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ephemerily's review
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
I loved this book. The central conflict was extremely compelling—Min needs to turn over Kaz to Kaz's evil family in order to save Min's nephew's life, but he knows it is wrong and begins to care about Kaz, too. The way the nephew's curse is set up, there is no way around bringing Kaz to his family. I couldn't put the book down with wanting to know how it would resolve. Kaz kept gaining additional layers as his history was revealed, which I loved.
That said, I also felt in a weird emotional state the entire time I was reading. Kaz has had a terrible life before the book starts, with an abusive family and then years of loneliness as he hid out from them. He's being forced back to his family, where an awful fate awaits him. And, he has his magic restrained (with an iron collar) for almost the entire book. I felt like I was in distress along with him; but at the same time, I always felt confident he would be okay in the end, so I was hanging on to that thread and waiting for the moment when things worked out. And they did, in a satisfying and Kaz-centered way.
That said, I also felt in a weird emotional state the entire time I was reading. Kaz has had a terrible life before the book starts, with an abusive family and then years of loneliness as he hid out from them. He's being forced back to his family, where an awful fate awaits him. And, he has his magic restrained (with an iron collar) for almost the entire book. I felt like I was in distress along with him; but at the same time, I always felt confident he would be okay in the end, so I was hanging on to that thread and waiting for the moment when things worked out. And they did, in a satisfying and Kaz-centered way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent, Incest, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape
There is a threat hanging over one character for most of the book, in spite of its lighthearted tone.
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