unfortunately, I soon became tired of the structure of action packed chapters followed by slower chapters about the characters’ past. That was not the only thing I grew weary of, since these two can’t seem to stay out of trouble for two seconds. The author tried to pack so much action and so much emotion into every possible scene, especially towards the end, that it became tiresome.
I’m afraid that despite the interesting concept, the story tried to do way too much and piled on obstacle after obstacle. With better pacing and allowing the characters more time to breathe in the present timeline, this story could have been improved.
The main characters are exactly as you would expect them to be: a wilful princess and a silver-tongued criminal. As the story progresses, we get more and more glimpses into the past that shaped these characters into who they are today. Other than the two main characters, there’s a host of other characters, who all have a role to play in the story.
The story started strong with an interesting, action-packet setup. Unfortunately, I soon became tired of the structure of action packed chapters followed by slower chapters about the characters’ past. That was not the only thing I grew weary of, since these two can’t seem to stay out of trouble for two seconds. The author tried to pack so much action and so much emotion into every possible scene, especially towards the end, that it became tiresome.
I’m afraid that despite the interesting concept, the story tried to do way too much and piled on obstacle after obstacle. With better pacing and allowing the characters more time to breathe in the present timeline, this story could have been improved.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Medical trauma, Torture, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Murder, Slavery, Kidnapping, Chronic illness, and Fire/Fire injury
sqacedvst's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Death, Medical content, Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Gore, and Grief
gingerale06's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
willow2709's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Slavery, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping
Minor: Gore and Vomit
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
this seemed fun but it was honestly a chore to get through. It contained some promising elements, interesting tropes etc... The writing wasn't terrible but it still failed to deliver somehow? A few too many clichés, and some of the emotions didn't feel raw enough to me. Somehow I never connected enough to the mc to care about her grief and pain so it didn't struck any chords with me. I could easily call the plot twists as well so it didn't keep me on the edge of my seet. Maybe I'm just not the right audience for this (anymore)?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Trafficking, Violence, Torture, Murder, and Death
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
ashlightgrayson's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This story feels like an Anastasia retelling within a fantasy world. Princess Anastacya Mikhailov is on the run as she has been framed for her father's murder. The story has a pretty fast pace as we start off with her going in disguise to a prison. She is there to question Ramson, a convicted criminal who may have information about the potential culprit of her father's murder. To say that Ramson and Ana don't like each other is an understatement. However, they end up having to work together to escape the prison and make a deal that is mutually beneficial for them. The beginning of their relationship like this gave an easy way to kickstart the plot. You are given the information you need to understand what's going on and left to learn the rest as you go along with the story. I sometimes appreciate this form of storytelling more than having an info-dump, especially in young adult fiction. However, that is just up to preference.
There are different kinds of magic in this world called Affinities and those who have these abilities are often trafficked illegally for profit. This aspect of the world is supposed to be analogous to human trafficking in China according to the author (the author is Chinese). Her familiarity with the topic shows through the world-building. I felt like it was reasonably well done.
The main weakness I found in the story was Ana's character development. Her worldview often felt naive and sheltered. She has had a very privileged life and has not been exposed to the corruption present in the empire, but I feel that for her age she should be more self-aware of the political system her family was overseeing. There are women in positions of political power in the story, so her lack of access to this information secondary to her gender isn't really at play here. Her awareness of human trafficking within the empire also makes it harder for me to believe that she is surprised by other forms of corruption within the empire. This wasn't a detail terrible enough to ruin the story for me, but it did suspend my disbelief a bit.
Overall, I feel like this story has a lot of potential to be developed more in the second book. I'm looking forward to seeing the relationship between Ransom and Ana change as their priorities have changed after this first book.
There are different kinds of magic in this world called Affinities and those who have these abilities are often trafficked illegally for profit. This aspect of the world is supposed to be analogous to human trafficking in China according to the author (the author is Chinese). Her familiarity with the topic shows through the world-building. I felt like it was reasonably well done.
The main weakness I found in the story was Ana's character development. Her worldview often felt naive and sheltered. She has had a very privileged life and has not been exposed to the corruption present in the empire, but I feel that for her age she should be more self-aware of the political system her family was overseeing. There are women in positions of political power in the story, so her lack of access to this information secondary to her gender isn't really at play here. Her awareness of human trafficking within the empire also makes it harder for me to believe that she is surprised by other forms of corruption within the empire. This wasn't a detail terrible enough to ruin the story for me, but it did suspend my disbelief a bit.
Overall, I feel like this story has a lot of potential to be developed more in the second book. I'm looking forward to seeing the relationship between Ransom and Ana change as their priorities have changed after this first book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Trafficking, Child abuse, Torture, Murder, Genocide, and Child death
Minor: Sexual violence
alizam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a pretty damn good Anastasia reimagining. It's like the Grisha trilogy, if the Grisha trilogy was... er... good. (sorry, Grisha fans, I did love Six of Crows, if that makes you feel better.) Goes a bit too fast in places, and the names of certain worldbuilt things, places, and animals are... amusingly mediocre. I mean, the revolution is literally called "redcloaks", come on.
It has the Impossibly Young Murderer trope in it, which is annoying, but I pretty much expect it at this point. I didn't care for Ramson because he reminded me of Kaz Brekker, but like,,, less interesting.
It has the Impossibly Young Murderer trope in it, which is annoying, but I pretty much expect it at this point. I didn't care for Ramson because he reminded me of Kaz Brekker, but like,,, less interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Trafficking and Torture