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katyakat's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I give A Duel with the Vampire Lord by Elise Kova 3 stars. The overall story isn't bad, but the pacing is off. It's a fast-paced book, which makes many details feel rushed and the timeline seem strange. This is a shame because the core story is enjoyable and has a lot of potential.
One major issue is the repetition. The book falls into repetitive cycles with the same arguments between the main characters. This made parts of the story feel stagnant and frustrating. Despite this, there are moments that genuinely engage and invest the reader, making the experience a mix of boredom and interest.
The relationship dynamics between Floriane and Ruvan are intriguing but could have been developed more deeply. Their interactions often felt rushed, missing the slow-burn tension that can make an enemies-to-lovers romance truly compelling.
Additionally, the world-building, while fascinating, sometimes felt underexplored due to the book's brisk pace.
Additionally, the world-building, while fascinating, sometimes felt underexplored due to the book's brisk pace.
The narrative would have benefited from either a longer format to flesh out details and smooth the pacing or a more streamlined storyline to maintain coherence.
In conclusion, A Duel with the Vampire Lord is an interesting read with a lot of potential, but it falls short in execution. It's a decent choice for fans of romantic fantasy looking for a quick read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Classism, and Sexual content
chelsreid1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Slavery, Body horror, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Racism, Classism, Death of parent, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Violence, Death, Hate crime, Murder, War, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
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