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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Incredible. What the TV version of Game Of Thrones wishes it could be, a mix of fantasy, high politics, alternate history, coming-of-age and, yeah, BDSM erotica.
I'm very fussy when it comes to fantasy so I'm very pleased to have found a new favourite.
I'm very fussy when it comes to fantasy so I'm very pleased to have found a new favourite.
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Odyssey for sexy people
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book for me was either very engaging or completely a slog, and there wasn’t a lot of in between.
I think it would have benefitted from being 200-300 pages shorter.
I saw another reviewer say this is Game of Thrones just with more consensual sex and tbh that’s sitting right with me - but I’m having trouble glossing over the fact that she was a child groomed into this religious role? She was bought and the trained for her whole life into this from childhood and there is a religious element to it to keep her in service to the god(s) - but the premise is hard for me to get over.
Then, for being a book that is fixated on “pain as pleasure” and is more than willing toexplain in great detail how it feels to have skin peeled away and knife play for sexual pleasure - we get very little of the actual romance, even when it’s mostly fade-to-black, and I found myself missing romantic moments: slow burn yearning, inner thoughts, etc. There are relationships, sure, but it feels wrong to consider this a romantic book.
Also the “bury your gays” and “gay women are evil” themes are very strong here.
Ultimately, I just don’t think this was for me. It was fine, and good at times, but I left mostly dissatisfied.
I think it would have benefitted from being 200-300 pages shorter.
I saw another reviewer say this is Game of Thrones just with more consensual sex and tbh that’s sitting right with me - but I’m having trouble glossing over the fact that she was a child groomed into this religious role? She was bought and the trained for her whole life into this from childhood and there is a religious element to it to keep her in service to the god(s) - but the premise is hard for me to get over.
Then, for being a book that is fixated on “pain as pleasure” and is more than willing to
Also the “bury your gays” and “gay women are evil” themes are very strong here.
Ultimately, I just don’t think this was for me. It was fine, and good at times, but I left mostly dissatisfied.
Even better than I'd remembered. Phedre is a very unique heroine.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
If I am to review this book, I must review it according to two things.
First I shall review it separately aside from any expectations I've had for it: this book was an amazing ride, it has been so long since I last found a main character I actually care about, this is phedre to me, she was compassionate as well as precise following her as she navigated the politics of Terre d'ange was treat I almost didn't feel as though this book was from first person POV only, almost, because that was the deal breaker for me. I believe this book should've had multiple POVs, it was a need, that and a slow introduction of characters and courts because I was continuously confused in the first 200 pages because every single character was the same to me, i had to go back to the index every time, and I felt as though I didn't quite enjoy the reveals as I ought to because I mainly had no idea who is who, however this was all made up for by the last two hundred pages which were IT to me.
Now in regards to the context for which this book was recommended to me (books that are exactly like game of thrones):
This book is nothing like game of thrones though the notion was mentioned once ot twice, yes some characters felt very ASOIAF to me, but the interesting character buildup was missing, I couldn't reason the characters' motivations on my own, because one, I had no close insight to their person even if from another character's POV (tyrion about peter baelish or varys), and I wish I could've seen other political incidents happen throughout the eyes of a character. There was also a lack of the magical element that makes game of thrones (though little in both series) but ASOIAF was built on prophecies and magic. I also prefer the medieval setting. However for the similarities, i found the skaldi to be almost like the free folk, some characters felt similar to ASOIAF characters to me, the focus being on the politics was also interesting and familiar, I also felt like phedre kinda had a jon snow arc but anyway I think this was it for me.
Would I read the second book, maybe one day, but I feel satisfied with how the book ended and I don't think I need more.
First I shall review it separately aside from any expectations I've had for it: this book was an amazing ride, it has been so long since I last found a main character I actually care about, this is phedre to me, she was compassionate as well as precise following her as she navigated the politics of Terre d'ange was treat I almost didn't feel as though this book was from first person POV only, almost, because that was the deal breaker for me. I believe this book should've had multiple POVs, it was a need, that and a slow introduction of characters and courts because I was continuously confused in the first 200 pages because every single character was the same to me, i had to go back to the index every time, and I felt as though I didn't quite enjoy the reveals as I ought to because I mainly had no idea who is who, however this was all made up for by the last two hundred pages which were IT to me.
Now in regards to the context for which this book was recommended to me (books that are exactly like game of thrones):
This book is nothing like game of thrones though the notion was mentioned once ot twice, yes some characters felt very ASOIAF to me, but the interesting character buildup was missing, I couldn't reason the characters' motivations on my own, because one, I had no close insight to their person even if from another character's POV (tyrion about peter baelish or varys), and I wish I could've seen other political incidents happen throughout the eyes of a character. There was also a lack of the magical element that makes game of thrones (though little in both series) but ASOIAF was built on prophecies and magic. I also prefer the medieval setting. However for the similarities, i found the skaldi to be almost like the free folk, some characters felt similar to ASOIAF characters to me, the focus being on the politics was also interesting and familiar, I also felt like phedre kinda had a jon snow arc but anyway I think this was it for me.
Would I read the second book, maybe one day, but I feel satisfied with how the book ended and I don't think I need more.
What a ride! I’m torn between giving it 3 or 4 stars, because I really really liked some parts and didn’t really care for other parts. So 3,5 stars it is I guess.
3.5-4 star rating. The writing was incredible and the ending was perfect. That being said, there were times where I was lost at all the complexities and layers that are in this book and some times where I felt the book dragged.
