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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
never before has there been a more fitting target for the admonition "don't judge a book by its cover."
although, to be fair, the cover does accurately represent this book's genre--basically, X-rated fantasy--just not its quality. far from trashy, it is ambitious, epic, and completely engrossing. although i greeted this book with a HIGH degree of skepticism, i think i'm likely to read a sequel or two (although probably not all... 6? 7? however many there are). but undoubtedly, this book is not for everyone. you need to accept that S&M and institutionalized prostitution are integral to the plot. if you can go with that... GO FOR IT.
although, to be fair, the cover does accurately represent this book's genre--basically, X-rated fantasy--just not its quality. far from trashy, it is ambitious, epic, and completely engrossing. although i greeted this book with a HIGH degree of skepticism, i think i'm likely to read a sequel or two (although probably not all... 6? 7? however many there are). but undoubtedly, this book is not for everyone. you need to accept that S&M and institutionalized prostitution are integral to the plot. if you can go with that... GO FOR IT.
Review to come, this goes directly to favorites shelf in the mean time
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting book, each section of the book reads like it is a different genre. This left me feeling like I had whiplash. From spicy fantasy to a serious war story, and no spice at all. An odd change of tone. Very dark topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence
the plot was inching along the character’s childhood- i like backstory not that much backstory
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
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:
Yes
One of my favourite series of books, epic fantasy adventure with spirituality, sexuality romance and truly engaging characters
Unlike most other reviewers, I was neither horrified by the sex nor blown away by the writing/story. I give this a big meh. I made it to page 500ish before deciding I didn't want to force myself through the rest.
The sex wasn't that shocking. After the first few times, we don't even really get any details beyond "and then we went to his pleasure chamber and things happened.". And I don't think there's more than half a dozen such scenes in the whole book. The author also makes it sound like every noble in the realm has a "pleasure chamber" and a "full flagellary" in their basement, which sort of waters down the whole BDSM thing.
The other 90% of the book is political manoeuvring and backstabbing and the standard low-fantasy plot fare. Unfortunately, for the first third of the book our main character, Phèdre, is purposefully kept at a distance from all of it, so we only learn what's going on among the nobility through hearsay or narration. And just when we think she's about to get plunged into it, something else happens to take her away from the action at court. I imagine she eventually gets back into the action, but I stopped just before, when I was asked as a reader to care about Phèdre's land and her mission to save it and came to the not-particularly-startling realization that I really didn't care about any of the characters and especially not about their land and its rulers, who I barely knew. I've learned one thing from copious reading - if I'm 500 pages into a book and I don't care about any of the characters yet, I'm wasting my time.
The sex wasn't that shocking. After the first few times, we don't even really get any details beyond "and then we went to his pleasure chamber and things happened.". And I don't think there's more than half a dozen such scenes in the whole book. The author also makes it sound like every noble in the realm has a "pleasure chamber" and a "full flagellary" in their basement, which sort of waters down the whole BDSM thing.
The other 90% of the book is political manoeuvring and backstabbing and the standard low-fantasy plot fare. Unfortunately, for the first third of the book our main character, Phèdre, is purposefully kept at a distance from all of it, so we only learn what's going on among the nobility through hearsay or narration. And just when we think she's about to get plunged into it, something else happens to take her away from the action at court. I imagine she eventually gets back into the action, but I stopped just before, when I was asked as a reader to care about Phèdre's land and her mission to save it and came to the not-particularly-startling realization that I really didn't care about any of the characters and especially not about their land and its rulers, who I barely knew. I've learned one thing from copious reading - if I'm 500 pages into a book and I don't care about any of the characters yet, I'm wasting my time.
Think watered down Tolkien (yet with a clunky naming system and complicated religious history) meets Fifty Shades of Grey. If you like graphic sex (s&m), drawn out historical fiction, and unnecessarily wordy writing, this is the book for you.
To be completely honest the first 250 or so pages bored me. I thought the world building was really interesting: how it was basically the medieval world but with a twist. France is Terre-D’Ange, Italy the Caerdicci Unitas, the old Roman Empire Tiberium, Spain Aragonia, England Alba, Ireland Eire, Germany and Scandinavia Skaldia. The cities are all pretty much the same too (La Serenisimma is Venice, Milazza is Milan, etc.). Religion is also very prominent in this world with sex not at all stigmatized and Yeshua (Jesus) showing love to all but physically in this world.
I personally don’t like long character backstories where the main character starts a child for a long portion of time and that did occur in this book. After our main character Phèdre comes of age, there a lot of politics going on that are just spit out at you and I found it hard and not that interesting to try to piece them all together. So, I basically just skimmed it because I assume I’ll figure it out eventually.
Obviously, this book is very graphic for sex (literally read the back cover) and there is violence as well.
This book DID however start to pick up big time once Anafiel Delaunay is murdered by Melisandre and Phèdre and Joscelin are sold as slavers to the Skaldi who have been raiding the border towns of Terre D’Ange. I was wondering if there was going to be any romance in this book but (snooping online) I learned that Joscelin is Phèdre’s love interest, which i really support. She’s a courtesan and he’s basically a monk who trained fight (a Cassiline brother). He’s the only person she could get to know purely without physical intimacy and I think it checks out since her calling is literally to be physically intimate with her clients.
After Phèdre and Joscelin make it back to Terre D’Ange it does feel like the romance disappears and I was really unsure if Phèdre would end up with Joscelin or Hyacinthe. I’m rooting for Joscelin, personally.
The adventures continue with Phèdre acting as the ambassador of Terre D’Ange as the Queen orders her to help the Cruithne and convince them to help fight the Skaldi who are planning an invasion. I love that the story takes us to the ends of the earth and beyond, exploring the world to its fullest as opposed to having the surrounding kingdoms simply exist with little to no impact on the story. I love the ups and downs of high fantasy and adventure, reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean.
As for the ending it was satisfying but I hate that Joscelin and Phèdre won’t officially be together because of his vows. It just tugs on the heartstrings and I want him to just forsake them because he’s in love and it’s reciprocated.
Some last thoughts:
This is super nitpicky but for about 50 pages Phèdre was spelled as Phédre which is a different pronunciation in French, which all these names are based off of. Gunther’s name also changes from Gunther to Gunter.
Additionally, I felt like the story could’ve flowed faster. There were some lags in the story, especially in the beginning, and I think the pacing could’ve been a lot quicker. There’s so much poetry in each sentence that it’s beautiful to read, but it does slow the pace more than necessary.
I will definitely be back for the next installments, however.
I personally don’t like long character backstories where the main character starts a child for a long portion of time and that did occur in this book. After our main character Phèdre comes of age, there a lot of politics going on that are just spit out at you and I found it hard and not that interesting to try to piece them all together. So, I basically just skimmed it because I assume I’ll figure it out eventually.
Obviously, this book is very graphic for sex (literally read the back cover) and there is violence as well.
This book DID however start to pick up big time once Anafiel Delaunay is murdered by Melisandre and Phèdre and Joscelin are sold as slavers to the Skaldi who have been raiding the border towns of Terre D’Ange. I was wondering if there was going to be any romance in this book but (snooping online) I learned that Joscelin is Phèdre’s love interest, which i really support. She’s a courtesan and he’s basically a monk who trained fight (a Cassiline brother). He’s the only person she could get to know purely without physical intimacy and I think it checks out since her calling is literally to be physically intimate with her clients.
After Phèdre and Joscelin make it back to Terre D’Ange it does feel like the romance disappears and I was really unsure if Phèdre would end up with Joscelin or Hyacinthe. I’m rooting for Joscelin, personally.
The adventures continue with Phèdre acting as the ambassador of Terre D’Ange as the Queen orders her to help the Cruithne and convince them to help fight the Skaldi who are planning an invasion. I love that the story takes us to the ends of the earth and beyond, exploring the world to its fullest as opposed to having the surrounding kingdoms simply exist with little to no impact on the story. I love the ups and downs of high fantasy and adventure, reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean.
As for the ending it was satisfying but I hate that Joscelin and Phèdre won’t officially be together because of his vows. It just tugs on the heartstrings and I want him to just forsake them because he’s in love and it’s reciprocated.
Some last thoughts:
This is super nitpicky but for about 50 pages Phèdre was spelled as Phédre which is a different pronunciation in French, which all these names are based off of. Gunther’s name also changes from Gunther to Gunter.
Additionally, I felt like the story could’ve flowed faster. There were some lags in the story, especially in the beginning, and I think the pacing could’ve been a lot quicker. There’s so much poetry in each sentence that it’s beautiful to read, but it does slow the pace more than necessary.
I will definitely be back for the next installments, however.