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marareading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I read this for my traveling book club. Unfortunately I found it very forgettable. The magic system wasn't very unique, and everything was very convenient. The MC was VERY annoying. Not because it is YA and she is young, but because she was ALWAYS making the opposite & wrong choice seemingly to further the story. If she had made ANY choices at all that made sense throughout the book it would have resolved in less than 150 pages. It was infuriating to read. The end wrapped up in such a HEA that it felt wrong and off putting. It was way too... Convenient.
Rovan is our MC. Her father died when she was young to protect her magic from being discovered. she and her mother lived a quiet life trying to avoid the people that might find her, and take her to the palace to be warded. One day she slips and is discovered and warded. That means she is bound to a spirit/dead man named Ivrilos who is her guardian. She now has to survive this new place, discover who are her friends, enemies, and figure out a way to end this torturous system. Either save herself and escape, or save everyone and find out why this system exists based on clues left by her father.
I did love all the queer rep in the book. There is found family, and definitely some intrigue when trying to decide who she can and can't trust. In the end though I don't strongly recommend.
Rovan is our MC. Her father died when she was young to protect her magic from being discovered. she and her mother lived a quiet life trying to avoid the people that might find her, and take her to the palace to be warded. One day she slips and is discovered and warded. That means she is bound to a spirit/dead man named Ivrilos who is her guardian. She now has to survive this new place, discover who are her friends, enemies, and figure out a way to end this torturous system. Either save herself and escape, or save everyone and find out why this system exists based on clues left by her father.
I did love all the queer rep in the book. There is found family, and definitely some intrigue when trying to decide who she can and can't trust. In the end though I don't strongly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Sexism
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