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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have read this book 3x since March 2024 when I don't often reread books. It is hard for me to rec though because I feel like the first 30% is "hear me out..." After that though, it is amazing and takes everything built in the first part to make it worth it. I adore the main characters so much, they're so interesting and their dynamic is amazing!
adventurous
mysterious
its nice to know that there are people out there who properly hate philosophers (the xenophobic ones, at least) and feel the need to immortalize that hatred in a full length novel. i appreciate that.
this book gives a lot of knives out vibes, also netflix's decameron, if you've seen that, with a splash of home alone, except that everyone is vaguely mediterranean. the two leads, damiskos and varazda, are both quite prickly and grumpy, which is a fun dynamic to see once they get under each other's skin. i wouldn't say that it's an 'opposites attract' dynamic as the summary implies, it's more that they're mutually aligned against the racist idiots surrounding them and that they each have different strengths in thwarting the racist idiots. but it's written really well, no matter what! they have fun, flirty banter and they care about each other a lot and they work really well as a team. i kind of love them.
i don't think i've ever read a book where one of the main love interests was a eunuch, so this was new territory for me. the writing surrounding varazda's gender identity was so interesting and heartfelt, and i really appreciated the care that the author took to make his experience nuanced. the same goes for the writing of dami's disability as well as both characters' ptsd. they were always so gentle with each other without coming across as ingenuine or stiff, so snaps for that.
i also really liked the way that dami led the group of women and children (plus varazda ofc) against the racist idiots as if they were his military unit. it was really sweet to see him adapt his methods to suit their abilities and vulnerabilities, giving them confidence in their security to defend themselves. it was really empowering without forcing them to all be girlbosses or something cliche.
unfortunately i do have to knock some points off for how much air-time the racist idiots got with their philosophizing. it made me feel icky to read, even if the author and the main characters were all condemning it. it was too similar to maga stuff that i've heard people say in real life, and i don't look for that in my escapist fiction.
this book gives a lot of knives out vibes, also netflix's decameron, if you've seen that, with a splash of home alone, except that everyone is vaguely mediterranean. the two leads, damiskos and varazda, are both quite prickly and grumpy, which is a fun dynamic to see once they get under each other's skin. i wouldn't say that it's an 'opposites attract' dynamic as the summary implies, it's more that they're mutually aligned against the racist idiots surrounding them and that they each have different strengths in thwarting the racist idiots. but it's written really well, no matter what! they have fun, flirty banter and they care about each other a lot and they work really well as a team. i kind of love them.
i don't think i've ever read a book where one of the main love interests was a eunuch, so this was new territory for me. the writing surrounding varazda's gender identity was so interesting and heartfelt, and i really appreciated the care that the author took to make his experience nuanced. the same goes for the writing of dami's disability as well as both characters' ptsd. they were always so gentle with each other without coming across as ingenuine or stiff, so snaps for that.
i also really liked the way that dami led the group of women and children (plus varazda ofc) against the racist idiots as if they were his military unit. it was really sweet to see him adapt his methods to suit their abilities and vulnerabilities, giving them confidence in their security to defend themselves. it was really empowering without forcing them to all be girlbosses or something cliche.
unfortunately i do have to knock some points off for how much air-time the racist idiots got with their philosophizing. it made me feel icky to read, even if the author and the main characters were all condemning it. it was too similar to maga stuff that i've heard people say in real life, and i don't look for that in my escapist fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping
Moderate: Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Suicide, Trafficking
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
I loved the setting of this book, an ancient greek paralel.
And I also loved the house party with horrible people that deserve what's coming to them setting of this book.
Damiskos is a fantastic POV character, a direct and linear thinker, up to his elbows in a house party devolving into a political conspiracy thought out by the hateful and stupid convinced they are geniuses, disruptors and visionaries (hm, I wonder if we are trying to say something about any current events.....?) and him in the middle, trying to figure out what is happening.
His interactions with Varazda are magnificent, and the evolution of his feelings towards him are too, from the pity that he feels in the begining, which might be fair and valid, but it is such a depersonalisation of the receiver of it, and it is funny that is the fact that Varazda makes no attempt to be anything other than his prickly borderline rude self that jogs Damiskos out of it, in what looks extremelly like a well honed tool well used before, to avoid exactly this, to be the object of pity.
They find themselves unlike bed partners in all metaphorical and literal sense and the conflict in both of them is very well thought out, and it is mostly internal and different for each of them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, got the next ones immediately and Im already reading Saffron Alley.
And I also loved the house party with horrible people that deserve what's coming to them setting of this book.
Damiskos is a fantastic POV character, a direct and linear thinker, up to his elbows in a house party devolving into a political conspiracy thought out by the hateful and stupid convinced they are geniuses, disruptors and visionaries (hm, I wonder if we are trying to say something about any current events.....?) and him in the middle, trying to figure out what is happening.
His interactions with Varazda are magnificent, and the evolution of his feelings towards him are too, from the pity that he feels in the begining, which might be fair and valid, but it is such a depersonalisation of the receiver of it, and it is funny that is the fact that Varazda makes no attempt to be anything other than his prickly borderline rude self that jogs Damiskos out of it, in what looks extremelly like a well honed tool well used before, to avoid exactly this, to be the object of pity.
They find themselves unlike bed partners in all metaphorical and literal sense and the conflict in both of them is very well thought out, and it is mostly internal and different for each of them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, got the next ones immediately and Im already reading Saffron Alley.
adventurous
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
Found the story lacked the emotional connection I look for in the characters, and the story felt a bit cookie cutter. It was a nice read though, I'll probably read the second
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
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
The Sword Dance series is a unique gem of a trilogy set in an alternate, ancient Mediterranean environment, reminiscent of ancient Greece. Yes, one of the MCs is a eunuch (you don't hear about that a lot) AND the story is part romance and part slice-of-life/political/historical/mystery. How does that work, you ask? Well, you just have to read the book. The premise is so different, but somehow the worldbuilding is easy to sink into.
Damiskos as the injured ex-soldier is a reliable and calm dude to follow as an MC. I quickly trusted that he would do all the right things, and he does, which is comforting. The plot is a bit odd with the conflict being a group of philosophers trying to take over a villa. Meanwhile, Damiskos discovers more about the mysterious, eunuch slave Varazda who seems to have ulterior motives as well. Somehow it all works. I had a good time, and the story was a nice breath of fresh air.
Damiskos as the injured ex-soldier is a reliable and calm dude to follow as an MC. I quickly trusted that he would do all the right things, and he does, which is comforting. The plot is a bit odd with the conflict being a group of philosophers trying to take over a villa. Meanwhile, Damiskos discovers more about the mysterious, eunuch slave Varazda who seems to have ulterior motives as well. Somehow it all works. I had a good time, and the story was a nice breath of fresh air.
*3.5 stars*
this was interesting in a way i wasn't expecting. it's so different from anything i've read (except for the murder plot and the whole spy thing) but i liked the characters! varazda especially. looking forward to the second book!
this was interesting in a way i wasn't expecting. it's so different from anything i've read (except for the murder plot and the whole spy thing) but i liked the characters! varazda especially. looking forward to the second book!