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A review by edgybutfemme
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book has everything! Truly, I would say I'm glad the series stuck the landing but in all honesty I was never in doubt. Freya Marske had me utterly captivated from book one and never lost me the entire way through. In fact, as much as I loved the first two books, I had been eagerly anticipating the third book romance and goddamn it did not disappoint. Also, who doesn't love a good historical magical setting with a romance between a lord and a thief!?
The Series Overall
It's hard to even put all my feelings on this series into coherent words, but I will endeavor to try: these books are some of the most well paced and beautifully written novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The characters are three dimensional with beautiful relationship dynamics both in the romances as well as the platonic and familial bonds. These characters and the found family that they build over the series is so beautiful and heartwarming.
This series is exactly what I have always craved as a queer person who loves magic and mystery and grew up wanting to see people like me having daring adventures and sweeping romances with happily ever afters. The wrap up of the over arching plot absolutely delivers, and I still think the magic system is one of the coolest I've read in any series to date. I could write a whole thesis on what I love about the magic, but I'll just add that one of my favorite parts of the magic in this series is how deeply practical and day-to-day the magic is. Sure, you have big works of magic for combat or kidnapping or bringing down a building, but so much of the magic is so seamlessly incorporated into magician's daily life and habits.
This Book's Romance
Holy fuck I am so obsessed with this romance. These two characters were immediate favs upon meeting them earlier in the books and this romance was the most to my taste (even though I love all the books SO MUCHand I am so so glad rhey all get HEAs and are a confirmed happy found family ) Also, the sex in this book was particularly steamy. They get into some heavy power dynamics and kink that I am SO WEAK for, and they manage to negotiate it and consent to it in a way that feels natural to the characters. More spoiler-y thoughts about the sex: I absolutely called from early on in book 2 that Alan was the Roman but I was so so delighted with the confirmation and everything about how it came into play in their relationship this book. I love that they both know the Roman's stories so well and both realize exactly how combatible their tastes and desires run.
Jack and Alan have an incredibly compelling dynamic that is full of sarcasm and bickering, but they are also so beautifully devoted to each other by the end. The way the book wraps up gave me everything I wanted out of both their relationship and the overarching narrative. I feel like so many books these days end fairly abruptly after the climax with no falling action and I was so delighted that every single book has a nice falling action AND an epilogue. Okay, I've been talking for awhile but if you are some reason reading this book 3 review before buying the series (or the last book) GO BUY IT IT'S SO GOOD!!!!!!
The Series Overall
It's hard to even put all my feelings on this series into coherent words, but I will endeavor to try: these books are some of the most well paced and beautifully written novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The characters are three dimensional with beautiful relationship dynamics both in the romances as well as the platonic and familial bonds. These characters and the found family that they build over the series is so beautiful and heartwarming.
This series is exactly what I have always craved as a queer person who loves magic and mystery and grew up wanting to see people like me having daring adventures and sweeping romances with happily ever afters. The wrap up of the over arching plot absolutely delivers, and I still think the magic system is one of the coolest I've read in any series to date. I could write a whole thesis on what I love about the magic, but I'll just add that one of my favorite parts of the magic in this series is how deeply practical and day-to-day the magic is. Sure, you have big works of magic for combat or kidnapping or bringing down a building, but so much of the magic is so seamlessly incorporated into magician's daily life and habits.
This Book's Romance
Holy fuck I am so obsessed with this romance. These two characters were immediate favs upon meeting them earlier in the books and this romance was the most to my taste (even though I love all the books SO MUCH
Jack and Alan have an incredibly compelling dynamic that is full of sarcasm and bickering, but they are also so beautifully devoted to each other by the end. The way the book wraps up gave me everything I wanted out of both their relationship and the overarching narrative. I feel like so many books these days end fairly abruptly after the climax with no falling action and I was so delighted that every single book has a nice falling action AND an epilogue. Okay, I've been talking for awhile but if you are some reason reading this book 3 review before buying the series (or the last book) GO BUY IT IT'S SO GOOD!!!!!!