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A review by jellifysh
Kingdom of Ice and Bone by Jill Criswell
3.0
Kingdom of Ice & Bone is the follow-up to [b:Beasts of the Frozen Sun|42118210|Beasts of the Frozen Sun (Frozen Sun Saga, #1)|Jill Criswell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546977167l/42118210._SY75_.jpg|65709446], which I liked way more than anticipated. Lira was a headstrong character, the worldbuilding was fascinating and the historical influence was one not used too often.
Unfortunately, Kingdom of Ice & Bone didn't work for me.
I don't usually need much to be happy about a book. The first one had a lot of it: gods being dicks, people getting murdered, magic, all that good stuff! And I really liked Lira and Reyker, even when I usually can't see the appeal in the "romances" that get forced in YA and NA novels. It's just a whole ass genre I do not care about.
The romance was still as strong in this one as it was in the first book, even when Lira and Reyker think the other's dead for a big part of the book.
Lira's powers get stronger and she turns into a very morally-grey character and I was here! for! it!
We also got to meet new characters (Alane, for example, who I adore and really hope gets to become the bamf I know she can be!)
What killed my joy was the politics.
I don't have the patience to deal with political intrigue and subtlety.
Action? Absolutely.
A few pages taking place in a royal court? Sure.
A book that's 80% of political intrigue? Absolutely not.
But, if you enjoy, say, [b:And I Darken|27190613|And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1)|Kiersten White|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1449153532l/27190613._SY75_.jpg|41682914] for example, this book might be the thing for you! Morally grey-ish characters, trauma, murdering, political intrigue, this book has it all! It just really didn't work for me!
@Blackstone and Netgalley: Thank you guys for this ARC!
Unfortunately, Kingdom of Ice & Bone didn't work for me.
I don't usually need much to be happy about a book. The first one had a lot of it: gods being dicks, people getting murdered, magic, all that good stuff! And I really liked Lira and Reyker, even when I usually can't see the appeal in the "romances" that get forced in YA and NA novels. It's just a whole ass genre I do not care about.
The romance was still as strong in this one as it was in the first book, even when Lira and Reyker think the other's dead for a big part of the book.
Lira's powers get stronger and she turns into a very morally-grey character and I was here! for! it!
We also got to meet new characters (Alane, for example, who I adore and really hope gets to become the bamf I know she can be!)
What killed my joy was the politics.
I don't have the patience to deal with political intrigue and subtlety.
Action? Absolutely.
A few pages taking place in a royal court? Sure.
A book that's 80% of political intrigue? Absolutely not.
But, if you enjoy, say, [b:And I Darken|27190613|And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1)|Kiersten White|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1449153532l/27190613._SY75_.jpg|41682914] for example, this book might be the thing for you! Morally grey-ish characters, trauma, murdering, political intrigue, this book has it all! It just really didn't work for me!
@Blackstone and Netgalley: Thank you guys for this ARC!