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A review by archivesofjina
The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Whew. This is a hard one to review. I love the characters and the story, I do. But, I didn’t love this book as much as the first one. Something about the pacing was off and I found myself putting down the book a lot and only reading a few chapters at a time.
With that being said, the plot is still a solid one, seeing the partnership between two species of vampire that have been filled with centuries of hatred and war. The tension, the action scenes were all top notch. Romance is not at the forefront with either of these books. It’s definitely a subplot but still I found it a tad lacking. I wanted more but that’s a me problem.
The real winner in this book for me was Oraya and her relationship with her Father albeit dead Father. Nonetheless, her learning more about him, feeling conflicted about her love for him, missing and always hearing him in all the things she has to do for her kingdom. It really struck a chord in my heart and I found myself tearing up at that last scene, the last time she truly gets to hear her Father talk to her.
I wish we had a book on Vincent honestly. He’s such a complicated man. Years and years of horrors and violence he has faced but at the mercy of the daughter he loves. Heartbreaking and I couldn’t blame him for a lot of the choices he made.
Either way, I still enjoyed it and I’m really interested in the rest of Carissa Broadbent’s books. Her world building and relationship dynamics is impeccable.
With that being said, the plot is still a solid one, seeing the partnership between two species of vampire that have been filled with centuries of hatred and war. The tension, the action scenes were all top notch. Romance is not at the forefront with either of these books. It’s definitely a subplot but still I found it a tad lacking. I wanted more but that’s a me problem.
The real winner in this book for me was Oraya and her relationship with her Father albeit dead Father. Nonetheless, her learning more about him, feeling conflicted about her love for him, missing and always hearing him in all the things she has to do for her kingdom. It really struck a chord in my heart and I found myself tearing up at that last scene, the last time she truly gets to hear her Father talk to her.
I wish we had a book on Vincent honestly. He’s such a complicated man. Years and years of horrors and violence he has faced but at the mercy of the daughter he loves. Heartbreaking and I couldn’t blame him for a lot of the choices he made.
Either way, I still enjoyed it and I’m really interested in the rest of Carissa Broadbent’s books. Her world building and relationship dynamics is impeccable.