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miloulou 's review for:
The Savage and the Swan
by Ella Fields
The Savage and the Swan had so much potential based off the premise, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.
As a main character, Opal is just… too much. She’s incredibly naïve and her actions just don’t make sense. She's essentially been sheltered her whole life, all while being aware of an ongoing war with another kingdom. Opal meets an enemy soldier, who decides to train her on how to fight. Sure, I guess as far as meet cutes go, that’s fine. A little silly, but whatever. But then the story escalates out of nowhere and Dade murders her father and almost eats his heart?? No guilt, nothing from him.
Ok, so Opal, all by her lonesome, goes to another kingdom. And gets herself kidnapped? How can your own kingdom consider itself one if there’s no one to even escort her? There were so many issues with this part, but the biggest is the issue of scale. Although there are three kingdoms in this story, they all felt like they would add up to the size of one high school. It's mentioned that her own kingdom is down to three generals, while Dade's forces have about five legions.
But ignoring the issue of scale, Opal herself can turn into a swan and literally fly to another kingdom, but didn’t feel it important enough to go back home upon realizing her already shaky plans with the human kingdom had backfired.
So Dade shows up, and kidnaps her himself because they’re fated mates. Which I suppose could work as a concept if this was a story about having to overcome the murder of her father. But it’s not! Somehow there’s shame and guilt, but beyond a lukewarm anger that really just disappears.
Such a nice concept in theory, but the execution was messy. Plot was extremely thin, with random magical powers that would pop up here and there, a prophecy that is extremely obvious, and just minimal actual falling in love.
As a main character, Opal is just… too much. She’s incredibly naïve and her actions just don’t make sense. She's essentially been sheltered her whole life, all while being aware of an ongoing war with another kingdom. Opal meets an enemy soldier, who decides to train her on how to fight. Sure, I guess as far as meet cutes go, that’s fine. A little silly, but whatever. But then the story escalates out of nowhere and Dade murders her father and almost eats his heart?? No guilt, nothing from him.
Ok, so Opal, all by her lonesome, goes to another kingdom. And gets herself kidnapped? How can your own kingdom consider itself one if there’s no one to even escort her? There were so many issues with this part, but the biggest is the issue of scale. Although there are three kingdoms in this story, they all felt like they would add up to the size of one high school. It's mentioned that her own kingdom is down to three generals, while Dade's forces have about five legions.
But ignoring the issue of scale, Opal herself can turn into a swan and literally fly to another kingdom, but didn’t feel it important enough to go back home upon realizing her already shaky plans with the human kingdom had backfired.
So Dade shows up, and kidnaps her himself because they’re fated mates. Which I suppose could work as a concept if this was a story about having to overcome the murder of her father. But it’s not! Somehow there’s shame and guilt, but beyond a lukewarm anger that really just disappears.
Such a nice concept in theory, but the execution was messy. Plot was extremely thin, with random magical powers that would pop up here and there, a prophecy that is extremely obvious, and just minimal actual falling in love.