Reviews with content warning for Trafficking - Captive Prince

Writing this review after already finishing the second book (and about to start the third), I can confidently say this trilogy is really damn good. I understand some people cannot enjoy the book due to some issues with the sensitive content (which is fine!), but I didn't view the book as glorifying it in any way (contrary actually) so I really enjoyed it! There's so much character development throughout the whole trilogy, and I think the plot is excellently crafted. I also really enjoy the Greco-Roman inspired political elements, and think a lot of people ignore that some of the harder-to-read situations are based on a cruel, historical reality that the book speaks about with disgust and critical commentary. Overall, great books, but not for those that simply don't want to engage in that type of sensitive content.

Content Warnings

sarahflies's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Content Warnings

foxo_cube's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I really don't know what to say about this book because it's a very nothing kind of book.

Okay, so, for context, a friend of mine has lent me the trilogy because she says it's a fun hate-read, but despite being warned that nothing really happens until the latter half of the second book, I'm just a bit at a loss. How was there enough words to make this a book? The actual story that happened could have been half the length, maybe even less.

Due to its premise and setting, it ends up coming across as pornless porn. I don't know how else to explain it. Everyone's got a sex slave and having public sex and the nobles all watch rape as a fun performance from slaves trained to do that and yet it is written in a strange, sanitised kind of way that does the impossible and makes that absurdly depraved idea come across as boring. That sort of thing should be shocking! Damen is shocked, for one, or so we're told. That guy's got the personality of a flannel, so it's hard to tell. In <i>his</i> country, they are much nicer to their sex slaves, he thinks.

The fact that in not-France everyone has only gay sex because hetero sex is taboo outside of marriage is SO funny. It makes me think of that Gacha Life screenshot of the guy like "it's my first day at gay high school, I hope nobody finds out I'm straight". Also got to love the one token named woman with a female "pet" who's clearly thrown in there to make it seem marginally less like Pacat isn't just the ultimate fujoshi.

The politics and intrigue could have had the potential to be interesting if a) we had any reason to care and b) they were a little less straightforward. The entire cast of characters are very head-empty and this includes the ones that we are <i>told</i> are these incredible political masterminds (looking at Laurent).

I don't know. I feel like the vision for this book was clearly to be shocking and dark and intriguing and probably erotic(?), but it falls flat like you wouldn't believe. I couldn't even hate it because that's too strong a feeling. I will have forgotten everything about it within the week. The second one had better be more entertaining otherwise I will have to disown my friend.

Content Warnings

macbcth's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.5

Content Warnings

abitbetterbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense 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? It's complicated

Content Warnings

elskabee's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious slow-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

How did I end up here? Why did I read this? And why did I find it so oddly compelling???

This is a book that defies classification. I can hardly call it it a romance based off the the first book, but it's not really about anything in particular? And yet I had to keep reading to find out what happens!

Damen is just stuck in shitty situation with no real way to do anything about it lol. He's kind of dumb and is somewhat self-admittedly a himbo in that he prefers the physical violence of his homeland over the poisonous psychological and political warfare of the Veretian court. He can't figure out pretty much anything until he's told or it becomes painfully obvious lol but I'm not that mad. I wish he had more of a personality as most of the time he felt a bit wooden.

Laurent on the other hand is fascinating as hell. He's a huge asshole and makes this book enemies to lovers in the extreme because he treats Damen (and really everyone he's not trying to politically seduce) terribly. Buuut as you grow to understand him and the shitty situation he is also in and you learn more about the inner workings of the court... well it's hard not to start to have a little tiny bit sympathy for him. Trying to understand why he behaves the way he does is one of the most intriguing parts of this book for me.

In terms of the overall worldbuilding, I wish the slave system was a bit more explained as it's left pretty vague. Like, are they actually slaves? How much choice do they have in the matter (aside from Damen)? Other than that I thought it was reasonably well done with explaining what needed to be explained but not ever info-dumping or giving extraneous information. The politics of the court was chef's kiss. I LOVE political intrigue and this is full of it and it's pretty well done imo. The author is good; there was stuff early on that I thought were questionable but the author made me come around on why those aspects were included.

Content Warnings

kyliereads341's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark medium-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

4.75

Content Warnings

dazaireads's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

More...