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A review by onthesamepage
The Lord of Stariel by A.J. Lancaster
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There's something really cozy about this story, even though I wouldn't categorize it as cozy fantasy. But the world, the writing, and the characters were incredibly compelling to me. Plus there's all the genre blending going on—fantasy, romance, mystery, and it all works well together.
The plot doesn't move at a very fast pace. A big part of the book is Hetta getting used to her new position, which means she walks the grounds, reads up on estate management, and does a lot of "slice of life" things. The world is still patriarchal, and Hetta runs into a few situations where she is discriminated against because she's a woman. I liked how the author handled all of these aspects. Hetta is someone who has plenty of agency, and instead of constantly being the person who needs to be saved, she does plenty of saving. There's also plenty of time spent on developing the different relationships, and unraveling the mysteries surrounding Stariel.
Some of the reveals were kind of obvious to me from the beginning, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. A surprising delight, and I look forward to continuing in the series.
The plot doesn't move at a very fast pace. A big part of the book is Hetta getting used to her new position, which means she walks the grounds, reads up on estate management, and does a lot of "slice of life" things. The world is still patriarchal, and Hetta runs into a few situations where she is discriminated against because she's a woman. I liked how the author handled all of these aspects. Hetta is someone who has plenty of agency, and instead of constantly being the person who needs to be saved, she does plenty of saving. There's also plenty of time spent on developing the different relationships, and unraveling the mysteries surrounding Stariel.
Some of the reveals were kind of obvious to me from the beginning, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all. A surprising delight, and I look forward to continuing in the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Homophobia