polyglotperla 's review for:

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
3.5
funny lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
 This is a novel with a concept I love (personified magical objects), but was ultimately disappointed by the execution. It is about a widow who inherits the estate of her uncle and has to fend off her greedy relatives who are trying to marry her to take away her inheritance. She discovers an ancient sword that was part of her uncle’s belongings contains the spirit of a warrior named Sarkis. Sarkis is trapped in the sword due to an event that happened in his past. Part of his enchantment requires he protect the wielder of the sword, even at the cost of his life. The sword’s magic revives him, so long as he is sheathed for an extended period.

I think part of my disappointment stems from my experience reading 2 of her other books that are set in the Temple of the White Rat world (Paladin’s Grace, Paladin’s Strength). While I didn’t dislike the other two novels, and found some of the settings/mysteries quite intriguing, I thought some of the characters’ personalities repetitive between the two books (I still have yet to read books 3-4), despite the protagonists being different characters. I felt the same reading this novel; the characters’ personalities and interactions read the same as the Paladin books. The plot of Swordheart was fairly straightforward and read more as a romance with fantasy elements, which I don’t mind reading from time to time. However, I felt the overall execution of the plot and character development was underdeveloped. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings