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A review by theshelfarchive
The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle
medium-paced
3.0
The Dagger and the Flame had a promising premise, but the execution didn’t fully work for me. The pacing felt inconsistent—just as I was settling into the slower moments, the story would suddenly burst into action, only to slow down again. This back-and-forth made it difficult to stay engaged, as I was either waiting for something to happen or struggling to keep up with the sudden shifts in momentum.
While the writing itself was fine, it didn’t particularly stand out, and I never felt fully connected to the characters. I wanted to care more about them and their journey, but something about their development left me feeling detached. Without that emotional investment, the story didn’t have the impact I was hoping for. In fact, I could only manage reading in 20-30-minute stints before losing interest, which is never a great sign. 😬😅
Overall, it was an okay read—entertaining enough in parts, but not compelling enough to keep me invested. At this point, I don’t feel the urge to continue the series.
While the writing itself was fine, it didn’t particularly stand out, and I never felt fully connected to the characters. I wanted to care more about them and their journey, but something about their development left me feeling detached. Without that emotional investment, the story didn’t have the impact I was hoping for. In fact, I could only manage reading in 20-30-minute stints before losing interest, which is never a great sign. 😬😅
Overall, it was an okay read—entertaining enough in parts, but not compelling enough to keep me invested. At this point, I don’t feel the urge to continue the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual content