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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This really had it all to me. A folk tale world with political intrigue, complex heroes and villains, and sapphic yearning. Blurs the lines between a romantasy and a political fantasy that worked really really well for me.
I’d like to address the reviews that call Sullivain an abuser and toxic love interest. It’s a little interesting in the era of the “morally gray shadow daddy” and repackaged reylo (genocidal maniac) fanfic I see published and praised, we are now drawing that line when that archetype is being presented as a lesbian? It’s pathetic, perhaps even a bit illiterate. I find a character groomed and raised to be a villain and whose life is constantly in threat because of it, yet is deeply remorseful and going through an existential religious crisis, who is now entangled with someone who is selfless and good and sees her as a girl and not a crown, makes for a compelling character. Not to mention she is hot. She is charming and hot and interesting. I am not saying the two characters necessarily have a healthy relationship, but I am saying that I liked her, I understand Helliver’s draw to her, and I really loved who these two characters became at the end of the book because of each other.
Very, VERY excited to see what happens in the next book.
I’d like to address the reviews that call Sullivain an abuser and toxic love interest. It’s a little interesting in the era of the “morally gray shadow daddy” and repackaged reylo (genocidal maniac) fanfic I see published and praised, we are now drawing that line when that archetype is being presented as a lesbian? It’s pathetic, perhaps even a bit illiterate. I find a character groomed and raised to be a villain and whose life is constantly in threat because of it, yet is deeply remorseful and going through an existential religious crisis, who is now entangled with someone who is selfless and good and sees her as a girl and not a crown, makes for a compelling character. Not to mention she is hot. She is charming and hot and interesting. I am not saying the two characters necessarily have a healthy relationship, but I am saying that I liked her, I understand Helliver’s draw to her, and I really loved who these two characters became at the end of the book because of each other.
Very, VERY excited to see what happens in the next book.
I enjoyed this story and think it sets the scene for future books, great world building. The depictions of what happens after death were atmospheric and intriguing whilst also being full of foreboding and threat. Main protagonist Hellevir is just a girl at the start f the story and it’s interesting following her growth into a strong woman, unerringly loyal to those she loves but struggling with her feelings for the princess she is forced to keep rescuing from death.
This I would give a solid 3.5⭐️, which I've rounded up here.
We follow along the FMC Helliver, a woman in hear early 20s, who is able to speak with Death and bring back people and creatures to life. This causes her a lot of issues throughout the story as she uses this power.
The writer beautifully captures the relationships throughout the books, and I am impressed as this is written in third person point of view and sometimes this can be hard.
This book had me captured, albeit a bit slow at the beginning, but then I couldn't put it down. The worldbuilding, the characters, the development and the political system are something that I really enjoyed reading.
Going into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperColllins for this eArc for me to read and review.
We follow along the FMC Helliver, a woman in hear early 20s, who is able to speak with Death and bring back people and creatures to life. This causes her a lot of issues throughout the story as she uses this power.
The writer beautifully captures the relationships throughout the books, and I am impressed as this is written in third person point of view and sometimes this can be hard.
This book had me captured, albeit a bit slow at the beginning, but then I couldn't put it down. The worldbuilding, the characters, the development and the political system are something that I really enjoyed reading.
Going into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperColllins for this eArc for me to read and review.
This I would give a solid 3.5⭐️, which I've rounded up here.
We follow along the FMC Helliver, a woman in hear early 20s, who is able to speak with Death and bring back people and creatures to life. This causes her a lot of issues throughout the story as she uses this power.
The writer beautifully captures the relationships throughout the books, and I am impressed as this is written in third person point of view and sometimes this can be hard.
This book had me captured, albeit a bit slow at the beginning, but then I couldn't put it down. The worldbuilding, the characters, the development and the political system are something that I really enjoyed reading.
Going into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised by the story.
We follow along the FMC Helliver, a woman in hear early 20s, who is able to speak with Death and bring back people and creatures to life. This causes her a lot of issues throughout the story as she uses this power.
The writer beautifully captures the relationships throughout the books, and I am impressed as this is written in third person point of view and sometimes this can be hard.
This book had me captured, albeit a bit slow at the beginning, but then I couldn't put it down. The worldbuilding, the characters, the development and the political system are something that I really enjoyed reading.
Going into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised by the story.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3 stars because the plot and magic is unique. The story telling is good and the main character is interesting but I lost all respect for the main character and most of my interest in the story when it became clear that her love interest was the selfish, childish, demanding princess. The princess uses Hellevir and destroys her brother’s happiness. Why would Hellevir continue to love and serve this woman? When she brought her back the third time after the hanging, I was over Hellevir. This would have been a 4 or 5 star read but toxic romance is icky. Will not be continuing this series.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this title.
I had a lot of hope and excitement at the start of this book but unfortunately as it progressed it never seemed to meet my expectations. Hellevir is a strong character and I enjoyed her developments throughout the story, at no point did she make choices just for the sake of plot. Her relationships are also some of the strongest points of the novel especially within her family and with the man in Death, but the relationship with the princess was in my eyes the biggest weakness. The romantic tone it began to take felt a little icky given the power dynamic between the two girls and how often one of them had their family threatened with death to do something for the other. It began to feel like a chore to read the scenes where they interacted or when Hellevir thought about her.
The religious plotline was a highlight though and I would be very curious to see that develop further in other books in this world. Additionally Hellevir and Death (or the man in Death's realm) were the best scenes in the book. I was always so excited when she decided to go and save someone because that mystery kept me going.
I had a lot of hope and excitement at the start of this book but unfortunately as it progressed it never seemed to meet my expectations. Hellevir is a strong character and I enjoyed her developments throughout the story, at no point did she make choices just for the sake of plot. Her relationships are also some of the strongest points of the novel especially within her family and with the man in Death, but the relationship with the princess was in my eyes the biggest weakness. The romantic tone it began to take felt a little icky given the power dynamic between the two girls and how often one of them had their family threatened with death to do something for the other. It began to feel like a chore to read the scenes where they interacted or when Hellevir thought about her.
The religious plotline was a highlight though and I would be very curious to see that develop further in other books in this world. Additionally Hellevir and Death (or the man in Death's realm) were the best scenes in the book. I was always so excited when she decided to go and save someone because that mystery kept me going.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced