Reviews - A Broken Blade | The StoryGraph

3.65k reviews for:

A Broken Blade

Melissa Blair

3.93 AVERAGE

ellennicole's review against another edition

2.0

2.5- not for me. All my least favorite tropes- though I know a lot of people love them, so if you love this book- I’m glad. No beef from me if this is your jam.

skylerreads28's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional 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

This was really good! There were a few twists I didn’t see coming, especially the ending though I was suspecting something of the nature. The world building is incredible. The characters are very well developed and diverse. I love that heavy themes are not shied away from in this book.

gwen_c6's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

bubblymarie's review against another edition

4.0

A Broken Blade is a great book that stands out because of its protagonist, Keera. What I particularly enjoyed is how imperfect she is. Keera has made mistakes, lives with trauma, and struggles with alcoholism. She has to earn the trust of those around her, knowing she’ll get hurt in the process.

She’s caught between two roles: the warrior people are looking for and the traitor they fear. I loved how she navigates this duality, much like her identity as a Halfling—neither fully one nor the other. Her assassin story is compelling, but the added mystery surrounding her family and origins.

Another highlight is the found-family dynamic she builds throughout the story, although she remains unsure of the trust she can give or receive. Lastly, while the political intrigue is less prominent compared to the later books, it’s still interesting and lays a strong foundation for what’s to come.

hazkat0's review against another edition

5.0

In her acknowledgements the author writes "I wrote this book for you, combining all the things BookTok loves, with all the missing parts I craved." and I genuinely feel that's exactly what she did. It for sure fit the bill of what BookTok is raving about right now, but she added so much more depth. Our main character having to make impossible choices, the author causes the reader to feel the pain of those oppressed while also keeping us in the adventure. Can't wait to read the next one.

My only complaint is the use of the word Halfling, I understand it (sort of, the relation between Fae, Elf, Mortal, Halfling and Mortal who lives a long time is confusing still) but using the word in a Fantasy novel when the Halflings are known to be Hobbits really threw me off.