A review by jenpen
A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair

adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Not bad but nothing special. It felt like a compilation of a bunch of fantasy tropes and characters, and the lack of anything unique made it a bit boring overall. I also found it overdramatic and trite with the way it approached alcoholism, self-harm, and sexual assault… topics that should be handled with care, not used as shallow plot devices. 

It might have benefited from third-person narration because of how plot-driven the writing is; the first-person pov contributed nothing to the story and felt awkward at times. 

I’d only recommend it as a comfort read for people looking for specific tropes.