A review by whosevita
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

3.0

This book was SO disappointing. I still enjoyed it, but the synopsis just build my expectations and did not deliver. It made it seem like the journey they would go on would the main focus of the book. Which it isn't. Literally 70% of the book is boring court politics WHICH I HATE and than the last 20% is more politics but they're on the road. The last 9% is interesting and than that final 1% is SO FRUSTRATING. You see the reason I liked this book most was hands down Elisa and Hector. I would do ANYTHING for that man. And royalty x Royal guard is one of my favourite tropes. But it's just SO frustrating how they won't talk about their feelings. And the whole "we would never work together" doesn't make any sense. Hector can mary another queen but isn't good enough for Elisa?? And then he says he would cheat on said queen bc he needs "even a short moment with you (Elisa)" but immediately after thats he says that he could never have a relationship with Elisa where they aren't completely together.
Make it make sense .
And then Elisa not admitting her feelings made it so much worse.  Just circling eachtoher with their hopeless angst.
Then, she realises in the last 5 pages of the book what was obvious from the beginning. In a political way they are perfect as well because of the alliance between the nations of whatever. So all that angst was completely useless.
I've decided I will not continue. I simply do not care enough.