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prynne31's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
buttermellow's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia and War
hartchor's review against another edition
3.0
3/5 ⭐
I read this while waiting for the sequel for Sword Dance. I really like the cultures and sceneries this author creates and the setting for this story was great. Some social points are made, and the characters disagree on some things. Their interactions and emotions were really human, and I like how they had limitations in the way they thought based off the cultures they came from.
I read this while waiting for the sequel for Sword Dance. I really like the cultures and sceneries this author creates and the setting for this story was great. Some social points are made, and the characters disagree on some things. Their interactions and emotions were really human, and I like how they had limitations in the way they thought based off the cultures they came from.
phibi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
eemms's review against another edition
5.0
Look it's late and I have a longer blog post (link below~) if you want to really see me trying to tell you why you should read this book, but the tl;dr - if you liked fanfiction for The Eagle, you will LOVE this book. In all seriousness, this is an amazingly well constructed fantasy ancient world, and a tender love story within that. I loved it. full review
ariengoblin's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
tortue_abroad's review against another edition
3.0
This was consistently, unchallengingly fine in a way that was comfortable and occasionally charming. I definitely liked some of the ideas in this book, including the nods to the fact that just because you love someone doesn't mean you'll never love someone else or that your life will fall apart forever without them. I do have to say for anyone considering reading this because of the enemies to lovers trope, it is certainly not that. They are only technically enemies for about a fraction of a second, and then they're over it.
mollyringle's review against another edition
5.0
This turned out to be exactly what I needed to read this week—or indeed, anytime during the last two+ years, which have been the kind of years that demand comfort reads. And btw, when I say "comfort read," I mean that as the highest praise. All my favorite books are comfort reads.
Despite starting on a battlefield with two characters who both expected to be dead before sundown, the story overall turns out to be sweet, warmhearted, romantic, sexy, and witty.
I was also in awe right from the start at Demas's world-building skill: everything is described succinctly and compactly, and in an interesting way—often in the form of conversation between the two battle-refugees-turned-friends-turned-lovers—yet still manages to convey a rich world of vivid colors and textures and customs. (Granted, as Demas has said, though technically a fantasy world, it's almost interchangeable for an ancient Roman or Greek setting, so it's familiar to most of us in that way and doesn't require the same amount of explanation as, say, an alien planet would.)
100% want to read more by this author, especially if they are all lovely comfort reads like this one.
Despite starting on a battlefield with two characters who both expected to be dead before sundown, the story overall turns out to be sweet, warmhearted, romantic, sexy, and witty.
I was also in awe right from the start at Demas's world-building skill: everything is described succinctly and compactly, and in an interesting way—often in the form of conversation between the two battle-refugees-turned-friends-turned-lovers—yet still manages to convey a rich world of vivid colors and textures and customs. (Granted, as Demas has said, though technically a fantasy world, it's almost interchangeable for an ancient Roman or Greek setting, so it's familiar to most of us in that way and doesn't require the same amount of explanation as, say, an alien planet would.)
100% want to read more by this author, especially if they are all lovely comfort reads like this one.
elementchaos's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
ginganinja2507's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0