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faithnomoar 's review for:
The Rules of Royalty
by Cale Dietrich
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rules of Royalty lives up to its comps—it's a queer Princess Diaries for the ages. When Jamie, an American teenager, finds out he's actually the prince of a European nation called Mitanor, he's whisked away for a summer of learning about his new family, the customs of the place his parents came from, and what it's like to be a prince, courtesy of Erik, a prince from a neighboring country, Sunstead.
They're both second-born sons. They're both gay. They're both nerds, they're both—well, a lot of things. Which is where most of my trouble came into play in this book. While the premise was extraordinarily charming, the dual POV didn't necessarily add anything to the plot as both characters seemed about the same. Their voices were not distinct and beyond Erik's issues with a more overbearing family and Jamie's struggles adapting to being a prince, they often felt like the same character.
The struggles that they dealt with were always also extremely surface level—I think the book would have benefited more from having fewer plot points that only seemed tied together by conversations that only really existed as a means to an end, and more time to dig into these issues. For example, I think the author wanted us to care a little more about each character's relationship with their brother, particularly Erik as a result of a late story reveal about his brother Stefan, but it didn't necessarily ever feel earned. Overall, most of the issues in the book including the primary reason the main characters have to avoid being together were stemmed from a single line and were quickly resolved, meaning there was very little for the main characters to struggle with. Several smaller plot points, like a conservative prime minister, a fight with a friend from home, the decision of where Jamie should live after school, never felt fully fleshed out for me.
But sometimes that's what you need in a YA romance! Particularly one where queer characters are at the center and so rarely given just some fluff.
I think readers looking for something a little more surface level and true YA might have fun with this—it's fluffy, and, unsurprisingly, the two main characters earn a lovely little happily ever after. But those looking for a little more twist and tension, or those like me who are more character focused over plot, might not get as much out of this book. Those who love it will truly love it, though.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC for my honest review!
They're both second-born sons. They're both gay. They're both nerds, they're both—well, a lot of things. Which is where most of my trouble came into play in this book. While the premise was extraordinarily charming, the dual POV didn't necessarily add anything to the plot as both characters seemed about the same. Their voices were not distinct and beyond Erik's issues with a more overbearing family and Jamie's struggles adapting to being a prince, they often felt like the same character.
The struggles that they dealt with were always also extremely surface level—I think the book would have benefited more from having fewer plot points that only seemed tied together by conversations that only really existed as a means to an end, and more time to dig into these issues. For example, I think the author wanted us to care a little more about each character's relationship with their brother, particularly Erik as a result of a late story reveal about his brother Stefan, but it didn't necessarily ever feel earned. Overall, most of the issues in the book including the primary reason the main characters have to avoid being together were stemmed from a single line and were quickly resolved, meaning there was very little for the main characters to struggle with. Several smaller plot points, like a conservative prime minister, a fight with a friend from home, the decision of where Jamie should live after school, never felt fully fleshed out for me.
But sometimes that's what you need in a YA romance! Particularly one where queer characters are at the center and so rarely given just some fluff.
I think readers looking for something a little more surface level and true YA might have fun with this—it's fluffy, and, unsurprisingly, the two main characters earn a lovely little happily ever after. But those looking for a little more twist and tension, or those like me who are more character focused over plot, might not get as much out of this book. Those who love it will truly love it, though.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC for my honest review!