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A review by thegreatmanda
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The fictional world of Captive Prince is harsh and brutal, one where slavery, violence, and rape are commonplace, so keep that in mind if you're interested in reading this for yourself.
Into that world are dropped some extremely engaging characters, and this is clearly a story arc that takes reading the entire trilogy to get the full picture, as very little gets resolved by the end of this first volume. The world-building is on the lighter side and is done through the observations and actions of those characters, as the whole thing is extremely character-driven. This is by far my personal preference in a novel, as my ADHD brain doesn't do well with lengthy paragraphs of description and I tend to struggle to engage with that type of fictional world. There's no magic system to learn here, only people and relationships and vicious political plots that are revealed naturally and organically.
Damen is easy to love, straightforward and so honest and forthright it gives him a certain naivete, even though he has plenty of life experience. His mind just doesn't generate betrayal or deception, so it's always a shock to him coming from others, which is why his brothers actions that kick off this story catch him entirely off guard.
There are a number of minor characters who tug at the heart in different ways; Erasmus is probably the biggest one for me. His experience in this book is a little like watching a small, sweet fawn get crushed in a wood chipper. He's just precious and absolutely not made for a place as brutal and ugly as Vere.Thankfully, Damen is able to use what little influence he has to get him out of there eventually.
Which brings me to the most complex character in this series so far, the Golden Prince himself, Laurent. On the surface, and even looking a bit below the surface, this man is a stone cold, iron-plated bitch. He's a horrible human being. He's awful to everyone. He almost kills Damen over very little.
He also looks at Damen with shock every time Damen displays evidence of being a decent person, and I think that's the most telling thing about Laurent's character, behind the very sharp, spiky walls he has built up around his heart and real personality to keep everyone out. There's a saying that "hurt people hurt people", meaning people who have been hurt badly, will turn around and hurt others badly, and my impression is that Laurent is a classic example of that. It isn't revealed much in this book beyond things like the attempt on his life, but I think Laurent has spent his life living through very ugly experiences. At the point that we meet him, he's twenty years old, he equates any softness or vulnerability with extreme danger to himself, and I suspect he's furious and deeply hurt with some good reasons to be.
Here are some predictions I have on what I'll find out about Laurent in this series:
- I think he's known from first sight who Damen is. I think that explains
1) the look he gives him when he first sees him
2) you have a scar
3) his insistence that he wasn't near the front at Marlas and never saw Prince Damianos up close
4) the lashing at the cross incident and you can thank Prince Damianos for that
and probably other details I'm forgetting.
- I also think, aside from loving his brother Auguste very much, Auguste was Laurent's protector from his uncle's revolting proclivities. Laurent would have been thirteen or fourteen when Auguste was killed - in the normal course of war, yes, but by Damen's hand. I also think Laurent was familiar with the drug used on him during the murder attempt because the Regent had used it on him during those years after his brother was killed. Laurent's behavior toward Nicaise especially brought that to my mind. There's even a revolting, "familial affection" moment near the end when the Regent strokes Laurent's hair, and then that chapter ends with:
"I hate to see you grown up like this," said the Regent, "when you were such a lovely boy."
If that isn't a pointed ending to a chapter, I don't know what is, and it makes me want to find the nearest creepy old man and punch him a few times.
Presumably at some point in this series, these two morons are going to realize that they're falling for each other, but by the end of this volume all we get is a very tiny, very cautious sliver of mutual trust, and Damen having Akielos-related reasons for wanting Laurent to stay alive. I hope I'll get to see Laurent's spiky inner walls slowly come down through spending more and more time with Damen's general steadfast decency.
Favorite Quotes:
Into that world are dropped some extremely engaging characters, and this is clearly a story arc that takes reading the entire trilogy to get the full picture, as very little gets resolved by the end of this first volume. The world-building is on the lighter side and is done through the observations and actions of those characters, as the whole thing is extremely character-driven. This is by far my personal preference in a novel, as my ADHD brain doesn't do well with lengthy paragraphs of description and I tend to struggle to engage with that type of fictional world. There's no magic system to learn here, only people and relationships and vicious political plots that are revealed naturally and organically.
Damen is easy to love, straightforward and so honest and forthright it gives him a certain naivete, even though he has plenty of life experience. His mind just doesn't generate betrayal or deception, so it's always a shock to him coming from others, which is why his brothers actions that kick off this story catch him entirely off guard.
There are a number of minor characters who tug at the heart in different ways; Erasmus is probably the biggest one for me. His experience in this book is a little like watching a small, sweet fawn get crushed in a wood chipper. He's just precious and absolutely not made for a place as brutal and ugly as Vere.
Which brings me to the most complex character in this series so far, the Golden Prince himself, Laurent. On the surface, and even looking a bit below the surface, this man is a stone cold, iron-plated bitch. He's a horrible human being. He's awful to everyone. He almost kills Damen over very little.
He also looks at Damen with shock every time Damen displays evidence of being a decent person, and I think that's the most telling thing about Laurent's character, behind the very sharp, spiky walls he has built up around his heart and real personality to keep everyone out. There's a saying that "hurt people hurt people", meaning people who have been hurt badly, will turn around and hurt others badly, and my impression is that Laurent is a classic example of that. It isn't revealed much in this book beyond things like the attempt on his life, but I think Laurent has spent his life living through very ugly experiences. At the point that we meet him, he's twenty years old, he equates any softness or vulnerability with extreme danger to himself, and I suspect he's furious and deeply hurt with some good reasons to be.
Here are some predictions I have on what I'll find out about Laurent in this series:
- I think he's known from first sight who Damen is. I think that explains
1) the look he gives him when he first sees him
2) you have a scar
3) his insistence that he wasn't near the front at Marlas and never saw Prince Damianos up close
4) the lashing at the cross incident and you can thank Prince Damianos for that
and probably other details I'm forgetting.
- I also think, aside from loving his brother Auguste very much, Auguste was Laurent's protector from his uncle's revolting proclivities. Laurent would have been thirteen or fourteen when Auguste was killed - in the normal course of war, yes, but by Damen's hand. I also think Laurent was familiar with the drug used on him during the murder attempt because the Regent had used it on him during those years after his brother was killed. Laurent's behavior toward Nicaise especially brought that to my mind. There's even a revolting, "familial affection" moment near the end when the Regent strokes Laurent's hair, and then that chapter ends with:
"I hate to see you grown up like this," said the Regent, "when you were such a lovely boy."
If that isn't a pointed ending to a chapter, I don't know what is, and it makes me want to find the nearest creepy old man and punch him a few times.
Presumably at some point in this series, these two morons are going to realize that they're falling for each other, but by the end of this volume all we get is a very tiny, very cautious sliver of mutual trust, and Damen having Akielos-related reasons for wanting Laurent to stay alive. I hope I'll get to see Laurent's spiky inner walls slowly come down through spending more and more time with Damen's general steadfast decency.
Favorite Quotes:
"I speak your language better than you speak mine, sweetheart."
Laurent could inspire homicidal tendencies simply by breathing.
"Nephew, you were not invited to these discussions."
"And yet, here I am. It's very irritating, isn't it?" said Laurent.
He didn't reprimand Damen. He didn't seem particularly displeased with barbaric behavior, as long as it was directed outward. Like a man who enjoys owning an animal who will rake others with its claws but eat peacefully from his own hand, he was giving his pet a great deal of license.
As a result, courtiers kept one eye on Damen, giving him a wide berth. Laurent used that to his advantage, using the propensity of courtiers to fall back in reaction to Damen's presence as a means of extricating himself smoothly from conversation.
The third time this happened Damen said, "Shall I make a face at the ones you don't like, or is it enough to just look like a barbarian?"
"You seem to vacillate between assistance and assault. Which is it?"
"I'm not surprised you've driven three men to try and kill you, I'm only surprised there weren't more," said Damen, bluntly.
"There were," said Laurent, "more."
"You have to admire it," said Laurent, in a detached voice. "It's the perfect time to attack Akielos. Kastor is dealing with factional problems from the kyroi. Damianos, who turned the tide at Marlas, is dead. And the whole of Vere would rise up against a bastard, especially one who had cut down a Veretian prince. If only my murder weren't the catalyst, it's a scheme I would wholeheartedly support."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia