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hebberelle's review
3.0
3.5 stars. Rather sweet but has a very hopeless undertone. And then at the end we learn that all they did lasted just 20 years and that was it.
annaaugustineauthor's review against another edition
4.0
This book was super good! I loved the nuances to Persephone and Hades. Even though I guessed most of the plot twists, the story was sweet and I loved the message of seeing people for who they are inside.
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A couple parts were a bit laggy, but over all it was sweet arranged marriage story that I couldn’t put down!
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A couple parts were a bit laggy, but over all it was sweet arranged marriage story that I couldn’t put down!
shelvedthoughts's review against another edition
5.0
Peaceweaver
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Persis’s point of view
– there are nightmares (think of what you’d expect of to see of the underworld/Hades – creepy, blood, corpses, etc – but with minimal description; more like just enough to understand what they are experiencing without really creeping out the reader)
– a character is blind
Review:
I enjoyed this fae romance with elements of the Hades/Persephone story! I loved Persis’s heart for healing. I loved that we didn’t get to know the full scope of her powers right away, but instead got introduced to a new bit every couple steps of the way. I grew to like Prince Haryk through Persis’s eyes as time went on & I was hurt like Persis when he didn’t see eye to eye with her after an incident. I loved the sweet dream moments Persis had that we got to see. I also really liked Haryk’s mother & his nurses that worked closely with Persis.
Summary:
When a healer is demanded for Prince Haryk, also known as the dark prince, Persis and her mistress are quick to respond. With the tension between her mistress’s kingdom and the dark prince’s, anything less would cause further issues between them. But when they arrive, Persis’s mistress tells Persis to kill the prince instead of healing him. As a healer, Persis made an oath to only use her magic for healing. Going against it could leave her with dire consequences on it’s own, besides the ones that would come down on her if she went through with it and was caught. Caught in an internal battle over obeying her mistress and betraying her oath or disobeying her mistress and helping the enemy, Persis has to make decisions she never thought she’d have to as a healer. And as Persis discovers new things about the prince as she cares for him, she is thrown even deeper. Because the man she’s getting to know? He’s someone she could never fall for…
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Persis’s point of view
– there are nightmares (think of what you’d expect of to see of the underworld/Hades – creepy, blood, corpses, etc – but with minimal description; more like just enough to understand what they are experiencing without really creeping out the reader)
– a character is blind
Review:
I enjoyed this fae romance with elements of the Hades/Persephone story! I loved Persis’s heart for healing. I loved that we didn’t get to know the full scope of her powers right away, but instead got introduced to a new bit every couple steps of the way. I grew to like Prince Haryk through Persis’s eyes as time went on & I was hurt like Persis when he didn’t see eye to eye with her after an incident. I loved the sweet dream moments Persis had that we got to see. I also really liked Haryk’s mother & his nurses that worked closely with Persis.
Summary:
When a healer is demanded for Prince Haryk, also known as the dark prince, Persis and her mistress are quick to respond. With the tension between her mistress’s kingdom and the dark prince’s, anything less would cause further issues between them. But when they arrive, Persis’s mistress tells Persis to kill the prince instead of healing him. As a healer, Persis made an oath to only use her magic for healing. Going against it could leave her with dire consequences on it’s own, besides the ones that would come down on her if she went through with it and was caught. Caught in an internal battle over obeying her mistress and betraying her oath or disobeying her mistress and helping the enemy, Persis has to make decisions she never thought she’d have to as a healer. And as Persis discovers new things about the prince as she cares for him, she is thrown even deeper. Because the man she’s getting to know? He’s someone she could never fall for…
melb876's review against another edition
2.0
Confusing, convoluted story
I don't see Hades and Persephone in this story unless the whole light elf living in the dark elf world is the tie-in. It is more of a Beauty and the Beast tale. There is a curse, and Persis is forced to go serve as a healer for the cursed dark elf prince. Persis is the daughter of a merchant who lost his fortune when his merchant ships were lost at sea.
The FMC was annoying. She was so strong in her magic and healing, but she was annoying. It seemed the author tried to write Persis as talented and stubborn, but she constantly misused/overextended her magic, and caved at the slightest pressure when she should have and could have stood her ground.
Also, what the heck was she doing during the week before the wedding? There was a root that was supposed to help enhance her magic to help her break the curse on Prince Haryk, but instead of looking for it, it wasn't even brought up again until after the wedding, when it was discovered to be in the apothecary, but of course, something happens and it is stolen. Perhaps the introduction of the root's ability to help should have been saved for maybe right before the wedding.
Final thoughts: The story dragged on longer than necessary. It had terrible plot holes, too many spots of new information being randomly dumped on the reader, and the curse's origin was never really explained. It feels like the reader is dropped into a world they should already know about, so there were holes in the world-building.
I originally planned to read the next book, the Grimkeeper, but the FMC Dagmar was introduced in this first book, and she did not strike me as an interesting enough character.
I don't see Hades and Persephone in this story unless the whole light elf living in the dark elf world is the tie-in. It is more of a Beauty and the Beast tale. There is a curse, and Persis is forced to go serve as a healer for the cursed dark elf prince. Persis is the daughter of a merchant who lost his fortune when his merchant ships were lost at sea.
The FMC was annoying. She was so strong in her magic and healing, but she was annoying. It seemed the author tried to write Persis as talented and stubborn, but she constantly misused/overextended her magic, and caved at the slightest pressure when she should have and could have stood her ground.
Also, what the heck was she doing during the week before the wedding? There was a root that was supposed to help enhance her magic to help her break the curse on Prince Haryk, but instead of looking for it, it wasn't even brought up again until after the wedding, when it was discovered to be in the apothecary, but of course, something happens and it is stolen. Perhaps the introduction of the root's ability to help should have been saved for maybe right before the wedding.
Final thoughts: The story dragged on longer than necessary. It had terrible plot holes, too many spots of new information being randomly dumped on the reader, and the curse's origin was never really explained. It feels like the reader is dropped into a world they should already know about, so there were holes in the world-building.
I originally planned to read the next book, the Grimkeeper, but the FMC Dagmar was introduced in this first book, and she did not strike me as an interesting enough character.
josiahdegraaf's review against another edition
4.0
It was hard to follow what exactly made this a retelling of Hades & Persephone. But the story itself was great and I enjoyed reading this book!
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
the_bookish_raven's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this book! I picked it up because I saw that it was a clean Hades & Persephone re-telling, but I didn't know much about the book itself. I wasn't expecting an intriguing world full of political tensions, dangerous magic, and gorgeous settings along with the romance!
Both of the main characters were very likeable! Persis is a devoted healer and I love how seriously she takes her responsibilities, even when it gets her in trouble. Haryk truly wants the best for his people, but he has a hard time loving himself. I loved how their characters were similar enough to Hades & Persephone while still being completely unique!
The magical elements to this story were fascinating, and I loved how it interacted with and affected the world itself. Persis's sand magic was particularly amazing, and I loved how it was also an extension of herself!
Another thing I really appreciated about this book were the themes of love, loss, sacrifice, betrayal, and forgiveness. These were beautifully woven into the story, and they made the story even more powerful. I was reminded of a quote from the show Once Upon A Time: "All magic comes with a price."
When I'm looking for a fantasy romance, THIS is the kind of book I want to read. The author did an excellent job blending together a stunning, magical world with a romance that made my heart happy! This story is a stand-alone with a satisfying conclusion, but I believe the author isn't done with this world yet (though I'm not 100% positive.) This was the first book I read by Everly Haywood, but it will not be the last! I cannot recommend this enough to fans of the fantasy romance genre or readers who love a Hades & Persephone re-telling!
Content: clean, though it does contain some death and violence
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this book! I picked it up because I saw that it was a clean Hades & Persephone re-telling, but I didn't know much about the book itself. I wasn't expecting an intriguing world full of political tensions, dangerous magic, and gorgeous settings along with the romance!
Both of the main characters were very likeable! Persis is a devoted healer and I love how seriously she takes her responsibilities, even when it gets her in trouble. Haryk truly wants the best for his people, but he has a hard time loving himself. I loved how their characters were similar enough to Hades & Persephone while still being completely unique!
The magical elements to this story were fascinating, and I loved how it interacted with and affected the world itself. Persis's sand magic was particularly amazing, and I loved how it was also an extension of herself!
Another thing I really appreciated about this book were the themes of love, loss, sacrifice, betrayal, and forgiveness. These were beautifully woven into the story, and they made the story even more powerful. I was reminded of a quote from the show Once Upon A Time: "All magic comes with a price."
When I'm looking for a fantasy romance, THIS is the kind of book I want to read. The author did an excellent job blending together a stunning, magical world with a romance that made my heart happy! This story is a stand-alone with a satisfying conclusion, but I believe the author isn't done with this world yet (though I'm not 100% positive.) This was the first book I read by Everly Haywood, but it will not be the last! I cannot recommend this enough to fans of the fantasy romance genre or readers who love a Hades & Persephone re-telling!
Content: clean, though it does contain some death and violence
fairytale42's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The pacing of this book dragged a bit, but it was worth it because Persis and Haryk are adorable. It felt more like it was inspired by the Hades/Persephone story, though, rather than being a retelling - there was so many more "new" things unrelated to the Greek myth that it can stand on its own without the retelling title. (However, I definitely first read this book because it was marketed as a clean Hades/Persephone retelling...go figure.)
The plot in this book is twisty and political while still being easy to understand. There are enemies in the palace walls, and some have no qualms about letting others know just how much they dislike the prince. There's also the threat of war hanging over the two countries, one that could be devastating for the dark elves even more than the humans. The author did a great job at building tension and making the threat feel real. Magic was also a huge factor, and I loved hearing discussions of the different kinds of magic.
Speaking of magic, Persis' sand magic was awesome to see, and it made me want to live in the desert. Just like all magic, it has its limits, though, and it was a bit annoying to see Persis stretch her abilities the max nearly every time she tried to heal the prince. (And then she hardly ever slept, so that didn't help things.) Along with the magic, the worldbuilding was done well. I wanted to explore more of Gelaira and travel back to the Persis' desert home.
As for the characters, they were adorable together, especially because Haryk deals with the world differently because of his blindness. It was great to see a MC with a disability, although I wish it was handled a little differently (can't say any more or I'll delve into spoilers). Haryk was a bit annoying at first since he was so persnickety, but seeing how hurt he was by everything made him more relatable. And bless her heart, Persis is a darling who does not deserve all the flack she's gotten for years. I love that she grew into a leadership role even when it seemed impossible. That being said, their romance felt a bit contrived, but that's to be expected. I still think they are a believable couple.
All in all, this was a great high fantasy story with a great, slow-burn romance that's clean (save some kisses and some references to bearing heirs). Definitely a new fave!
The plot in this book is twisty and political while still being easy to understand. There are enemies in the palace walls, and some have no qualms about letting others know just how much they dislike the prince. There's also the threat of war hanging over the two countries, one that could be devastating for the dark elves even more than the humans. The author did a great job at building tension and making the threat feel real. Magic was also a huge factor, and I loved hearing discussions of the different kinds of magic.
Speaking of magic, Persis' sand magic was awesome to see, and it made me want to live in the desert. Just like all magic, it has its limits, though, and it was a bit annoying to see Persis stretch her abilities the max nearly every time she tried to heal the prince. (And then she hardly ever slept, so that didn't help things.) Along with the magic, the worldbuilding was done well. I wanted to explore more of Gelaira and travel back to the Persis' desert home.
As for the characters, they were adorable together, especially because Haryk deals with the world differently because of his blindness. It was great to see a MC with a disability, although I wish it was handled a little differently (can't say any more or I'll delve into spoilers). Haryk was a bit annoying at first since he was so persnickety, but seeing how hurt he was by everything made him more relatable. And bless her heart, Persis is a darling who does not deserve all the flack she's gotten for years. I love that she grew into a leadership role even when it seemed impossible. That being said, their romance felt a bit contrived, but that's to be expected. I still think they are a believable couple.
All in all, this was a great high fantasy story with a great, slow-burn romance that's clean (save some kisses and some references to bearing heirs). Definitely a new fave!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Death, Physical abuse, and Torture
Minor: Medical content
roget's review against another edition
3.0
This review is complicated. Parts of this book felt four star, and parts were three.
The opening of this story was fast-paced and compelling, and I found myself quickly attached to the characters. Persis's patience and her values as a healer were refreshing. I loved that these didn't slip in the book's culmination. Her love for Dunewatch was always a delight to read, and her memories of her homeland (and the way she continues to embrace it, despite the distance) was some of the best writing in the book. At his best, Haryk is wry, clever, and charming, and I quickly grew invested in his wellbeing. <3
The author touches on this in an endnote (which I appreciated!), but I did still pause at some of the depictions of blindness in the story. (I am not blind, so take these reflections with a grain of salt.) I wonder if the areas of potential concern discussed in that endnote might've been reworked to accomplish the same goal (emotional intimacy between the protagonists and Persis feeling noticed and appreciated) without drawing from some stereotypes that the author and their sensitivity reader discussed that were touched on in the end note.
I also found myself wishing that Haryk hadn't been "cured." Often, disability is met with a kill-or-cure endgame in stories, and when the book made it seem like Haryk's blindness was going to persist after a showdown with the "curse" (more on that later), I felt it was a strong choice. (As that's the experience most people have with disabilities like this--they don't vanish with true love). The kiss the heroine and hero share there was top notch, and it seemed to communicate that Haryk was agent, whole, and himself. He's heroic in that moment. I was thrilled and elated for them.
But then he gets his sight back anyway, slightly later, as an unintentional side effect of a different magical exchange. And I sort of wondered how necessary that might be. That exchange comes at the cost of Persis's magic, and the tether that linked her to his internal life. (Basically, she gives up her magic to him to save him from peril, and in doing so, it unexpectedly gives him sight on top of helping him handle other magical threats that would otherwise destroy him). The sacrifice would've still been moving had his sight not returned. She did save his life, either way. It would've been interesting to see the space given to his sight restoration provided instead to them having to work on building their relationship without telepathy or dream connections.
Which leads to my next point. Haryk sort of disappears halfway through the book. The roots of the compelling character pull back after a snag around the time that their marriage is arranged. And while I accept some of the reasoning behind Haryk's sudden emotional retreat (fractured trust), some of it felt a bit confusing. It feels like both an under and over-reaction at times. He understands why she withheld information, but he doesn't quite trust her fully, either. His withdrawal is swift and lasting, and she's almost entirely closed off from him emotionally, save for snatches of moments when he seems to waiver. But the reader is locked fully out of his head and heart, and they never really find their way back, completely. There's a good moment during a dragon ride where it seems like a foundation is being laid, but then danger keeps them apart and/or busy for nearly the rest of the story.
While they battle metaphysical danger and push back metaphorical darkness in a dreamscape realm, imho they never fully recover the emotional intimacy that they lost in the mundane world.
I'd have liked to see that, because I grew to be quite invested in their happiness. The story does give a happy ending, but the reader isn't really given the window into Haryk that I was hoping for. I wanted to know more of his motivations, fears, and wishes surrounding Persis.
Finally, some of the twists near the end were interesting, but felt like they might've benefitted from a bit more space to development. The curse-that-wasn't-a-curse was never fully explained, and I'm still not entirely sure of what happened or how tied Haryk's fate was to darkness affecting Gelaira. I'm alright with the latter, though, because Gelaira's condition feels like the sort of thing that might be expanded upon in future books (especially given the librarian's closing comments). Haryk's mom, too. We never really know exactly what happened when she suppressed Haryk's magic as a child. Furthermore, some of her behavior is troubling and is never really unpacked. (Like when she wanted to trick Haryk by exploiting his blindness to leave him behind and out of danger without him knowing. I really wish Haryk had been given a moment to address that more proactively.) She seems to be a bit more grey as a character than Persis gives her credit for.
All that said, the story world was so cool! I wanted more of it. <3 I wanted to see more of Gelaira, especially, and to learn better what every day life looks like there. This definitely reads like one book amidst a series, and I'm curious to see where the story world goes next! (It seems we're in for a war, which is fascinating.) Haywood is strongest in her employment of wit and texture (the note about the librarian and apprentice at the start is just one example; another example would be every word out of Glamren's mouth). Persis made a loveable Persephone figure, and she's probably my favorite part of the story.
The opening of this story was fast-paced and compelling, and I found myself quickly attached to the characters. Persis's patience and her values as a healer were refreshing. I loved that these didn't slip in the book's culmination. Her love for Dunewatch was always a delight to read, and her memories of her homeland (and the way she continues to embrace it, despite the distance) was some of the best writing in the book. At his best, Haryk is wry, clever, and charming, and I quickly grew invested in his wellbeing. <3
The author touches on this in an endnote (which I appreciated!), but I did still pause at some of the depictions of blindness in the story. (I am not blind, so take these reflections with a grain of salt.) I wonder if the areas of potential concern discussed in that endnote might've been reworked to accomplish the same goal (emotional intimacy between the protagonists and Persis feeling noticed and appreciated) without drawing from some stereotypes that the author and their sensitivity reader discussed that were touched on in the end note.
I also found myself wishing that Haryk hadn't been "cured." Often, disability is met with a kill-or-cure endgame in stories, and when the book made it seem like Haryk's blindness was going to persist after a showdown with the "curse" (more on that later), I felt it was a strong choice. (As that's the experience most people have with disabilities like this--they don't vanish with true love). The kiss the heroine and hero share there was top notch, and it seemed to communicate that Haryk was agent, whole, and himself. He's heroic in that moment. I was thrilled and elated for them.
But then he gets his sight back anyway, slightly later, as an unintentional side effect of a different magical exchange. And I sort of wondered how necessary that might be. That exchange comes at the cost of Persis's magic, and the tether that linked her to his internal life. (Basically, she gives up her magic to him to save him from peril, and in doing so, it unexpectedly gives him sight on top of helping him handle other magical threats that would otherwise destroy him). The sacrifice would've still been moving had his sight not returned. She did save his life, either way. It would've been interesting to see the space given to his sight restoration provided instead to them having to work on building their relationship without telepathy or dream connections.
Which leads to my next point. Haryk sort of disappears halfway through the book. The roots of the compelling character pull back after a snag around the time that their marriage is arranged. And while I accept some of the reasoning behind Haryk's sudden emotional retreat (fractured trust), some of it felt a bit confusing. It feels like both an under and over-reaction at times. He understands why she withheld information, but he doesn't quite trust her fully, either. His withdrawal is swift and lasting, and she's almost entirely closed off from him emotionally, save for snatches of moments when he seems to waiver. But the reader is locked fully out of his head and heart, and they never really find their way back, completely. There's a good moment during a dragon ride where it seems like a foundation is being laid, but then danger keeps them apart and/or busy for nearly the rest of the story.
While they battle metaphysical danger and push back metaphorical darkness in a dreamscape realm, imho they never fully recover the emotional intimacy that they lost in the mundane world.
I'd have liked to see that, because I grew to be quite invested in their happiness. The story does give a happy ending, but the reader isn't really given the window into Haryk that I was hoping for. I wanted to know more of his motivations, fears, and wishes surrounding Persis.
Finally, some of the twists near the end were interesting, but felt like they might've benefitted from a bit more space to development. The curse-that-wasn't-a-curse was never fully explained, and I'm still not entirely sure of what happened or how tied Haryk's fate was to darkness affecting Gelaira. I'm alright with the latter, though, because Gelaira's condition feels like the sort of thing that might be expanded upon in future books (especially given the librarian's closing comments). Haryk's mom, too. We never really know exactly what happened when she suppressed Haryk's magic as a child. Furthermore, some of her behavior is troubling and is never really unpacked. (Like when she wanted to trick Haryk by exploiting his blindness to leave him behind and out of danger without him knowing. I really wish Haryk had been given a moment to address that more proactively.) She seems to be a bit more grey as a character than Persis gives her credit for.
All that said, the story world was so cool! I wanted more of it. <3 I wanted to see more of Gelaira, especially, and to learn better what every day life looks like there. This definitely reads like one book amidst a series, and I'm curious to see where the story world goes next! (It seems we're in for a war, which is fascinating.) Haywood is strongest in her employment of wit and texture (the note about the librarian and apprentice at the start is just one example; another example would be every word out of Glamren's mouth). Persis made a loveable Persephone figure, and she's probably my favorite part of the story.
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