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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I've had this book for a few years and I'm so happy I finally read it! I had a great time ^^
This book is so good. SO GOOD! I want to shake everyone and make them read it right now, because I loved it so much. Terrifically written, with beautiful, smooth writing. The alt-Mediterranean world pulls you in with its unobtrusive rich worldbuilding and makes you want to learn more about it.
It deals with trauma, gender, relationships, and doesn’t shy away from it, too – dregs up all the gnarly stuff out of our heroes and makes them deal with it, but not unkindly. It’s also hilarious.
At first, I was a bit unsure about Damiskos as the protagonist. After all, Varazda pulls attention to himself effortlessly, what with his hair, and dancing, and being a spy. Compared to him, Damiskos seemed like a total square. But I needn’t have worried; Damiskos blossomed into a wonderfully complex character who easily made a worthy pair to Varazda.
I don’t even know what to say except for clapping hands emojis. Here, have three:
It deals with trauma, gender, relationships, and doesn’t shy away from it, too – dregs up all the gnarly stuff out of our heroes and makes them deal with it, but not unkindly. It’s also hilarious.
At first, I was a bit unsure about Damiskos as the protagonist. After all, Varazda pulls attention to himself effortlessly, what with his hair, and dancing, and being a spy. Compared to him, Damiskos seemed like a total square. But I needn’t have worried; Damiskos blossomed into a wonderfully complex character who easily made a worthy pair to Varazda.
I don’t even know what to say except for clapping hands emojis. Here, have three:
I really wanted to like this book but I wound up struggling to finish it.
Demas does an *excellent* job creating the historical setting and that's really the only part of the book I liked.
The plot with the students started promising but felt very cliche and stale to me.
The biggest problem for me were the main characters. I feel like a lot of potential was wasted.
Damiskos is *incredibly* bland and his tendency to speak in trailing off sentences and hesitant stutters grated on me quickly.
Varazda was slightly more enjoyable as he felt like he had a somewhat fleshed out character. That being said, his character relied on a lot of effeminate gay male stereotypes. The attempts to have him exploring gender roles were like getting smacked in the face with a brick and also came few and far between.
The romance itself reminded me of two teenagers falling in love and was badly handled. It felt very rushed and ham handed, a lot like a switch had been flipped and suddenly Damiskos was madly in love with Varazda. I am a fan of the love at first sight trope but it was botched badly here. Damiskos' hesitancy in his dialogue and his cobstant self belittling greatly tripped the romance up. I found myself skipping over the more feelsy scenes because it felt like someone smashing two action figures together and going "now kiss".
My last issue with this book is more of a minor complaint but I feel like the author really didn't research how being a eunuch affects a man's body. Varazda's muscled form keeps being brought up along with body hair and that's not observed in eunuchs. He should be closer in build to Varys from A Song of Ice and Fire: a little chubby and with a much more androgynous voice. Again this is minor a complaint and isme being picky.
Overall, come for the alternate history and not much else.
Demas does an *excellent* job creating the historical setting and that's really the only part of the book I liked.
The plot with the students started promising but felt very cliche and stale to me.
The biggest problem for me were the main characters. I feel like a lot of potential was wasted.
Damiskos is *incredibly* bland and his tendency to speak in trailing off sentences and hesitant stutters grated on me quickly.
Varazda was slightly more enjoyable as he felt like he had a somewhat fleshed out character. That being said, his character relied on a lot of effeminate gay male stereotypes. The attempts to have him exploring gender roles were like getting smacked in the face with a brick and also came few and far between.
The romance itself reminded me of two teenagers falling in love and was badly handled. It felt very rushed and ham handed, a lot like a switch had been flipped and suddenly Damiskos was madly in love with Varazda. I am a fan of the love at first sight trope but it was botched badly here. Damiskos' hesitancy in his dialogue and his cobstant self belittling greatly tripped the romance up. I found myself skipping over the more feelsy scenes because it felt like someone smashing two action figures together and going "now kiss".
My last issue with this book is more of a minor complaint but I feel like the author really didn't research how being a eunuch affects a man's body. Varazda's muscled form keeps being brought up along with body hair and that's not observed in eunuchs. He should be closer in build to Varys from A Song of Ice and Fire: a little chubby and with a much more androgynous voice. Again this is minor a complaint and isme being picky.
Overall, come for the alternate history and not much else.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
tense
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Classism
Minor: Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
This is a new to me author and I picked up the book because the cover was very intriguing.
Well the book was pretty darn intriguing as well. I was fascinated by the world and by Damiskos and Varaska.
There was a plot in Damiskos friends home that he accidentally stumbled upon and he finds himself again defending the home against students.
The author creates a wonderful blend of Greek and Asian history that leaves you drawn in.
If you like stuff about Alexander the Great, Homer’s the Odyssey, try this one out.
Well the book was pretty darn intriguing as well. I was fascinated by the world and by Damiskos and Varaska.
There was a plot in Damiskos friends home that he accidentally stumbled upon and he finds himself again defending the home against students.
The author creates a wonderful blend of Greek and Asian history that leaves you drawn in.
If you like stuff about Alexander the Great, Homer’s the Odyssey, try this one out.
Ah, what a lovely, lovely book!
This adorable romance is set in a world resembling ancient Greece and combines political intrigue, covert operations, smart commentary on political and human issues and an absolutely lovely, soothing, caring queer romance.
To be honest, the political intrigue was not 100% my cup of tea, but that is a matter of taste. Other than that I just thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. The cast of characters was diverse in every way. I rooted for the "good guys" (who had distinct and realistic-feeling personalities) and the "bad guys" weren't just cookie cutter villains but came in different flavours that provided plenty of insight into the dynamics of radicalization and right-wing rhethorics.
But, worry not, all will be well in the end as the bad guys are fortunately not the most competent of changes of the world order.
Absolutely recommended to anyone who enjoys fantasy set in ancient-timey-worlds and queer romance.
This adorable romance is set in a world resembling ancient Greece and combines political intrigue, covert operations, smart commentary on political and human issues and an absolutely lovely, soothing, caring queer romance.
To be honest, the political intrigue was not 100% my cup of tea, but that is a matter of taste. Other than that I just thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. The cast of characters was diverse in every way. I rooted for the "good guys" (who had distinct and realistic-feeling personalities) and the "bad guys" weren't just cookie cutter villains but came in different flavours that provided plenty of insight into the dynamics of radicalization and right-wing rhethorics.
But, worry not, all will be well in the end as the bad guys are fortunately not the most competent of changes of the world order.
Absolutely recommended to anyone who enjoys fantasy set in ancient-timey-worlds and queer romance.
adventurous
slow-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
3,5 rounded up
It started very very strong. I was hooked then around 50% there was a shift. The plot took on a silly turn. It threw me off a bit but honestly it's fine because the strength of this book is not in the plot but in the characters. All of them are interesting in their own way. I especially loved Damiskos. Reading through his POV was soothing, the very definition of a gentle giant.
It started very very strong. I was hooked then around 50% there was a shift. The plot took on a silly turn. It threw me off a bit but honestly it's fine because the strength of this book is not in the plot but in the characters. All of them are interesting in their own way. I especially loved Damiskos. Reading through his POV was soothing, the very definition of a gentle giant.