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banrions's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ok here is the thing: I AM VERY CONFLICTED ABOUT THIS BOOK AND THUS, THIS SERIES.
I’ve already talked about it, I don’t like Ayla and Flowridia much, and that only escalated for a majority of this book (though not all). I just, I cannot tell WHAT this story is. For a long time, I thought we were supposed to like them, their relationship, and (though it be complex and conflicted), ultimately, root for them. AND I SIMPLY DID NOT!! The longer these books went on, the less I liked Flowridia at all. She is such a hypocrite, and FINALY someone (hilariously, Ayla) calls her out on it in this book. But it frustrated me that for so long I couldn’t tell what the author was trying to convey here. Especially in this book with revelations about Ayla’s childhood and earlier life, I’m just like, so in order to make her sympathetic she has to have be been abused? (Which, content warning and also spoilers but, CSA and abuse warnings for a small portion of this, nothing explicit at all just alluded to, but still). Like I’m sorry, I feel sympathy for her as a child and young woman, but she turned into a literally gleeful murderous power hungry monster and two things can be true at once and I don’t suddenly like her now.
For a little bit there, I was actually elated. I was like, oh okay, this has all been a slow burn long con and Flowridia is the villain! This is so cool, actually! All of the things I’ve been feeling are justified!! But then with the very end.. I’m not so sure. And that’s a little frustrating, but there are a lot of other things in this series that I like. At this point, Etolie is my fav and I love her arc in this book a lot, and I will definitely keep reading and she’s who I’m rooting for.
I’ve already talked about it, I don’t like Ayla and Flowridia much, and that only escalated for a majority of this book (though not all). I just, I cannot tell WHAT this story is. For a long time, I thought we were supposed to like them, their relationship, and (though it be complex and conflicted), ultimately, root for them. AND I SIMPLY DID NOT!! The longer these books went on, the less I liked Flowridia at all. She is such a hypocrite, and FINALY someone (hilariously, Ayla) calls her out on it in this book. But it frustrated me that for so long I couldn’t tell what the author was trying to convey here. Especially in this book with revelations about Ayla’s childhood and earlier life, I’m just like, so in order to make her sympathetic she has to have be been abused? (Which, content warning and also spoilers but, CSA and abuse warnings for a small portion of this, nothing explicit at all just alluded to, but still). Like I’m sorry, I feel sympathy for her as a child and young woman, but she turned into a literally gleeful murderous power hungry monster and two things can be true at once and I don’t suddenly like her now.
For a little bit there, I was actually elated. I was like, oh okay, this has all been a slow burn long con and Flowridia is the villain! This is so cool, actually! All of the things I’ve been feeling are justified!! But then with the very end.. I’m not so sure. And that’s a little frustrating, but there are a lot of other things in this series that I like. At this point, Etolie is my fav and I love her arc in this book a lot, and I will definitely keep reading and she’s who I’m rooting for.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
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