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A review by el393way
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
This book is classified as an lgbt fantasy set in a world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire. It delivers on the lgbt front, but the fantasy elements are so incredibly light that it’s more adjacent to magical realism set in a historically inspired world.
Despite some disappointment in pacing and fantasy elements, the book was enjoyable and I really loved the characters. It was a romance set within a mix of politics and small adventures.
The romance is why I enjoyed it so much. I always read romantasy books expecting to be disappointed but this book didn’t do all the things I hate about romance tropes and character dynamics. There was no toxic imbalance of power. No secrets or miscommunications. No weird immortality with hints at weird grooming of the mortals. No brooding and moodiness to the point of abuse. The tropes that were present were fun and lighthearted. The characters got to actually bond which led to lust instead of immediately being at each other. Probably one of the most authentic, heartwarming adversaries to lovers I’ve ever read.
The fantasy and other elements were not why I stayed. The rest was fine, but considering how many pages long this book is, there was a lot of talking and thinking compared to actual doing. And the action that did happen was extremely middle of the road in terms of intensity.
The writing was good and the audiobook narrator was really good as well.
Despite some disappointment in pacing and fantasy elements, the book was enjoyable and I really loved the characters. It was a romance set within a mix of politics and small adventures.
The romance is why I enjoyed it so much. I always read romantasy books expecting to be disappointed but this book didn’t do all the things I hate about romance tropes and character dynamics. There was no toxic imbalance of power. No secrets or miscommunications. No weird immortality with hints at weird grooming of the mortals. No brooding and moodiness to the point of abuse. The tropes that were present were fun and lighthearted. The characters got to actually bond which led to lust instead of immediately being at each other. Probably one of the most authentic, heartwarming adversaries to lovers I’ve ever read.
The fantasy and other elements were not why I stayed. The rest was fine, but considering how many pages long this book is, there was a lot of talking and thinking compared to actual doing. And the action that did happen was extremely middle of the road in terms of intensity.
The writing was good and the audiobook narrator was really good as well.