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thewordslinger's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Guys, I'm so impressed with this book!
The characters have depth and personality, they have complex pasts and history rife with trauma and tragedy. The world building is fantastic--even though I believe there's far more to be explored there. The magic system is interesting and unique. The politics are rightfully complicated...there's not a lot I didn't enjoy here.
The pacing in the beginning could have felt slow (the training part of the story), but it didn't--in fact I think it was probably one of the best training sessions I've ever read in a book. It was methodical, and Tisaanah is a diligent student (sometimes to the extreme). I've complained in other reviews before about how characters just come into power and magically know how to wield it with zero training--that is 100% not the case here. I also like that this training time gives our characters a time to bond as friends before shit starts getting real.
The friendship (and eventually more) that grows between Max and Tisaanah is so wonderfully done. It's a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. And it's cultivated over several months of daily interaction. Yes, they have a master/apprentice relationship in the beginning, but it never felt like he had any sort of power over her. In fact, the book goes out of its way to explain that their power is equal, but different.
I like that Max and Tisaanah know about each other's pasts too before anything even remotely romantic happens between them. They are both deeply scarred characters carrying a lot of loss and hurt and trauma around on their shoulders. Yet, they come into a relationship from such a healthy, respectful place that it sort of made me want to cry. The spice was done beautifully, and I have to give mad props for the consent-consciousness.
Max as an MMC is sort of a dream. Noble, honorable, masculine without being an alpha-male caricature. He willingly lets Tisaanah fight her own battles, choosing to stand at her side over having this pig-headed need to protect her from everything. It's so refreshing.
The PLOT of this book is also so, so interesting. The only thing I think knocks points off this rating for me is the fact that Tisaanah is so unbelievably naive when it comes to trusting the Orders (Zeryth especially, but also Nura by association). Given her upbringing and her past dealing with all sorts of rich and powerful people, it doesn't seem logical that she's so gullible and willing to believe that these people would be willing to help her cause. And I think it is taking her waaaay too long to figure this out for herself.
Especially after they implant Reshaye into her, she seems to still have faith in their altruism, caring ONLY about the freeing of the slaves without seeing ANY of the other dubious machinations going on sometimes right in front of her. The single-mindedness really got on my nerves from time to time. As did this mentality she had that HER wants and HER needs didn't matter, so long as the slaves were freed. That SHE didn't matter at all, that she was just a thing to be used. Yes, I know this is probably a product of the trauma of her past, the fact that she's been a slave herself--but I was really hoping to see her come into some kind of wisdom through her training and interactions with certain characters...and yet it never really seemed to happen.
My own trust issues with authority could <i>never</i> be this naive lol.
All in all, I think this is potentially the first TikTok book I've come across that's actually surprised me. It's been on my radar a while, but because of all the hype it got on that app, I didn't trust that it was <i>really</i> any good. (some of y'all have no taste, sorry--not sorry). It's a very, very pleasant surprise!
The characters have depth and personality, they have complex pasts and history rife with trauma and tragedy. The world building is fantastic--even though I believe there's far more to be explored there. The magic system is interesting and unique. The politics are rightfully complicated...there's not a lot I didn't enjoy here.
The pacing in the beginning could have felt slow (the training part of the story), but it didn't--in fact I think it was probably one of the best training sessions I've ever read in a book. It was methodical, and Tisaanah is a diligent student (sometimes to the extreme). I've complained in other reviews before about how characters just come into power and magically know how to wield it with zero training--that is 100% not the case here. I also like that this training time gives our characters a time to bond as friends before shit starts getting real.
The friendship (and eventually more) that grows between Max and Tisaanah is so wonderfully done. It's a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. And it's cultivated over several months of daily interaction. Yes, they have a master/apprentice relationship in the beginning, but it never felt like he had any sort of power over her. In fact, the book goes out of its way to explain that their power is equal, but different.
I like that Max and Tisaanah know about each other's pasts too before anything even remotely romantic happens between them. They are both deeply scarred characters carrying a lot of loss and hurt and trauma around on their shoulders. Yet, they come into a relationship from such a healthy, respectful place that it sort of made me want to cry. The spice was done beautifully, and I have to give mad props for the consent-consciousness.
Max as an MMC is sort of a dream. Noble, honorable, masculine without being an alpha-male caricature. He willingly lets Tisaanah fight her own battles, choosing to stand at her side over having this pig-headed need to protect her from everything. It's so refreshing.
The PLOT of this book is also so, so interesting. The only thing I think knocks points off this rating for me is the fact that Tisaanah is so unbelievably naive when it comes to trusting the Orders (Zeryth especially, but also Nura by association). Given her upbringing and her past dealing with all sorts of rich and powerful people, it doesn't seem logical that she's so gullible and willing to believe that these people would be willing to help her cause. And I think it is taking her waaaay too long to figure this out for herself.
Especially after they implant Reshaye into her, she seems to still have faith in their altruism, caring ONLY about the freeing of the slaves without seeing ANY of the other dubious machinations going on sometimes right in front of her. The single-mindedness really got on my nerves from time to time. As did this mentality she had that HER wants and HER needs didn't matter, so long as the slaves were freed. That SHE didn't matter at all, that she was just a thing to be used. Yes, I know this is probably a product of the trauma of her past, the fact that she's been a slave herself--but I was really hoping to see her come into some kind of wisdom through her training and interactions with certain characters...and yet it never really seemed to happen.
My own trust issues with authority could <i>never</i> be this naive lol.
All in all, I think this is potentially the first TikTok book I've come across that's actually surprised me. It's been on my radar a while, but because of all the hype it got on that app, I didn't trust that it was <i>really</i> any good. (some of y'all have no taste, sorry--not sorry). It's a very, very pleasant surprise!
aabismithh's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-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
5.0
akulbago's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kyla115890's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-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
4.25
rosetintgrl's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
breeeze's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
3.0
thetbrhoarder's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Heads up fantasy lovers we have a new Aelin in town
I fell in love with CB when I read the Crowns duology - and this first book in her other trilogy didn’t disappoint
I am obsessed, she has me in a chokehold once again
Tisaanah is a kick ass lovable female MC and seeing her literally crawl her way out of slavery bleeding and beaten down to become a wielder of massive power is a story line I was enthralled in
I’m just in awe and love with CB writing and I am immediately picking up book 2
I fell in love with CB when I read the Crowns duology - and this first book in her other trilogy didn’t disappoint
I am obsessed, she has me in a chokehold once again
Tisaanah is a kick ass lovable female MC and seeing her literally crawl her way out of slavery bleeding and beaten down to become a wielder of massive power is a story line I was enthralled in
I’m just in awe and love with CB writing and I am immediately picking up book 2
higglebee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I read this by audible and I think I may have liked it more if I read it in print. I'm not certain I will continue the series.
ninaleigh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
vsoer's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes