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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
This is a very interesting book. If you read the blurb I don't think you really get a feeling for what this book is actually about. Because the touch-tasting and the actual mystery plot with the counterfeit money etc isn't really that important to the story. It's secondary, and sometimes pretense. This is a character study book, and it's damn good at it.
(Spoilers)
I don't usually need CWs in books, but I found this one difficult to read at points. Kadou is described as shy in the blurb but this is a man with an extreme anxiety/panic disorder, who suffers from chronic stress and panic attacks. His life with anxiety, a prisoner of his own mind and second guessing, was so well presented it was hard to read at points. Because I've felt and been through all of this. The overwhelming emotion, the fear clawing at you, the disassociating. Either the author has suffered these things themself or they really, really did their research. It really showed how debilitating anxiety disorders can be. How it can rob you of yourself and your relationships with others. That is what drew me into the story, more than anything else. And I appreciated that the book showed that the anxiety version of you is not the whole of you. There are good things, and good times, even if the anxiety never full goes away. It was sort of refreshing to read.
The relationship with Evemer was good. I felt it was realistic going from enemies to lovers. I liked that he grew as a character and strove to open up. That one of the things he tried to do was speak what he meant for Kadou, because not having to second guess what someone means is SO important to someone who suffers from anxiety. I loved as he slowly started to reassess his views on Kadou and finally recognized him as his person. His guiding star. It was good to see him by the end, still himself but also less rigid. Their relationship was the steel core of the book and it worked.
My favorite character may have been Tadek. I read in the author notes that they killed him off in an earlier draft and I'm glad that changed. It would have been so easy to make him a 2d character. A minor antagonist. But the story goes out of the way to deepen him, give him thoughts and feelings of his own, and growth. I appreciated his relationship with Kadou and Kadou having to come to an understanding that he'd hurt Tadek, even if he hadn't meant to and that he needed to fix it. His cheek and his wit were some much needed bright spots in the midst of Kadou and Evemer.
There are a lot of similarities I noticed between this book and A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. I genuinely feel that that book was trying to be what this book is. I think I pick on ASSE a lot but it's because I had wished for so much more. Which is why I'm really glad I read this book. I do feel like there were a few niggling points, a few small plot threads I felt didn't quite go anywhere and one or two instances where it felt like characters made decisions that were more for plot contrivance that out of logic. But they were few and forgivable.
Overall this was a fabulous book. As I mentioned the mystery plot is not the draw here. You could totally drop the touch-tasting and change the inciting incident to whatever and it wouldn't be too important. What's important here are the characters and you'll want to stay for them.
(Spoilers)
I don't usually need CWs in books, but I found this one difficult to read at points. Kadou is described as shy in the blurb but this is a man with an extreme anxiety/panic disorder, who suffers from chronic stress and panic attacks. His life with anxiety, a prisoner of his own mind and second guessing, was so well presented it was hard to read at points. Because I've felt and been through all of this. The overwhelming emotion, the fear clawing at you, the disassociating. Either the author has suffered these things themself or they really, really did their research. It really showed how debilitating anxiety disorders can be. How it can rob you of yourself and your relationships with others. That is what drew me into the story, more than anything else. And I appreciated that the book showed that the anxiety version of you is not the whole of you. There are good things, and good times, even if the anxiety never full goes away. It was sort of refreshing to read.
The relationship with Evemer was good. I felt it was realistic going from enemies to lovers. I liked that he grew as a character and strove to open up. That one of the things he tried to do was speak what he meant for Kadou, because not having to second guess what someone means is SO important to someone who suffers from anxiety. I loved as he slowly started to reassess his views on Kadou and finally recognized him as his person. His guiding star. It was good to see him by the end, still himself but also less rigid. Their relationship was the steel core of the book and it worked.
My favorite character may have been Tadek. I read in the author notes that they killed him off in an earlier draft and I'm glad that changed. It would have been so easy to make him a 2d character. A minor antagonist. But the story goes out of the way to deepen him, give him thoughts and feelings of his own, and growth. I appreciated his relationship with Kadou and Kadou having to come to an understanding that he'd hurt Tadek, even if he hadn't meant to and that he needed to fix it. His cheek and his wit were some much needed bright spots in the midst of Kadou and Evemer.
There are a lot of similarities I noticed between this book and A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. I genuinely feel that that book was trying to be what this book is. I think I pick on ASSE a lot but it's because I had wished for so much more. Which is why I'm really glad I read this book. I do feel like there were a few niggling points, a few small plot threads I felt didn't quite go anywhere and one or two instances where it felt like characters made decisions that were more for plot contrivance that out of logic. But they were few and forgivable.
Overall this was a fabulous book. As I mentioned the mystery plot is not the draw here. You could totally drop the touch-tasting and change the inciting incident to whatever and it wouldn't be too important. What's important here are the characters and you'll want to stay for them.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a sweet and endearing fantasy love story. Both of our main characters felt like real, compatible people, and I found myself falling in love with them (and almost all the other characters) with every page. You will 100% be rooting for them and their journey in the end!
Bonus: Queer romance and non-binary characters!
Bonus: Queer romance and non-binary characters!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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
Wow the longing. A little bit too plot heavy but the emotions were perfect
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Casey Jones should narrate more MM audiobooks. This was perfect.
