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strawberrypinch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Alcohol, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Body horror, and Sexual assault
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
carolibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, War, and Rape
Moderate: Self harm, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
nexusgoblin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
btrz7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Rape, Sexual violence, Confinement, Death, Slavery, Torture, Violence, War, and Sexual content
Moderate: Animal death
raven9949's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Honestly… it’s too long. It’s two and a half books crammed into one…. There quite of a bit of dubcon and noncon that isn’t really addressed or it’s glazed over for the point of the story to continue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence
mariamizhys's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
If the FL were a DnD character, she'd be a bard. She f*cked her way into a mess and by Elua, she's going to f*ck her way out of it.
First reaction: I liked it. It was emotionally engaging, the world was interesting and I found the characters curious. The plot was meh, but not bad. The world building and character work made up for it. I empathized with our heros and was genuinely on the edge of my seat during the finale battle because I was anxious for them.
After a few days of stewing over it and analyzing:
It's an epic fantasy set in an alternate history to ours in the early middle ages (7th or 8th century). The author made a few very bold and unique choices in terms of setting (for example: our heroine is a high class prostitute, and she likes it). The plot is tropy and predictable, and reminiscent of an epic Ballade ( example: the death of a mentor.)
but because the setting is so unusual the tropes seem less predictable because I haven't encountered them in these circumstances. The plot defiantly managed to surprise me on a number of major decisions. I like that.
One major criticism I have is, that almost every conflict seems to be resolved by Phaedra having sex with her adversary or letting them torture her. My default reaction to meeting a new character became: "Ah! And when is she going to f*ck him/her?". And that is just plain boring.
First reaction: I liked it. It was emotionally engaging, the world was interesting and I found the characters curious. The plot was meh, but not bad. The world building and character work made up for it. I empathized with our heros and was genuinely on the edge of my seat during the finale battle because I was anxious for them.
After a few days of stewing over it and analyzing:
It's an epic fantasy set in an alternate history to ours in the early middle ages (7th or 8th century). The author made a few very bold and unique choices in terms of setting (for example: our heroine is a high class prostitute, and she likes it). The plot is tropy and predictable, and reminiscent of an epic Ballade (
but because the setting is so unusual the tropes seem less predictable because I haven't encountered them in these circumstances. The plot defiantly managed to surprise me on a number of major decisions. I like that.
One major criticism I have is, that almost every conflict seems to be resolved by Phaedra having sex with her adversary or letting them torture her. My default reaction to meeting a new character became: "Ah! And when is she going to f*ck him/her?". And that is just plain boring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Slavery, War, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual assault
massivepizzacrust's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I have a lot of thoughts about this book and while I think it has some issues (or maybe a lot of them), I've definitely never read anything like it. Did I enjoy reading it? I don't know. Would I recommend it to other people? I... don't know...? But it sure will continue to live in my head forever.
I think for what the content of this book is, I didn't love the "narrating from the future" writing choice. It felt detached and I've never been a fan of explicit foreshadowing. All the emotionally important raunchy scenes happened off screen or were only summarized in a couple of sentences, while the "just what work looks like" scenes were the ones highlighted. That's just not what I personally enjoy. But I liked the world building, where the wider plot went and how the main character interacted with the diplomatic challenges around her given her skills...
Phedre's boys were my favorite part, I love them. Also, if Joscelin could unbutton about two more buttons on his shirt, he would be so much better than Melisande could ever be. That's just my two cents.
I think for what the content of this book is, I didn't love the "narrating from the future" writing choice. It felt detached and I've never been a fan of explicit foreshadowing. All the emotionally important raunchy scenes happened off screen or were only summarized in a couple of sentences, while the "just what work looks like" scenes were the ones highlighted. That's just not what I personally enjoy. But I liked the world building, where the wider plot went and how the main character interacted with the diplomatic challenges around her given her skills...
Phedre's boys were my favorite part, I love them. Also, if Joscelin could unbutton about two more buttons on his shirt, he would be so much better than Melisande could ever be. That's just my two cents.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and War
reading_rainbows's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is very much an epic. Though we stay with the main character Phedre, there is a lot of detail about a lot of people that I mistakenly tried to keep up with. If you like lots of details to keep track of you might just love this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gore, Sexual violence, Trafficking, War, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Violence, and Xenophobia
laura_mcloughlin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
One of my all-time favorite books! I have read this book a lot, in fact it lives on my Kindle (along with the 3rd one in the series) in case I'm without a book to read (or not liking the book I'm reading).
Fair warning - it takes awhile for the Plot to get started. The first 40% of the book is world building. It is (mostly) interesting world building but you may (like me the first time I read it) start wondering when things will really get moving. But once the Plot starts it is hard to put down.
I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy (especially those set in what is clearly our world, with just a few tweak). Phedre is an amazing heroine and Jacqueline Carey is an auto-read for me.
Fair warning - it takes awhile for the Plot to get started. The first 40% of the book is world building. It is (mostly) interesting world building but you may (like me the first time I read it) start wondering when things will really get moving. But once the Plot starts it is hard to put down.
I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy (especially those set in what is clearly our world, with just a few tweak). Phedre is an amazing heroine and Jacqueline Carey is an auto-read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, War, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Rape
veronicachp's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
3 star - Might recommend, wouldn't reread.
I really wanted to like this one, I know many people love it, and with 9 books in the series I was really hoping to fall in love and be kept busy for a while. But alas, I didn't really like it.
I found the sexual politics really....uncomfy, especially the training of children to be perfect courtesans from a very young age, and 16 being the age where they start serving patrons. As a former 16 year old, just really squicked me out. And her adoptive father is supposed to be a kind hero figure, but I couldn't overlook him ultimately training child prostitutes and spies to do his dirty work for him.
Aside from that it's just SO LONG. SO LONG. The story didn't really properly start until like, 300 pages in, and then continues for another 600 pages. That's with the author continually using the "I won't bother to tell you about *scene*" choice throughout the book, where the narrator (Phedre) explicitly chooses not to detail several scenes (like crossing the mountain, several political moments, etc) and yet it's still 900 pages. I feel the whole book could have been done just as well in 4-500 pages, tops.
I did really love some of the characters, and some of the scenes, but unfortunately the good didn't outweigh the mediocre for me.
I really wanted to like this one, I know many people love it, and with 9 books in the series I was really hoping to fall in love and be kept busy for a while. But alas, I didn't really like it.
I found the sexual politics really....uncomfy, especially the training of children to be perfect courtesans from a very young age, and 16 being the age where they start serving patrons. As a former 16 year old, just really squicked me out. And her adoptive father is supposed to be a kind hero figure, but I couldn't overlook him ultimately training child prostitutes and spies to do his dirty work for him.
Aside from that it's just SO LONG. SO LONG. The story didn't really properly start until like, 300 pages in, and then continues for another 600 pages. That's with the author continually using the "I won't bother to tell you about *scene*" choice throughout the book, where the narrator (Phedre) explicitly chooses not to detail several scenes (like crossing the mountain, several political moments, etc) and yet it's still 900 pages. I feel the whole book could have been done just as well in 4-500 pages, tops.
I did really love some of the characters, and some of the scenes, but unfortunately the good didn't outweigh the mediocre for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape and Vomit