Scan barcode
anna_fangirling's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
noriboo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
I was entertained!
Wyatt is a young boy of 17 years old who was born to Fae parents. He's also betrothed to the Fae prince, Emyr, through a blood contract.
When Wyatt was 14, he incited a big incident that ended in several calamities, after which he ran away to earth and ended up being fostered by a human family.
The past has a way of catching up to us, and the time has come for Wyatt to deal with the consequences of his actions and the current ongoing political escalations.
Honestly, I felt bad for both Wyatt and Emyr. From the get-go, Wyatt came across as a person with a lot of unhealed trauma, living in survival mode. A lot of people project their expectations on to Wyatt when all he really wants is for people to see him as the person he is. Besides that, he's very much a teen. He makes impulsive choices and doesn't oversee the long-term consequences. What I appreciated in his character arc is that Wyatt does manage to develop more empathy towards his best friend, Briar and Fiancée, Emyr. Acknowledging that he was so wrapped up in his own trauma that he wasn't actually capable of being a good friend. That's the growth that I love to see!
What I would have liked to see more of is more in-depth worldbuilding into the Fae and Witch dynamic. How come the fae came to hate Witches when they are their literall offspring?
Wyatt is a young boy of 17 years old who was born to Fae parents. He's also betrothed to the Fae prince, Emyr, through a blood contract.
When Wyatt was 14, he incited a big incident that ended in several calamities, after which he ran away to earth and ended up being fostered by a human family.
The past has a way of catching up to us, and the time has come for Wyatt to deal with the consequences of his actions and the current ongoing political escalations.
Honestly, I felt bad for both Wyatt and Emyr. From the get-go, Wyatt came across as a person with a lot of unhealed trauma, living in survival mode. A lot of people project their expectations on to Wyatt when all he really wants is for people to see him as the person he is. Besides that, he's very much a teen. He makes impulsive choices and doesn't oversee the long-term consequences. What I appreciated in his character arc is that Wyatt does manage to develop more empathy towards his best friend, Briar and Fiancée, Emyr. Acknowledging that he was so wrapped up in his own trauma that he wasn't actually capable of being a good friend. That's the growth that I love to see!
What I would have liked to see more of is more in-depth worldbuilding into the Fae and Witch dynamic. How come the fae came to hate Witches when they are their literall offspring?
jennaorava's review against another edition
5.0
Plot 4,75
Characters 5
World-building 5
Writing 5
Enjoyment 5
Characters 5
World-building 5
Writing 5
Enjoyment 5
breezyruizy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
I loved this book so much. I loved how it challenged my worldview and perspectives. I can't wait to read the sequel
apurplehyacinth's review against another edition
4.0
this book tore me apart, put me back together, and ripped me apart again just for fun.
the entire story is a work of art. i wish i could read this book for the first time again. the twists it takes are horrible and beautiful. it dives into grief and the feeling of being trapped in your own body. there’s something so beautiful about the way friendship and human connection are expressed throughout the story.
please read if you want a beautiful depiction of sexuality, gender identity, anger, grief, and the reality of love. <3
the entire story is a work of art. i wish i could read this book for the first time again. the twists it takes are horrible and beautiful. it dives into grief and the feeling of being trapped in your own body. there’s something so beautiful about the way friendship and human connection are expressed throughout the story.
please read if you want a beautiful depiction of sexuality, gender identity, anger, grief, and the reality of love. <3
katieoxee's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
nmau13's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
maestrolatinx's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is my second time listening to the book. The narrator is phenomenal. I like how spicy the book gets and I appreciate the protagonist’s journey throughout the story. There’s a lot of trauma to unpack and less plot and development of the world as I’d like. I’m looking forward to the conclusion of the duology.
asreadbykat's review against another edition
4.0
True Rating: 4.5/5
Content/Trigger Warnings (as stated in the book): violence, child abuse, childhood sexual harassment and assault, allusions to pedophilia, suicidal ideation and mentions of suicide, misgendering, drug use, and mentions of infertility and miscarriage.
There are times when I want to read a fantasy story involving queerness, and there are times when I want to read a queer story involving fantasy. "The Witch King" is definitely the latter, and is worth every second of reading it.
As someone who is Ace, I can completely sympathize with Wyatt's plight of a contracted marriage where he is basically only seen as a baby machine. While it's a different situation for him, as a trans character, I almost felt his rage and disgust on a physical level. Wyatt is a very real, very relatable character, no matter what magical heritage and powers he has, and readers can feel every emotion as he goes on his journey. Edgmon did a fantastic job with his main character, who is so very flawed and real that at times I honestly forgot I was reading a fantasy.
I also like all of our other characters; how no one is who you expect them to be, everyone with their own flaws. Even our villains have some sympathetic points, while still being pretty despicable -just like villains in real life.
And don't let how easy this novel is to read fool you -it makes some really hard, heavy-hitting arguments that I fully stand behind. The arguments are intended to make the readers think, and I would LOVE to see this book being used in a classroom for a discussion of YA literature. It works especially well because even though Edgmon uses the fantasy elements as metaphors and symbolism for real-world problems such as prejudice and discrimination, homophobia, and abuse, he also has the characters state the problems in full sentence facts. Readers aren't left with only the metaphor and symbolism; the problems and arguments are put out there in a way that no one can ignore.
The only reason this work isn't a full 5 stars is because even though I could see how much Emyr and Wyatt cared for each other, I did think by the end it was being a bit rushed. Yes, they have a history together, but that history is also tainted by misunderstandings and it would take more than a few days to overcome almost a lifetime of that, especially when combined with Wyatt's trauma. So while I was rooting for the two of them by the end, I would have liked to see a little more work being put in emotionally, especially since their relationship is kind of crucial to bits of the plot.
Overall, this is a really enthralling read and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting more queer fantasy. Just please heed the content warnings, because this is NOT a lighthearted novel.
Content/Trigger Warnings (as stated in the book): violence, child abuse, childhood sexual harassment and assault, allusions to pedophilia, suicidal ideation and mentions of suicide, misgendering, drug use, and mentions of infertility and miscarriage.
There are times when I want to read a fantasy story involving queerness, and there are times when I want to read a queer story involving fantasy. "The Witch King" is definitely the latter, and is worth every second of reading it.
As someone who is Ace, I can completely sympathize with Wyatt's plight of a contracted marriage where he is basically only seen as a baby machine. While it's a different situation for him, as a trans character, I almost felt his rage and disgust on a physical level. Wyatt is a very real, very relatable character, no matter what magical heritage and powers he has, and readers can feel every emotion as he goes on his journey. Edgmon did a fantastic job with his main character, who is so very flawed and real that at times I honestly forgot I was reading a fantasy.
I also like all of our other characters; how no one is who you expect them to be, everyone with their own flaws. Even our villains have some sympathetic points, while still being pretty despicable -just like villains in real life.
And don't let how easy this novel is to read fool you -it makes some really hard, heavy-hitting arguments that I fully stand behind. The arguments are intended to make the readers think, and I would LOVE to see this book being used in a classroom for a discussion of YA literature. It works especially well because even though Edgmon uses the fantasy elements as metaphors and symbolism for real-world problems such as prejudice and discrimination, homophobia, and abuse, he also has the characters state the problems in full sentence facts. Readers aren't left with only the metaphor and symbolism; the problems and arguments are put out there in a way that no one can ignore.
The only reason this work isn't a full 5 stars is because even though I could see how much Emyr and Wyatt cared for each other, I did think by the end it was being a bit rushed. Yes, they have a history together, but that history is also tainted by misunderstandings and it would take more than a few days to overcome almost a lifetime of that, especially when combined with Wyatt's trauma. So while I was rooting for the two of them by the end, I would have liked to see a little more work being put in emotionally, especially since their relationship is kind of crucial to bits of the plot.
Overall, this is a really enthralling read and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting more queer fantasy. Just please heed the content warnings, because this is NOT a lighthearted novel.
glassarrow917's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0