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potalian's review
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, and Blood
plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
It’s hard to explain without spoiling, but there’s one character in this book that gives off such strong Mephistopheles (from Stalking Jack the Ripper) vibes. Honestly, the whole second half of the book felt very reminiscent of Escaping from Houdini (SJTR #3) in one specific way, and I just. I am floored. I am so unbelievably impressed by all of this. Truly.
I loved Apollo and Cassandra, and I especially loved seeing their relationship develop. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and Katee wrote it well. Watching these two try so hard to be good spies but fail miserably because they’re Horny™️ was absolute comedic gold.
The reason I didn’t give this a full five stars, though, is because I didn’t feel the same intense emotional connection to Apollo and Cassandra that I do to the couples in my Katee Robert Holy Trinity—aka the couples in books from her I have given five stars. They’re definitely entertaining, I definitely like them, and I like that they’ve got a sort of mutual softness for each other that feels unique to them, that separates their dynamic from dynamics other Katee couples have. But at no point was I kicking and squealing as I read because they were just so goddamn adorable, or feeling the urge to climb up the wall shrieking like a feral goblin because I was feeling all the things.
Anyway, I did still thoroughly enjoy this book, and I’m EAGERLY awaiting all of the smut, shenanigans and imminent disaster that will surely be in the next few books. (ESPECIALLY Eurydice’s. 👀)
Representation:
- fat bi/pansexual protagonist
- Swedish-Korean bi/pansexual protagonist
- various Black, queer and/or fat side characters (includes bi/pansexual and asexual rep, as well as a MMF throuple)
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Death
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
Things tagged minor occurred several years prior to the story, but are mentioned a few times throughout, usually in passing.luceeefur's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Death
esilanna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
zir_readsalot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I give Cassandra and Apollo's story a D -- a passing grade -- because while it wasn't terrible, I expected more.
PROS
-- PLUS-SIZE CHARACTER!
-- Cassandra's insight described as "divining" is clever.
-- Apollo's obsession with Cassandra.
-- I love the foreshadowing at location 3391 (no page numbers on Kindle) about
CONS
-- The pacing is too fast at location 1452.
-- I don't know why, but I was expecting a playboy house party, not Downton Abbey.
-- The consent at location 2408 is questionable (she's in shock, is she not?).
-- Apollo isn't that great of a spymaster.
-- The "deep waters" metaphor at the end is repetitious and wearisome.
Moderate: Death
knlipke's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Death of parent
Minor: Grief
kaetheluise_nckl's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Cursing, Body horror, and Blood
decklededgess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Oh man okay book 4 in the Dark Olympus and the book politics and world building are really ramping up in the best way possible. The events of the books are starting to bleed into each other, the conclusion of one impacting the beginning of the next. I love how the time just between Wicked Beauty (#3) and Radian Sin is about three weeks meaning the events of the trials are fresh. While the characters from Wicket Beauty aren't active participants of this book, their presence is there as we see the political drama unfold in the background of the romance between Cassandra and Apollo. And yes, the romance is still squarely the forefront of the story but the drama adds some delightful spark and mystery to the story.
I loved how the myth of Cassandra was adapted for this story. It's not adhering to the original myth of her becoming a clairvoyant whom no one believes but aspects of that story are relevant to the plot. No more on that because if you're familiar, you'll definitely be able to figure out the story. Other characters like Minos, Theseus, the Minotar, Ariadne, and more are part of the story in some minor capacity which makes for a fascinating concoction. Most of the characters are lined up in future books meaning their stories get more prominence there but it was cool to see how the seeds of those upcoming stories were planted not only in this book but back in the first book as well.
Yes these books are primarily smut and romance, a delicate balance that makes the romantic erotica subgenre, but the incredibly well thought out and planned world building and greater series plot makes this series INCREDIBLE. Can't wait for the rest of these books.
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Grief, Sexual content, Murder, Blood, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Violence