A review by lovepotion
Radiant Sin by Katee Robert

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.75

This book read differently then the previous three installments in the series. I think this one in the series, has been the hardest for me to rate. This book was definitely not recommended to be read as a stand alone, as it draws from previous drama from prior works. Politics was more of a key part of the story. It did answer some previous questions of the world buildings and power structure. But even then, the answers seems to lack depth. 

So we finally learn that the no one really no what the barrier is made of. I don’t think the current Zeus knows. And the fact that it’s falling, the lack of urgency seemed a little out of place. 

Each book so far has some kind of arranged relationship. And by the setup of the next book, it looks like an arranged marriage. I actually like the arranged marriage/dating troupe, but when it’s every book in a series, it loses its value. 

Apollo, for someone who is supposed to be the keeper of secrets. I felt like he didn’t know anything. If anyone who was really the “keeper of secrets” it was more Hermes. 
 
Apollo was definitely a service top. He was definitely the giver in the relationship. He very much focused on Cassandra’s needs before himself. He is seen as more of the rational and compassionate member of the thirteen. 

Cassandra I did like because she wasn’t related to in anyway to the big Thirteen like the the past three previous FMC. I like to see an outsider perspective and someone who wasn’t extremely wealthy. It did give some insight of more of the average person’s life in Olympus. 

Cassandra’s family’s background became unclear as to why her parents were murdered. First was because they attempted to exploit and ancient clause in Olympus’s laws. Stating that if someone were to murder one of titles (minus the legacy’s) they will take the title. Which okay makes sense, that they get exiled and murdered to for attempting to bring to  this the general public and setting a huge target for most of the thirteen. But come almost two hundred pages later, Apollo just mentions for the first time, in one sentence, that Cassandra’s parents attempted to assassinate Athena. 

Like huh? Where did this information come from. Why are they just mentioning that now? Why Athena? And so far nothing else alludes to that. Nor is it ever really explained in full depth. 

The setting that Robert was going for was trapped in a house with a murder. The feeling of suspense wasn’t quite there. 

I’ve had this issue before, in previous works, with repetitious dialogue. I feel like mundane conversations with Apollo and Cassandra really took away from the build up.

There was games played throughout the novel somewhat similar to the ones in Wicked Beauty. I hated the game scenes in the previous book, however I felt like this one written a tad bit better. But still not that great. 

After the incident with Pan, the reasons for everyone to stay, was very odd and not realistic. (Minus Eurydice, Charon, Apollo and Cassandra.) but most everyone else brush off the attempted murder. 

Hephaestus being the one who’s was killed wasn’t a shock. Throughout the book, he was too arrogant and kept repeating: “We are the Thirteen, we are untouchable.” 

The Thirteen is supposed to be people who very intelligent. Yet I feel like a lot of them are making such stupid decisions. 

The way Robert reveals information can be confusing. Especially since we have this whole new outsider family introduced. I’m still am not entirely sure which character is adopted or related in what way. It wasn’t until the very end that we learn the last name of the family. It was called like the Mino’s family for so long. Until they were like, oh by the way, it’s the Vitalises family. 

This is book was definitely more of a slow burn compared to the author’s previous works. The smut was decent. I liked the shibari scene, could be longer. I liked Apollo being a service top. I also do enjoy employee and boss troupe. But, I do wish to see more of Cassandra and Apollo’s relationship fully fleshed for me to really appreciate them as a couple. I also do wish there was an epilogue. 

For most of the book, I found it slow. Some of the political issues and conversations within the world building felt inconsistent and sometimes confusing. I wish there was more of a build up of the murder mystery dinner plot. But the character’s motivations and actions fell to a simple “oh well.” 

I wish the pacing was better to have real sense of suspense and that the book itself was longer. I wish there more of resolution. So overall, the set up seemed promising, but execution was poor. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings