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A review by bibliophilicwitch
Pennyblade by J.L. Worrad, James Worrad
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Pennyblade read like the male version of the current popular subgenre commonly referred to as "romantasy" - a grimdark fantasy with an unlikable crass lesbian anti-hero.
The culture of the main character features an elf-like people with a "progressive, cultured" society that looks down on "savage" human societies while also being so focused on the concept of the perfect specimen and bloodlines with an animalistic season of heat for both the men and women. This belief in the perfect specimen is such a focal point of their beliefs that individuals have no personal identity other than to continue the species with the best match which does lend itself to some interesting themes and plot point. Ultimately if you look too closely at the culture Worrad has built it starts to fall apart as a whole. There are certain elements from the characters' plots that also fall apart if you think through them too much. Definitely not the read I was hoping for though it was interesting.
The culture of the main character features an elf-like people with a "progressive, cultured" society that looks down on "savage" human societies while also being so focused on the concept of the perfect specimen and bloodlines with an animalistic season of heat for both the men and women. This belief in the perfect specimen is such a focal point of their beliefs that individuals have no personal identity other than to continue the species with the best match which does lend itself to some interesting themes and plot point. Ultimately if you look too closely at the culture Worrad has built it starts to fall apart as a whole. There are certain elements from the characters' plots that also fall apart if you think through them too much. Definitely not the read I was hoping for though it was interesting.