Reviews

Crimson Reign by Amélie Wen Zhao

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nanzi38's review against another edition

5.0

I actually rate this one a 4.5/5. I finally had time to sit and finish this book and I loved it! My heart broke multiple times reading this trilogy, this last book especially! But I loved how it ended, so glad the crazy fight is over and that Ana was able to keep her promise❤️ I also wasn’t too excited about the separate journeys the main characters had to endure alone but I loved that they still ended up together, to finish the fight! Would highly recommend this book!

ammfoley's review against another edition

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2.0

*nervous laughter* This is not a review, it's a rant. If you loved this book, I can see why. This is just my honest opinion, and it is just that - an opinion. You do you! (Bit of context - I borrowed this series from my friend and vowed to finish it because she loved it so much. Lucky she's not on Goodreads or I don't know if our friendship would survive this review.)

Look, it got better by the end. I nearly DNF'ed early on when Shamaira's eyes were described as "electric orbs of the lightest blue". (Yes. Really.) But I was stoic and made it through. There were entire passages in this book that I feel could have been taken out, and the author suffers from a strain of "tell, never show" which I really struggled with.

I found the pacing better in this book than the last. Red Tigress went on for longer than was needed. Every chapter I was checking the number of pages left, despairing, clawing my way to some vain vestige of hope that I would soon read the last word. I digress.

I thought that Sorsha would have lasted longer because of all that build up, but no, she dies in their first encounter of this book. This doesn't really matter but I thought I should point it out.

The chemistry between Ana and Ramson was just... not there, and that entire relationship felt really forced. There was no build-up; one second they were enemies, the next they were falling over each other. What made this even worse was that Ana got it into her head that breaking his heart by keeping her distance was a reasonable thing to do. (I'm probably just tired of this trope in media, to be completely fair). In chapter 35 she's all, I'm not gonna hurt anymore people, and then proceeds to acknowledge how much she's hurt Ramson and just... walks away. Her reasoning being that if he got too close to her he'd suffer when she inevitably left BUT HE LITERALLY JUST CONFESSED HIS LOVE AND YOU DECIDED TO GO ANYWAY. HE'S ALREADY CLOSE TO YOU. ARGH. Perhaps that's one of my main points-

For so much of this series, she was acting like a martyr before she'd even met the hangman.

Overall this series has so many parallels to the Grishaverse: the characters (Ana loses her magic like Alina loses hers, Ramson is a strange, sleazy mix between Kaz and Nikolai, Linn is indentured, separatde from her family, wields daggers, goes off at the end of the book to fight traffickers, just like Inej), the magic system, the Russian-inspired worldbuilding, the MAP for CHRIST'S SAKE. I couldn't get over it. I ordinarily love when people borrow ideas from others and get inspired, but when every aspect of your book reads like you simply copy-pasted, it gets difficult to look past.

There were so many points in this book when Ana and co. were fatally wounded and then miraculously survived. Call me a sadist, but I wish she'd died at the end. I wished they'd all died, to finally instil some emotion into the story. There was no reason for them not to, and Ana living through the ending - I hate to say it - just wasn't satisfying. PLEASE. Kill of main characters, not just side characters like Yuri and Seyin...

...which leads onto the next point. I was rooting for the Redcloaks ten thousand times more than any of the main characters. None of their characters were explored much which irritated me to no end. Wen Zhao introduced all these people, who were then thrust aside to focus on Ana's irrationality and Ramson's OOC pining for her. Even Daya and Kais' characters weren't elaborated on and they got no POV's, despite being important. I forgot they existed half the time.

I wanted Ana to go on a rampage, at some point in the series; I wanted her to exhibit some good old feminine rage without being held back by the male leads (which happened more than I would like, for all the girls. They were shown as emotional while the guys were tough hardened warriors who always knew better but I'll shut up now). I know her whole thing was being good despite her powers - and boy, wasn't that point hammered in - but like. She had BLOOD magic. BLOOD FREAKING MAGIC. There was this strange dichotomy where sometimes when she used it she was bowed down by the weight of regret and her brother's comfort and at other times she just... didn't care.

IN CONCLUSION it was alright. I struggled to get through it but that's just my personal experience. There were definitely some good moments (see below)! Maybe I just read it at the wrong time, who knows. I'm just glad it's over.

GOOD POINTS from the book: end of chapter 40. Mwah. Perfection. I liked the ambiguity of Linn and Kais' relationship, how it could be interpreted as romantic or platonic, because IT WASN'T FORCED (nudge nudge). The progression felt natural. I liked the writing style for the most part, and even though it stumbles at some parts it shines through at others. I loved how she described scenes instead of just leaving a blank canvas.

Yeah. So. 2 1/2 stars.

thepagelady's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a fantastic conclusion to a fabulous series! The characters are one of the things I enjoyed the most about this series! Ana, our main female character, is heir to the throne & has blood magic her journey has been wonderful to follow! Then there's Ransom and you really can't help but like him! He's witty, loyal & really has a great personality! The writing is wonderful. The twists & turns & the adventure has really been amazing! Really a great read!

Thank you Random Things Tours and Amélie Wen Zhao for sharing this amazing book with me!