A review by ditten
Tadek and the Princess by Alexandra Rowland

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Fully in love with Tadek and still sobbing after reading this.

This novella is literally everything I could've wished for! It's dual timeline ("then" and "now") so we get to see Tadek both growing up (from childhood to joining the Arasti civil service, to becoming a kahyalar) and him post Gold and Iron, trying to deal with grief he's been carrying secretly for two decades. 

 

Tadek's not had an easy life, he's had to do it all alone, and my heart absolutely broke for him. In the "now" he's joined by Evemer and Kadou, who fortunately are persistent enough in their caring for and about Tadek that he finally lets them in. 

 

This novella had me sobbing so hard! Getting into the heads of characters who're outwardly very upbeat and easy-going but clearly have more going on underneath always hits me really hard. I think because the contrast between carefree and deeply in pain is so stark and thus hurts that much more. 

 

ATOGAI gave me my first OT3 and though it's not canon, this novella made me crave it that much more! I mean, talking about how fealty is more permanent than marriage, and how Tadek belongs to Kadou and Evemer (and the other way around) made it easy for me to froth at the mouth for all my babies to get together lol.

 

This was an easy 5 stars, I'm obsessed and in love, and ready to reread ATOGAI to get more of my faves!