Take a photo of a barcode or cover
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gild was truly terrible, but Glint shows some effort at improvement.
With Auren's horrible case of Stockholm Syndrome, we get a crumb of character development throughout the book. Although she's on a path to becoming somewhat self-aware, in true Auren fashion, she has to whine about how Midas loves her and would do anything to rescue her. Girl please.
The pick-me energy truly tired me in this book. Auren's thoughts are constantly, “I don’t understand why someone like him even bothers with someone like me," and “You think I’m perfect?? Why me?”.🥺👉👈
Not to mention the underlying themes of misogyny that plague this book:
“He knows what’s best. He’s always right. I’m done with the ugliness of the world and I want him to keep me safe from it.”😣🥺
Poor Auren, always needing a man to save her from the world.
I'll admit that it was delusional of me to think that she'd come to her senses in this book, because her level of brainwashing is astronomical.
To be fair, the fact that Commander Rip consistently challenges her perception of Midas at least shows that Auren's deliberate ignorance is an intentional character choice from the author. I just want him to smack some sense into her because she's just as insufferable as she was in the last book.
*spoilers ahead*
Let's talk plot. In this book,
1. Auren is held "hostage" by Commander Rip and his army, and shocker: he treats her with human decency. She's given hot food, warmth, healing remedies, and can even roam around the camp freely... truly barbaric conditions😠. Of course, Auren acts like there is no worse fate. How dare the tall, attractive commander sleep in the same tent to guard her!!
2. This goes on for 90% of the book. Throughout 2 months of travelling to see King Ravinger (enemy king), Auren bickers with Commander Rip, tries to bond with saddles, and most importantly, never stops whining about her beloved King Midas — who, for the hundredth time, she'll never betray. Oh, and also the commander kisses her out of nowhere😀.
3. Finally, they arrive at the Fifth Kingdom, where she's given the choice to stay with Commander Rip (aka freedom🥳🥳), or go back to King Midas (aka live in a cage🤡). Guess who she chooses! The wrong choice because Midas rewards her loyalty by shoving her right back into a tiny cage. FINALLY, Auren realizes he *may* have been manipulating her🤔. Slightly. But before we can celebrate this character development, Auren accidentally turns an innocent girl (who's impersonating her for Midas's sick enjoyment) into gold and kills her. Oops.
4. Surprise! King Ravinger appears at the last possible moment, and he's none other than Commander Rip! Truly a fresh and unique plot twist🙄🤯🙄
In true fantasy book cliches, I saw the fact that Commander Rip = King Ravinger a mile away. Of course, the MMC has to be the highest-ranking individual of the story. Let's not forget that Auren is also the same kind as our MMC... she's Fae! I'll admit, I didn't see this coming, although maybe the 24 octopus-like “ribbons” behind her back should have given it away😑.
What gets me is how Auren completely folds the second Rip kisses her unexpectedly. You'd think that after everything she's endured, the author could at least make her first kiss with the love interest consensual.
Auren goes straight to "I’m going to miss him and I can’t lie to myself about it anymore.” 😍😩 Riiiight. From one Stockholm Syndrome to another. I get that Rip is supposed to be her love interest, but this realization feels way too rushed, especially when he just acted with the BARE MINIMUM of human decency.
I'll give credit where it's due; The reunion with Midas was somewhat enjoyable because Auren finally starts to see through the gaslighting and Midas shows his true colours. When he says, "I love you, but I don't need your forgiveness, Precious. I just need your power." AT LAST, some decent characterization. This scene was a rare but well-executed moment.
"This is why you need the cage, not to protect you, but to protect everyone from you."
After killing someone through her power, it suddenly makes sense why Auren freaks out when people touch her. Naturally, all of this comes together only in the last few chapters, because we have to earn the rare moments of clarity in this book.
I truly wish I had other good quotes to share from this book, but sadly, I couldn't get past the prose.
Here's a gem:
"[Commander Rip's] pressing aura saturates the air, coating my tongue like icing sugar, clogging every taste bud."
Tell me, is Auren describing Rip as a dessert, or a damn toilet🥴? Who uses the words "aura", "sugar", and "clogging" in the same sentence!
Anyway, I've already spent too long writing this review, so I'll conclude with the fact that I can see potential in this series. Auren still has a long way to go with her character development, but somehow, despite the awful prose and cliches, I'm intrigued enough to see where this goes. Just for fun.