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A review by liz_ross
A Promise of Return by Rebecca Crunden
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
3.5
I was provided with an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for a honest review.
"Arrogance is the downfall of even the best of men."
Crunden created this set of really complex, realistic characters that you can't help falling in love with. Especially the three main characters - Kitty, Nate and Thom. And you see, the first book was about Kitty. We see her development, her path that begins with her as Catherine Taenia, a young woman respectful of the laws of a rotten kingdon, and ends with her as Kitty, the young woman willing to fight for her freedom and what's right. The second book was about Nate. We see his struggle, his constant fight against his demons. We learn more about this brave man who is one of the most well-written male characters I've ever seen. A man whose strength comes from love. Who won't give up until he finds his way back to the woman he loves. Who won't let go of the hope of seeing his brother alive again.
So, it leaves Thom witnout a book. Which means it would be only fair if the third book is about him. And it is. So, 🎉🎉!!
Thom caught my attention since book 1. A master of words willing to do anything to save his brother and Kitty. Someone who navigates the intricate political sphere of Cutta like no one else. I really wanted to know more about him.
And I did get to know more about him and I didn't get disappointed by what I learnt - it only made me like Thom more. It is a heartbreaking story of survival, a clever way to make the readers like Thom while making us hate the kingdom even more.
I think most of the impact this story has is due to the fact thag Crunden cares deeply for the human side of stories - the effects every single action has on those experiencing them. There are so many authors who use rape or abuse or violence as a way to "spice up" the book and forget to mention it affects the characters that live through those experiences. Crunden doesn't. Everything that happens lasts, everything that happens matters. And while it makes the book more complex and sometimes even a little bit hard to follow, it also makes it much more interesting, special and unique.
Reading about Thom in the Red Arena is heartbreaking not only because of the actions as they happens but because of their lasting effects. We see a man who has always talked his way out of trouble, unable to do that. Forced to fight, to kill, so he can survive. We see, as the synopsis says, a master of words become a master of death, a murderer. And we see the nightmares, the pain, the emotional destruction it causes on Thom. However, Crunden doesn't lose sight of who Thom really is and that's the best part. He may have became a master of death by circumstances, but he is, first and foremonst, a master of words, a master of manipulating odds for them to be in his favour. And he keeps playing games of power, he is willing to sacrifice himself and to pay any price for those he grew to love in a place meant to destroy.
The lasting effects and consequences of being in a place like the Red Arena aren't exclusive to Thom, though. All the new characters that we meet are affected as well. We see breakdowns, tears, deaths. Pain. Which, obviously, makes it all even more realistic.
Among these new characters, it's Charles. Another strong man, really well-written and credible. I love how realistic Crunden's characters can be. Charles is tough and brave, but he can also be sweet, he can also be caring, he can also love. And he is far from perfect. Including physically. In fact, I think it's the first character I've ever meet who fights and has asthma. Which is great.
And there's yet another great thing about the story. So far I've told you how this is a heartbreaking story of survival. I haven't told you yet how it is also a reminder that love can flourish even in the darkest places. If Nate is one of the best male characters I've ever seen, Thom and Charles' relationship is one of the most beautiful relationships I've ever seen. It is so sweet and amazing, although it is kind of forced by circumstances. Hopefully, I'll get more about them in the fourth book and we can see if it can thrive or not.
There's something else, aside from the relationship itself, that I liked. The fact that Crunden doesn't make a fuss around the matter. They are in love and that's it. It doesn't matter if they are straight or gay. What matters is that they are in love and happy and their love is something good they get out of that horrendous circus of death. They love each other and that's all that matters and I'm really glad Crunden made things that way.
I must also praise Crunden's writing style. It is truly beautiful (although sometimes it makes the story a little bit more complicated to follow than it needed to be) and I mean, what story doesn't benefit from a great writing style?! Especially when it brings life to every single aspect of the story - descriptions, narrative and dialogues. Yes, dialogues. Some of the most lively and realistic dialogues I've ever read. That not only manage to sometimes ligthen the mood with jokes thrown in always at the right time, but also manage to strengthen an aspect of the story I've come to realize that will be a central point of the series - Thom and Nate's relationship.
In book 2, we see how Nate won't give up on Thom. Despite what logic says, despite being told otherwise by everyone, he doesn't allow himself to believe Thom is dead. He doesn't let his hope of seeing his brother again die. Now, we have Thom, that even before Charles came into the equation already had a reason to live - Nate. Thom promised him he would return to him and he was fighting so he could keep that promise. The bound between the brothers is stronger than anything, even stronger than the bounds each of them has with their love interest. And, as I'd already said, the dialogues make that fact even more clear: everytime Thom speaks about his brother, it's impossible to miss the love and worry that comes with every word.
So, there are all these beautiful things about this book. And yet I couldn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first two. Which breaks my heart. And considering that I love most things about the book, my only guess is that I couldn't enjoy it as much because I knew how it would end (most of the story at least). There wasn't this blind panic and concern about Thom for not knowing if he would survive - I knew that he would because of the ending of book 2. I was enjoying the story and it was importanto to know what Thom went through, but I wasn't actually concerned about him.
Overal, it's a beautiful book, just like the last two, but I honestly think Crunden gave too much away in the ending of book 2 to have a book 3 like this. If I didn't know what would happen to Thom, I think it wohld have been different. I would be worried and that would make me get much more invested in the story. As it was, I was enjoying the story (who wouldn't when it is this as well-written as this one?!) and meeting these new characters, but I was lacking the kind of worry and fear for Thom's life that would have made me unable to put a book down.
"Arrogance is the downfall of even the best of men."
Crunden created this set of really complex, realistic characters that you can't help falling in love with. Especially the three main characters - Kitty, Nate and Thom. And you see, the first book was about Kitty. We see her development, her path that begins with her as Catherine Taenia, a young woman respectful of the laws of a rotten kingdon, and ends with her as Kitty, the young woman willing to fight for her freedom and what's right. The second book was about Nate. We see his struggle, his constant fight against his demons. We learn more about this brave man who is one of the most well-written male characters I've ever seen. A man whose strength comes from love. Who won't give up until he finds his way back to the woman he loves. Who won't let go of the hope of seeing his brother alive again.
So, it leaves Thom witnout a book. Which means it would be only fair if the third book is about him. And it is. So, 🎉🎉!!
Thom caught my attention since book 1. A master of words willing to do anything to save his brother and Kitty. Someone who navigates the intricate political sphere of Cutta like no one else. I really wanted to know more about him.
And I did get to know more about him and I didn't get disappointed by what I learnt - it only made me like Thom more. It is a heartbreaking story of survival, a clever way to make the readers like Thom while making us hate the kingdom even more.
I think most of the impact this story has is due to the fact thag Crunden cares deeply for the human side of stories - the effects every single action has on those experiencing them. There are so many authors who use rape or abuse or violence as a way to "spice up" the book and forget to mention it affects the characters that live through those experiences. Crunden doesn't. Everything that happens lasts, everything that happens matters. And while it makes the book more complex and sometimes even a little bit hard to follow, it also makes it much more interesting, special and unique.
Reading about Thom in the Red Arena is heartbreaking not only because of the actions as they happens but because of their lasting effects. We see a man who has always talked his way out of trouble, unable to do that. Forced to fight, to kill, so he can survive. We see, as the synopsis says, a master of words become a master of death, a murderer. And we see the nightmares, the pain, the emotional destruction it causes on Thom. However, Crunden doesn't lose sight of who Thom really is and that's the best part. He may have became a master of death by circumstances, but he is, first and foremonst, a master of words, a master of manipulating odds for them to be in his favour. And he keeps playing games of power, he is willing to sacrifice himself and to pay any price for those he grew to love in a place meant to destroy.
The lasting effects and consequences of being in a place like the Red Arena aren't exclusive to Thom, though. All the new characters that we meet are affected as well. We see breakdowns, tears, deaths. Pain. Which, obviously, makes it all even more realistic.
Among these new characters, it's Charles. Another strong man, really well-written and credible. I love how realistic Crunden's characters can be. Charles is tough and brave, but he can also be sweet, he can also be caring, he can also love. And he is far from perfect. Including physically. In fact, I think it's the first character I've ever meet who fights and has asthma. Which is great.
And there's yet another great thing about the story. So far I've told you how this is a heartbreaking story of survival. I haven't told you yet how it is also a reminder that love can flourish even in the darkest places. If Nate is one of the best male characters I've ever seen, Thom and Charles' relationship is one of the most beautiful relationships I've ever seen. It is so sweet and amazing, although it is kind of forced by circumstances. Hopefully, I'll get more about them in the fourth book and we can see if it can thrive or not.
There's something else, aside from the relationship itself, that I liked. The fact that Crunden doesn't make a fuss around the matter. They are in love and that's it. It doesn't matter if they are straight or gay. What matters is that they are in love and happy and their love is something good they get out of that horrendous circus of death. They love each other and that's all that matters and I'm really glad Crunden made things that way.
I must also praise Crunden's writing style. It is truly beautiful (although sometimes it makes the story a little bit more complicated to follow than it needed to be) and I mean, what story doesn't benefit from a great writing style?! Especially when it brings life to every single aspect of the story - descriptions, narrative and dialogues. Yes, dialogues. Some of the most lively and realistic dialogues I've ever read. That not only manage to sometimes ligthen the mood with jokes thrown in always at the right time, but also manage to strengthen an aspect of the story I've come to realize that will be a central point of the series - Thom and Nate's relationship.
In book 2, we see how Nate won't give up on Thom. Despite what logic says, despite being told otherwise by everyone, he doesn't allow himself to believe Thom is dead. He doesn't let his hope of seeing his brother again die. Now, we have Thom, that even before Charles came into the equation already had a reason to live - Nate. Thom promised him he would return to him and he was fighting so he could keep that promise. The bound between the brothers is stronger than anything, even stronger than the bounds each of them has with their love interest. And, as I'd already said, the dialogues make that fact even more clear: everytime Thom speaks about his brother, it's impossible to miss the love and worry that comes with every word.
So, there are all these beautiful things about this book. And yet I couldn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first two. Which breaks my heart. And considering that I love most things about the book, my only guess is that I couldn't enjoy it as much because I knew how it would end (most of the story at least). There wasn't this blind panic and concern about Thom for not knowing if he would survive - I knew that he would because of the ending of book 2. I was enjoying the story and it was importanto to know what Thom went through, but I wasn't actually concerned about him.
Overal, it's a beautiful book, just like the last two, but I honestly think Crunden gave too much away in the ending of book 2 to have a book 3 like this. If I didn't know what would happen to Thom, I think it wohld have been different. I would be worried and that would make me get much more invested in the story. As it was, I was enjoying the story (who wouldn't when it is this as well-written as this one?!) and meeting these new characters, but I was lacking the kind of worry and fear for Thom's life that would have made me unable to put a book down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Slavery