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A review by ladyoftheblade
The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an e-Arc of The Second Death of Locke. (Otherwise titled as one of my most anticipated reads of this year.)
The Second Death of Locke is a story of war, loyalty, loss, sacrifice, betrayal, and what it means to love and be loved. The world-building is beautiful. Bovalino paints a clear picture of the politics of the world both with and without Locke. The magic system is really interesting. The dynamic between Hands and Mages was a unique one that I have not seen before. Additionally, this is a queer-normative world. We are to understand that both main characters have been sexually involved with members of the same sex (not romantically, however). It is important to note that this is marketed as a romance novel. As I said, the world-building, political landscape, and magical system are all really cool. But, Second Death of Locke does not shy away from being romance forward. Kier and Grey are devoted to each other in every sense, but prepare for A LOT of pining and yearning. (So. Much. Yearning.)
The novel tells the story of Hand Captain Grey Flynn and Captain Kiernan Seward. Grey is a knight who is devoted to Kier, a mage. We are told in the beginning few chapters that Grey and Kier have grown-up together and have rarely been apart. Grey and Kier both enlisted in the army and became devoted to each other, as Hand (basically a knight but also a conduit for magic) and Mage (one who can draw from the Hand to do magic). The first half of the book is a typical quest narrative in which Kier and Grey are sent on an assignment to deliver the Heir to the fallen land of Locke. If they are successful, Kier and Grey will be permitted to honorably discharge from the army and retire forever. What happens next is...well...
SO. MUCH. YEARNING. We learn Grey has been in love with Kier since forever. She does not dare tell Kier how she feels as to not disrupt their dynamic. This is one of the slowest burns I have read. Frankly, it is obvious that they both care for each other as more than Hand/Mage but are too...dense to cross that line. (This may sound like a criticism, but I guess I love being in pain because I did not mind wanting to scream at them and push them together.) I only wish we could have seen any yearning/pining from Kier's POV. However, The Second Death of Locke is limited to Grey's POV.
As much as this is a love story, the world also focuses on the mystery of Locke and what finding (or killing) the heir to the isle will do to the greater world. There are also a decent amount of side characters who become a found family not only to Grey but also to Kier. Love, Loyalty, and Sacrifice are HEAVY themes in the novel. (Painfully so.) The idea of love as self-sacrifice (in a positive way and a negative way) comes up more than once.
The later half of the novel goes quickly and the main plot is resolved almost as fast as it began. Part of that is likely wanting to wrap up Kier and Grey's story (as they will not be the focus of the second book). Another part of that may be that the political intrigue is a secondary element to the book. The world is beautiful and we are treated to a picture of several different nations on the main continent. However, at the end of the day, the take away of the novel is less about the world and the politics and more about Kier and Grey. Their relationship is the heart and soul of this novel.
To caution, there is ALOT of dialogue. The middle of the book has a lull of action where it is just walking and talking. This is typical of a questing story, so I didn't mind. However, others may find it a bit too much talking.
In the end, this is a story about love, loyalty, and sacrifice.
And yearning. SO. MUCH. YEARNING. (5/5 would yearn again.)
The Second Death of Locke is a story of war, loyalty, loss, sacrifice, betrayal, and what it means to love and be loved. The world-building is beautiful. Bovalino paints a clear picture of the politics of the world both with and without Locke. The magic system is really interesting. The dynamic between Hands and Mages was a unique one that I have not seen before. Additionally, this is a queer-normative world. We are to understand that both main characters have been sexually involved with members of the same sex (not romantically, however). It is important to note that this is marketed as a romance novel. As I said, the world-building, political landscape, and magical system are all really cool. But, Second Death of Locke does not shy away from being romance forward. Kier and Grey are devoted to each other in every sense, but prepare for A LOT of pining and yearning. (So. Much. Yearning.)
The novel tells the story of Hand Captain Grey Flynn and Captain Kiernan Seward. Grey is a knight who is devoted to Kier, a mage. We are told in the beginning few chapters that Grey and Kier have grown-up together and have rarely been apart. Grey and Kier both enlisted in the army and became devoted to each other, as Hand (basically a knight but also a conduit for magic) and Mage (one who can draw from the Hand to do magic). The first half of the book is a typical quest narrative in which Kier and Grey are sent on an assignment to deliver the Heir to the fallen land of Locke. If they are successful, Kier and Grey will be permitted to honorably discharge from the army and retire forever. What happens next is...well...
SO. MUCH. YEARNING. We learn Grey has been in love with Kier since forever. She does not dare tell Kier how she feels as to not disrupt their dynamic. This is one of the slowest burns I have read. Frankly, it is obvious that they both care for each other as more than Hand/Mage but are too...dense to cross that line. (This may sound like a criticism, but I guess I love being in pain because I did not mind wanting to scream at them and push them together.) I only wish we could have seen any yearning/pining from Kier's POV. However, The Second Death of Locke is limited to Grey's POV.
As much as this is a love story, the world also focuses on the mystery of Locke and what finding (or killing) the heir to the isle will do to the greater world. There are also a decent amount of side characters who become a found family not only to Grey but also to Kier. Love, Loyalty, and Sacrifice are HEAVY themes in the novel. (Painfully so.) The idea of love as self-sacrifice (in a positive way and a negative way) comes up more than once.
The later half of the novel goes quickly and the main plot is resolved almost as fast as it began. Part of that is likely wanting to wrap up Kier and Grey's story (as they will not be the focus of the second book). Another part of that may be that the political intrigue is a secondary element to the book. The world is beautiful and we are treated to a picture of several different nations on the main continent. However, at the end of the day, the take away of the novel is less about the world and the politics and more about Kier and Grey. Their relationship is the heart and soul of this novel.
To caution, there is ALOT of dialogue. The middle of the book has a lull of action where it is just walking and talking. This is typical of a questing story, so I didn't mind. However, others may find it a bit too much talking.
In the end, this is a story about love, loyalty, and sacrifice.
And yearning. SO. MUCH. YEARNING. (5/5 would yearn again.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail