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A review by mallorypen
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This was overall a fun read! The world building was basic but tight; the trope of hidden magic user in a land that prohibits magic was well done; and the way the author described the trans character coming into his own was really well done, if brief.
I particularly enjoyed the set up of a poison taster as the protagonist in this harsh, no-nonsense society of rules. I’m sympathetic to the Commander - especially because of his secret - but the totalitarian rule feels like the pendulum swung too far in the other direction. The mercy he shows at the end is a little weird, but I got what the author was trying to do.
What I didn’t love was how the author handled Yelena’s trauma. We meet her when she’s dealing with the murder of her abuser, bundled with years of horrific treatment from a father-figure, and followed with over a year of imprisonment. Then, Yelena is subjected to additional mental torture thinking she’s either going to be poisoned, not going to get her cure, or killed by General Brazell’s cronies. Throughout the book, Yelena does have moments of dealing with her past - being haunted by the ghost of her rapist, suffering doubts, panic, paranoia, and then asking to be taught self defense, finding a network of friends, coming into her power - but the rape is treated like just another abuse. The only mention of working through that trauma is as she’s having sex with Velak, thinking “oh good, I’m still able to have good sex even with this abuse in my past!” I’m not sure what I was hoping would happen, but the grin and bear it method felt a little shallow.
Overall, Yelena is a little one-dimensional - she’s powerful, good, is able to succeed in everything she’s tasked to do. I would have enjoyed seeing her with a few more human qualities, especially as it pertains to dealing with her traumas.
I really liked Ari and Janco as side characters - supportive, loyal and funny, but also good foils to all of the political intrigue. Their loyalty to Yelena felt a little intense very early, but I enjoyed reading about them.
Valek … what to say about Valek? I love an enemies to lovers, but I don’t like a power imbalance breeding romance. The author was careful to say they were equals once they confessed their feelings to one another, and Valek had revealed Butterfly Dust wasn’t a thing and Yelena told him about her magic, but it didn’t feel like the most natural romantic development, or that the power imbalance was really gone or not. I liked Valek’s character as an assassin and loyalist to the Commander, but the example of Valek being merciful to the farmer but still being willing to kill Yelena if the Commander ordered it felt a little weak. The farmer example made Valek much more likable, but I would have preferred a “Don’t make me choose” moment where the Commander allowed Yelena to escape without having Valek prove that he would be more loyal to the Commander versus Yelena.
Again, I enjoyed this book overall, and I’d be interested in reading the sequels!
I particularly enjoyed the set up of a poison taster as the protagonist in this harsh, no-nonsense society of rules. I’m sympathetic to the Commander - especially because of his secret - but the totalitarian rule feels like the pendulum swung too far in the other direction. The mercy he shows at the end is a little weird, but I got what the author was trying to do.
Overall, Yelena is a little one-dimensional - she’s powerful, good, is able to succeed in everything she’s tasked to do. I would have enjoyed seeing her with a few more human qualities, especially as it pertains to dealing with her traumas.
I really liked Ari and Janco as side characters - supportive, loyal and funny, but also good foils to all of the political intrigue. Their loyalty to Yelena felt a little intense very early, but I enjoyed reading about them.
Valek … what to say about Valek? I love an enemies to lovers, but I don’t like a power imbalance breeding romance. The author was careful to say they were equals once they confessed their feelings to one another, and Valek had revealed Butterfly Dust wasn’t a thing and Yelena told him about her magic, but it didn’t feel like the most natural romantic development, or that the power imbalance was really gone or not. I liked Valek’s character as an assassin and loyalist to the Commander, but the example of Valek being merciful to the farmer but still being willing to kill Yelena if the Commander ordered it felt a little weak. The farmer example made Valek much more likable, but I would have preferred a “Don’t make me choose” moment where the Commander allowed Yelena to escape without having Valek prove that he would be more loyal to the Commander versus Yelena.
Again, I enjoyed this book overall, and I’d be interested in reading the sequels!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape