A review by deductionist
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

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

2.75

I really wanted to love this book. However, its flaws start to stack up over time until they are too glaring to ignore.

  • The magic and how this world operates with it should've been focused on more. The scenes where it's utilized are the highlights of this book. The political drama could've been more on which kingdoms still retained the most magic. Rather than replicating real-world history.
  • Niamh's illness ultimately has very little bearing on the plot except for a scene. The illness
    does not really get solved either by the end of the book, either. She just limits her magic use. Is she really not attempting to find anyone with the magic to help her live long with Kit?
  • For how often Niamh falls, stumbles, trips, etc; I wish that it was shown in her character. Little scars from sewing injuries, or bruises here and there on parts of her body that bumped into things. Something that showed it's more than a quirky trait.
  • I'm REALLY not a fan of the obvious England and Ireland parallels. It's hard for me to root for a romance when it involves the son of the man who killed so many of Niamh's people. I feel like this aspect of the story doesn't get treated with nearly as much gravity as it should. Niamh
    Looking at the portraits of Kit's family and going "yeah they'd want me dead for just being here." And hiding in some curtains all quirky rubbed me the wrong way.
  • Predictable. If you've read books of this sort, you'll get the major story beats rather fast. 
  • Not a fan of the way the story ended and its loose ends.
    What happened to the king? Will they limit his spending or cut him off entirely once they're allied with Rosa's people? How does the kingdom view this marriage? How do their allies? Is there really no way to restore the waning magic in this world? Is there no way to help Niamh? Does Jack pay reparations once he's able to all the families of the people his father killed?
    The kingdom is suffering, but yay this
    last minute wedding happened.
  • The writing is fine, I enjoy the ideas that are within this story. I just wish those ideas were explored more, and more time was put in areas that needed expanding.
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