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A review by squonksauce
The Frost Queen's Blade by Meg Smitherman
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book had me in the first half with her characterization alone. I read 50% within two days but then struggled through the second half. I appreciate the FMC's unique personality, (unique as in it was a first for me) her need to dominate, and being aroused at the sight of blood and gore made her an interestingly complex character. The MMC had my heart with his witty sarcasm and definitely gave off Astarion vibes *at first*.
Unfortunately, there was a lot of telling and not showing in this book. Some inconstincies and repetitive descriptions. An example is the FMC recounts a time when her father shows her the half severed head of one of her guards to show the cruelty of a warring country. Yet a few chapters later, she is horrified at the sight of seeing a severed head up close.
As much as I loved the characters at first, the MMC loses all complexity and the very traits that made me adore him in the last 30%. He suddenly seems so soft and drab and kind of weak, honestly.
The world building is also very weak, I felt like I knew nothing because the FMC knew nothing about her own country or the country that her family has been at war with for... at least a few generations?
The ending felt rushed, like the author just wanted it over with, as I did too.
I think there's potential with this story and hope that future writings by this author can fully harness the complexity of her character building while honing other important aspects of her storytelling.
Unfortunately, there was a lot of telling and not showing in this book. Some inconstincies and repetitive descriptions. An example is the FMC recounts a time when her father shows her the half severed head of one of her guards to show the cruelty of a warring country. Yet a few chapters later, she is horrified at the sight of seeing a severed head up close.
As much as I loved the characters at first, the MMC loses all complexity and the very traits that made me adore him in the last 30%. He suddenly seems so soft and drab and kind of weak, honestly.
The world building is also very weak, I felt like I knew nothing because the FMC knew nothing about her own country or the country that her family has been at war with for... at least a few generations?
The ending felt rushed, like the author just wanted it over with, as I did too.
I think there's potential with this story and hope that future writings by this author can fully harness the complexity of her character building while honing other important aspects of her storytelling.