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A review by bookdragonemiri
The Cruelest Mercy by Natalie Mae
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
3.5
3.5 STARS:
Unfortunately, I didn't like this one as much as the first. Not to say it wasn't well written, but some parts stuck out to me.
First, let's start with the positives. Zahru's descent/character arc was exceptionally well done. It was so slow and expertly plotted that I got to the middle of the book and realized, with a jolt, just how much she'd changed. I still love her character, but now I see her in a more tragic light.
Kasta was also fantastic. I can't say much without spoiling the ending, but he really sucker punched me. It cemented him as a favorite.
Another interesting element was how character driven this book was. The first book was more of a balance between plot and character-driven, and it moved pretty fast. This book was slower but really focused on diving into the characters. That being said, it did drag in some places, which brought the book down a bit.
One of the other reasons I wouldn't say I liked this book as much was that I felt the relationships were not as pronounced. Zahru spends much of the book isolated in her paranoia, which got a bit aggravating. It was still well done, and I saw the point of it. I just felt like too much of Zahru was stripped away, and it was hard to recognize her core features in the end. It was a little drastic for someone who showed no signs of this in the first book.
As much as I loved the ending, there was one element that turned my stomach. See spoiler= Zahru used her mind magic to alter Kasta's mind. It was not too drastic of a change, and it did resolve the conflict. However, I just couldn't help but be angry for Kasta. It felt violating. That last element made me have a hard time rooting for the romance in the end. I had to reread some parts a few times to help it settle in my head. I'm hoping the next book will fix this problem.
Overall, I will be continuing this series. I love a good villain romance, so I'd be remiss not to continue. I do recommend this series, despite the personal issues I had with this particular installment. I'm looking forward to the finale!
Unfortunately, I didn't like this one as much as the first. Not to say it wasn't well written, but some parts stuck out to me.
First, let's start with the positives. Zahru's descent/character arc was exceptionally well done. It was so slow and expertly plotted that I got to the middle of the book and realized, with a jolt, just how much she'd changed. I still love her character, but now I see her in a more tragic light.
Kasta was also fantastic. I can't say much without spoiling the ending, but he really sucker punched me. It cemented him as a favorite.
Another interesting element was how character driven this book was. The first book was more of a balance between plot and character-driven, and it moved pretty fast. This book was slower but really focused on diving into the characters. That being said, it did drag in some places, which brought the book down a bit.
One of the other reasons I wouldn't say I liked this book as much was that I felt the relationships were not as pronounced. Zahru spends much of the book isolated in her paranoia, which got a bit aggravating. It was still well done, and I saw the point of it. I just felt like too much of Zahru was stripped away, and it was hard to recognize her core features in the end. It was a little drastic for someone who showed no signs of this in the first book.
As much as I loved the ending, there was one element that turned my stomach. See spoiler=
Overall, I will be continuing this series. I love a good villain romance, so I'd be remiss not to continue. I do recommend this series, despite the personal issues I had with this particular installment. I'm looking forward to the finale!