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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
2.5 stars rounded to 3 (Means I was curious enough to keep reading but the story didn't consistently captivate my interest)
Based on the description, this book should have everything I love in an epic fantasy story - the multiple perspectives, the worldbuilding, the high stakes, the hints of magic and what it can/cannot do..... but imho this book should not have been written all in first person, not with six different povs. Furthermore, there are <b>many</b> times that events are rehashed from several character povs before moving on, which gets redundant and frustrating. Lastly, the high stakes are hinted at but not truly there.
"And hope is a jagged knife. Hope pieces together dreams out of broken glass only for reality to come and smash them all over again."
Aside from the multi pov concern, I also got frustrated with how much of each character's background we are just told about rather than shown. We know why each character is invested in the mission personally because they mention it repeatedly while we're in their pov, but we don't ever witness the truth of this conviction (there is a brief moment where Sora gets to interact with her sister but it's just the once and, for me, wasn't enough to show how much Sora truly cares. Yes, we're told she cares but I wanted to see them interact more. While I get that part of why they don't is because of Seok's control over Sora's life and choosing when she can interact with her sister, I'd have taken some flashbacks of moments they had together to add to how much Sora cares ).
"Power corrupts everyone . . . The more you have, the faster the slide."
Next up I'm going to give brief thoughts on each character:
Royo:
A strongman with a soft heart and honestly is probably the strongest character writing of them all. We start the story by seeing him action, we know exactly what he's capable of, and we do get a few flashbacks for him. Do I believe he's in on the assassination plot for only the reason he claims and not out of greed for additional funds? Maybe, maybe not. I don't think him freeing his late first love's father is going to go the way he expects.
Aerie:
One of my biggest pet peeves in stories is when a character even keeps their true identity secret for the entirety of a novel within their own pov, which is exactly what happens with Aerie. I had my suspicions that she wasn't who she said she was but found it frustrating that she doesn't think about in her own pov.
Euyn:
Honestly, I don't know why they want to get Euyn on the throne. I get that he's been wronged and is now paranoid after so long of being on the run as a wanted man but based on his actions in this book, he wouldn't make a good king imho.
Sora:
Sora has also a decently strong introduction but I wsh we'd had a few more flashbacks for her life to get to know the motivations behind her more strongly.
Tiyung:
Why did we get his pov? We didn't need it. Things we learn in his are rehashed from others so .... his pov just cluttered the story tbh
Mikail:
Mikail is another character that keeps things hidden even within his own pov, and that annoyed me. The use of dramatic irony is a fav literary device of mine and Corland didn't utilize the opportunities for it since she waited so long in their povs to make those reveals.
Based on the description, this book should have everything I love in an epic fantasy story - the multiple perspectives, the worldbuilding, the high stakes, the hints of magic and what it can/cannot do..... but imho this book should not have been written all in first person, not with six different povs. Furthermore, there are <b>many</b> times that events are rehashed from several character povs before moving on, which gets redundant and frustrating. Lastly, the high stakes are hinted at but not truly there.
"And hope is a jagged knife. Hope pieces together dreams out of broken glass only for reality to come and smash them all over again."
Aside from the multi pov concern, I also got frustrated with how much of each character's background we are just told about rather than shown. We know why each character is invested in the mission personally because they mention it repeatedly while we're in their pov, but we don't ever witness the truth of this conviction (
"Power corrupts everyone . . . The more you have, the faster the slide."
Next up I'm going to give brief thoughts on each character:
Royo:
Aerie:
Euyn:
Sora:
Tiyung:
Mikail:
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-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
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4⭐️ - 0.5🌶- 4.5🎤
(Full cast narration)
☆ Unlikely allies
☆ Multi POV
☆ Found family
☆ LGBTQIA+
☆ Assassination plot
This book took its time unfolding, but I never knew where the plot was going, and that unpredictability kept me interested. The casual LGBTQIA+ representation was refreshing, and the minimal spice did not take away from the story at all.
My only real disappointment is that the book was marketed as fantasy romance, but it read more like fantasy with a faint hint of romance in the background. There are romantic elements, but not enough to feel central to the story.
Special mention goes to the full cast audiobook, which was very well done.
Favorite quotes:
(Full cast narration)
☆ Unlikely allies
☆ Multi POV
☆ Found family
☆ LGBTQIA+
☆ Assassination plot
This book took its time unfolding, but I never knew where the plot was going, and that unpredictability kept me interested. The casual LGBTQIA+ representation was refreshing, and the minimal spice did not take away from the story at all.
My only real disappointment is that the book was marketed as fantasy romance, but it read more like fantasy with a faint hint of romance in the background. There are romantic elements, but not enough to feel central to the story.
Special mention goes to the full cast audiobook, which was very well done.
Favorite quotes:
I mean, yeah, he's a violent killer, but no one is perfect.
I have a headache and she's sitting across from me.
I look over her legs... face. I mean, face.
Because I'd know you in this life and the next one hundred.
I would die a thousand deaths to kiss you.
I should stop expecting hidden depth out of a puddle.
The world will grab and pull at your humanity, try to strip you bare, but ultimately you decide whether to hang on or let go.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the kind of twisty turny multiple POV heist mystery adventure with romances and political alliances that could be confusing and all over the place but is engaging and intriguing. A couple of the relationships could have used more time for their evolution to be better believed.