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A review by thelittlebook_bee
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
5.0
I picked up this book (based on the cover) because I was in the mood for a spicy fantasy romance.
Weeellllll that's not ✨quite✨ what I got, but what it lacks in spice, it makes up for in originality, incredible world building, fantastic character dialogue, and queerness in a fantasy world with NO QUEERPHOBIA. NONE. Honestly, that alone could have won a 5 star rating out of me.
✨✨✨✨✨
Our anxious protagonist, Prince Kadou, has recently become a proud uncle to the heir to the throne, his beloved sister's darling daughter. His joy is overshadowed by his suspicion of the infant's body-father (more on THAT in a moment), his sister's lover and a powerful court ambassador.
A miscommunication turns deadly and Kadou is nearly exiled by his sister, who decides instead to temporarily kick her abashed brother out of court. Kadou is appointed a new kahya - a personal bodyguard and attendant - named Evermer. Evermer's disdain for the prince slowly transforms to respect - and something more - as he realizes Kadou's panic attacks stem not from cowardice, but from a deep seeded fear of failing at his position and, as a result, his constituents as a whole.
While investigating a sudden surge in counterfeit gold pieces - a horrifying development for a country whose pride and glory lies with its pure precious medals - Kadou and Evermer find themselves entangled with an underground conspiracy - and with each other.
I could go on about what I loved about this book. First of all - the world building. In Arasht, genderfluid people are not only respected, but revered. A person who impregnates another has no claim to the child, other than the title of body-father, acknowledging only biology, until the person who birthed the baby gives them the legal title of law-father. A third option - my HEART - is "love-father", a designation given to someone who raises a child as their own, regardless of biology or legal status.
Children in Arasht are loved deeply and defended fiercely. Marriages may be arranged to create heirs, yes, but controlled by consenting adults and never forced on the unwilling. Heirs are simply the first born children, regardless of gender.
LOVE. LOVE.
Weeellllll that's not ✨quite✨ what I got, but what it lacks in spice, it makes up for in originality, incredible world building, fantastic character dialogue, and queerness in a fantasy world with NO QUEERPHOBIA. NONE. Honestly, that alone could have won a 5 star rating out of me.
✨✨✨✨✨
Our anxious protagonist, Prince Kadou, has recently become a proud uncle to the heir to the throne, his beloved sister's darling daughter. His joy is overshadowed by his suspicion of the infant's body-father (more on THAT in a moment), his sister's lover and a powerful court ambassador.
A miscommunication turns deadly and Kadou is nearly exiled by his sister, who decides instead to temporarily kick her abashed brother out of court. Kadou is appointed a new kahya - a personal bodyguard and attendant - named Evermer. Evermer's disdain for the prince slowly transforms to respect - and something more - as he realizes Kadou's panic attacks stem not from cowardice, but from a deep seeded fear of failing at his position and, as a result, his constituents as a whole.
While investigating a sudden surge in counterfeit gold pieces - a horrifying development for a country whose pride and glory lies with its pure precious medals - Kadou and Evermer find themselves entangled with an underground conspiracy - and with each other.
I could go on about what I loved about this book. First of all - the world building. In Arasht, genderfluid people are not only respected, but revered. A person who impregnates another has no claim to the child, other than the title of body-father, acknowledging only biology, until the person who birthed the baby gives them the legal title of law-father. A third option - my HEART - is "love-father", a designation given to someone who raises a child as their own, regardless of biology or legal status.
Children in Arasht are loved deeply and defended fiercely. Marriages may be arranged to create heirs, yes, but controlled by consenting adults and never forced on the unwilling. Heirs are simply the first born children, regardless of gender.
LOVE. LOVE.