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chaptermaggot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Incest, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
hazel_oat's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Confinement, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Drug abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Death of parent, Grief, and War
eidal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Torture, and Sexual content
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Trafficking
Minor: War, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug use, and Alcohol
woza's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Incest, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol
Minor: Biphobia, Blood, and Bullying
charmedstray's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
to be clear-- this book & its sequels, & pacat's writing as a whole loves to linger in grey areas. awful and deeply unpleasant shit happens in this book! every character does terrible things! what's crucial, though, is that pacat trusts the reader enough not to have the narration go "yes, the systemic sex slavery and the violence are, in fact, bad and not good," and if you grow to trust the author enough to go "you know what? i bet the themes of this book probably Aren't going to be slavery and rape good and hot actually," you'll have a good time. this feels unnecessarily didactic and condescending of me to say, but i'm so exhausted of the ghosts of terminally online lit discourse brainrot that i'm saying it anyway.
also, for those who also are skeeved out by the slavery thing & would maybe like to know more about it before they commit:
the second country is heavily inspired by western europe-- the court where this novel takes place is, imo, heavily reminiscent of the sun king's versailles, or the medici's florence. this culture nominally doesn't keep slaves-- "pets" as they're called, are contracted, can be paid and often have at least some autonomy. they're considered a status symbol & treated ridiculously well.
the idea of slavery (these countries specific ideas of & relationships with it, to be clear) is interrogated throughout the trilogy, and it is textually condemned.
anyway, the first two thirds of this book is dedicated to constructing the convoluted power dynamic between the two protagonists, and also reminding you of the whole slavery thing every single page. in a sort of frog-in-boiling-water way, this turns into intricate political intrigue. if you're not interested in the main premise of the book, the slavery thing, i'd say read it anyway, it gets better. if you're not interested in court intrigue? you will NOT enjoy this!! fortunately, i fucking love this type of thing. also now i'm done with the thesis statement on why this book is Good, Actually!
her writing style irt character is very much like a painting where the most attention and care is visibly concentrated on the most important areas, but all the side characters we meet are still solidly sketched out. the protagonist is.... a little bit blank slate meathead-y. this gets better later, but it does grow a bit tiresome. the pacing in this one is also fairly slow. overall, if you're interested in messy relationships (both platonic & not), convoluted power dynamics, identity shenanigans, or very pleasant untouchable princes who are definitely not always filled with seething hatred and frustration and misery.... crack it open. give it a try.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Slavery, Rape, Sexual violence, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
dahliaden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Slavery, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, War, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Child abuse
zoey_blk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Slavery, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Classism, Blood, and Drug use
Minor: War and Alcohol
paziicrm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This edition contains an extra short story, Erasmus's training AND IT WAS SO SO GOOD. First time reading it and I'm floored to see how much I enjoyed it. The ending was surprising, heartbreaking and devastating for so many reasons. I hope Erasmus and Kallias find each other again... 4.5☆
This specific edition I give 4.25 because the short story at the end elevates the rating (such a nice bonus!)
Graphic: Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement and Drug use
Minor: Animal death, Classism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Animal cruelty
kekeli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Murder, Drug use, Body horror, Alcohol, Death, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship
dragonbloom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.75
I hated it.
Fundamentally, I feel it is too horny to be an adventure story, but not horny enough to be erotica. My issues with the plot only compound it.
Laurent, our love interest, is gifted Damen as a sex slave. The court he is surrounded with is hedonistic and sexual, with courtiers regularly having sex in public.
Despite this, there is only one actual sex scene,
Despite ordering Damen’s abuse at the hands of his servants,
I found the story predictable. On several occasions, the chapter would end with Laurent dramatically informing the ever oblivious Damen something I had guessed chapters ago, much to Damen’s shock. In these moments, he comes off, not unfamiliar with the venomous court of a foreign land, but stupid.
The regent’s, who’s name escapes me, “pet”,
The only thing I can give the book credit for is consistent characterisation, and good use of showing instead of telling.
If you like slow burn, abusive noncon fanfiction, this is probably the book for you. For me? God, no.
Graphic: Torture, Sexual harassment, Racism, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Trafficking, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, War, Death of parent, Violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Suicide
Much of the book is spent musing on the beauty of, specifically pale, skin.