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atheina_vismark 's review for:
Firebird
by Juliette Cross
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Bramble for an advanced reader's copy in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Was I expecting to finish this book in less than 24 hours? No, absolutely not. Did I enjoy it? Yes, more than I would have expected. Was it perfect? No, but there is something I liked.
The Roman Empire, the peak of culture around that time. Add dragons, senate politics and a squalid, corrupted emperor that rules them all against a former dancer taken slave by the own flash and blood of the Cesare whom she met years before in her homeland? I'm sat.
First thing first, I'm Italian, it's in my blood to love the Roman Empire, aka my own history, and I did like how the author incorporated many terms and definitions inside the book, not overusing it and at times when needed giving the correct type of description to let readers understand what a specific object was used for. In this case the only thing I would have specified was how the word Mile was used. As in not the American Mile but the Roman Mile, just adding roman would have done the trick for someone who (rightfully) did not know about the difference.
Character-wise I liked Malina more than I initially expected, yes, at times she was too much but unlike other characters her snappiness was well dosed and her sly remarks at times made her more likable than expected. Was she always coerent? Well no. Again, if someone takes you as a slave and for 1/2 book you think about how to escape while at the end you never even try and attempt it (In not saying at the end of the book but around half way) you loose a bit of your backbone and belief, especially for someone who had her second home burned like the first, and for someone that for 3/4 of the book said she doesn't believe in the Roman gods. Julianus on the other hand is probably my favorite character? I think? Character wise he was always extremely supportive of her and did all he could to hide her from his evil uncle and self-proclaimed rival who wanted nothing more than to get rid of him. The only thing I didn't like about him was how easy he gave up the idea of starting the revulution (if we want to compare is gesture to someone else lets compare his move to Xaden Riorson) in terms of throwing away the best chance he had to end the terror reign of his uncle for Malina. Like yes I like you being so protective but at the same time for a Roman General such as yourself this was such a stupid and inaccurate move? Then again we may have to take into consideration that his dragon was probably going to kill him if anything were to happen to Malina.
The story was medium paced and I really did like the small interruptions between the two main characters, the plot too was nice, not overly heavy and I can't wait to see what the next installment of the series will hold for us.
3.85 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4) 2🌶️
Was I expecting to finish this book in less than 24 hours? No, absolutely not. Did I enjoy it? Yes, more than I would have expected. Was it perfect? No, but there is something I liked.
The Roman Empire, the peak of culture around that time. Add dragons, senate politics and a squalid, corrupted emperor that rules them all against a former dancer taken slave by the own flash and blood of the Cesare whom she met years before in her homeland? I'm sat.
First thing first, I'm Italian, it's in my blood to love the Roman Empire, aka my own history, and I did like how the author incorporated many terms and definitions inside the book, not overusing it and at times when needed giving the correct type of description to let readers understand what a specific object was used for. In this case the only thing I would have specified was how the word Mile was used. As in not the American Mile but the Roman Mile, just adding roman would have done the trick for someone who (rightfully) did not know about the difference.
Character-wise I liked Malina more than I initially expected, yes, at times she was too much but unlike other characters her snappiness was well dosed and her sly remarks at times made her more likable than expected. Was she always coerent? Well no. Again, if someone takes you as a slave and for 1/2 book you think about how to escape while at the end you never even try and attempt it (In not saying at the end of the book but around half way) you loose a bit of your backbone and belief, especially for someone who had her second home burned like the first, and for someone that for 3/4 of the book said she doesn't believe in the Roman gods. Julianus on the other hand is probably my favorite character? I think? Character wise he was always extremely supportive of her and did all he could to hide her from his evil uncle and self-proclaimed rival who wanted nothing more than to get rid of him. The only thing I didn't like about him was how easy he gave up the idea of starting the revulution (if we want to compare is gesture to someone else lets compare his move to Xaden Riorson) in terms of throwing away the best chance he had to end the terror reign of his uncle for Malina. Like yes I like you being so protective but at the same time for a Roman General such as yourself this was such a stupid and inaccurate move? Then again we may have to take into consideration that his dragon was probably going to kill him if anything were to happen to Malina.
The story was medium paced and I really did like the small interruptions between the two main characters, the plot too was nice, not overly heavy and I can't wait to see what the next installment of the series will hold for us.
3.85 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4) 2🌶️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Murder, War
Minor: Incest, Sexual violence, Blood