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A review by geniesurreal
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
3.0
Now that I've collected my thoughts, I'd like to try reviewing this book again.
I moderately enjoyed the series up to this book and chose to read ACFTL so I could officially finish the series and maybe watch some BookTubers say their opinions. So I didn't begin reading with high expectations. I just wanted to enjoy how the series wrapped up.
Yet I was still disappointed. The first half of the book is a mess. Nothing seems to make sense. There's no real plot developing, just characters off doing their own deeds with no clear intentions or purpose. I have BEEF with a lot of plot leads that just ended without an explanation or ever being mentioned again.
Mild Spoilers:
Why mention the Inn had one room vacant with one bed when nothing happens between Evangeline and Jacks? No romance, no deep conversations, no questions answered... Just Jacks spilling sleep glitter all over himself and falling asleep.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of that Inn stay since that's where she got all her memories back and had the protection cuff put on, but WHY MENTION THE ONE BED WHEN THEY WOULDN'T BE USING THE ONE BED.
NO because I remember last year an author-leaked picture of this book was released while it was still in the works and everyone went CRAZY over the "one bed" sign on the page. And now you're telling me NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
Also, what was the deal with Apollo and Chaos just killing everyone?
ACTUALLY- Let me back up a bit. Why the actual heck was the entire Fortuna House murdered and then NOTHING came of it? No rippling consequences from their murders? No one cares? The North doesn't care one bit that one of their Great Houses was just murdered overnight? This doesn't affect the Great Houses or the North's politics in any way?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME.
And yes - why where Apollo and Chaos KILLING EVERYONE.
Every time I saw Chaos he was either trying to save Jacks or Evangeline or murdering a crowd of people. I need answers for that poor boy Apollo killed as well. He didn't deserve to die. I hate you Apollo.
I swear, when the unicorns were mentioned I thought they were going to run into a unicorn later on and get a half-wish (whatever that is) but nope. Just another mentioning of a mystical creature that has abilities that would definitely have helped the characters.
The first 70% of this book felt sloppily thrown together with no clear direction. The plot felt torn between different possible paths and couldn't decide on where to take the story so it just walked around in circles.
Apollo claimed he wanted to protect Evangeline but then did heinous acts that had nothing to do with Evangeline or her safety. It felt like he just did them because he could.
Evangeline's memory loss didn't serve the plot at all but honestly felt like filler. During that time she could have come across an important piece of information that she wouldn't know what to do with until she got her memories back! An opportunity wasted - instead we watch her fumbling around the North almost getting killed every day and wondering what the heck is going on.
Also, RIP Hansel and Victor. They didn't deserve to die APOLLO.
HOWEVER
I really liked the last 60 pages. That's when the plot began to feel solid with clear direction and the characters all striving toward an actual goal. It's like a switch went off and suddenly the book came together beautifully. At this point I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading. The writing, the action, the romance, the suspense-absolutely superb.
I know a lot of reviewers are wondering where her third indebted kiss went or if she still owed it - but my theory is, that kiss is what broke the curse over Jacks. True love is facing your fears. It's disregarding yourself in favor of your true love. The threat of losing her life over kissing Jacks was the fear they needed to hurdle over to achieve their dreams of having each other. But also-what fairy tale wasn't cured with a true love's kiss?
ALSO Apollo got what he deserved. I don't think Apollo ever really loved Evangeline. He was just infatuated with her. While he was under the archer's curse he thought about her night and day-since he was hunting her- and it basically gaslit him into thinking they had a bond. When someone completely consumes your thoughts it can sway you either way and you know what they say, there's a thin line between love and hate.
He liked the idea of keeping Evangeline away from Jacks as if she was a prize to rub in his face. He liked the idea of someone loving him and possibly settling into a life with him. He wanted control over everything in his life and Evangeline was under that reign.
He never loved her. He loved himself too much to love anyone else. Justice was served when he foolishly drank from the Tree of Souls.
(I at first thought he was going to make Evangeline drink from the tree so that Jacks would be taken as the sacrifice, so I was so scared for her. However he wasn't that smart... thankfully.)
Aurora is a boy-hungry bitch. That's all I have to say about that.
And lastly, will we ever know what the deal was with the apples? The world may never know.
I moderately enjoyed the series up to this book and chose to read ACFTL so I could officially finish the series and maybe watch some BookTubers say their opinions. So I didn't begin reading with high expectations. I just wanted to enjoy how the series wrapped up.
Yet I was still disappointed. The first half of the book is a mess. Nothing seems to make sense. There's no real plot developing, just characters off doing their own deeds with no clear intentions or purpose. I have BEEF with a lot of plot leads that just ended without an explanation or ever being mentioned again.
Mild Spoilers:
Spoiler
I don't understand why the Great Houses were called to meeting with Apollo to discuss Evangeline situating herself as his bride when nothing came of it. They agreed on a pretty solid plan to help her become a good wifey but he just NEVER does and never speaks of it again? Their plan was to begin insisting on having an heir which honestly probably would have worked-at least for a while-but he just never speaks of it or goes through with it. It felt like a waste of a chapter.Why mention the Inn had one room vacant with one bed when nothing happens between Evangeline and Jacks? No romance, no deep conversations, no questions answered... Just Jacks spilling sleep glitter all over himself and falling asleep.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of that Inn stay since that's where she got all her memories back and had the protection cuff put on, but WHY MENTION THE ONE BED WHEN THEY WOULDN'T BE USING THE ONE BED.
NO because I remember last year an author-leaked picture of this book was released while it was still in the works and everyone went CRAZY over the "one bed" sign on the page. And now you're telling me NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
Also, what was the deal with Apollo and Chaos just killing everyone?
ACTUALLY- Let me back up a bit. Why the actual heck was the entire Fortuna House murdered and then NOTHING came of it? No rippling consequences from their murders? No one cares? The North doesn't care one bit that one of their Great Houses was just murdered overnight? This doesn't affect the Great Houses or the North's politics in any way?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME.
And yes - why where Apollo and Chaos KILLING EVERYONE.
Every time I saw Chaos he was either trying to save Jacks or Evangeline or murdering a crowd of people. I need answers for that poor boy Apollo killed as well. He didn't deserve to die. I hate you Apollo.
I swear, when the unicorns were mentioned I thought they were going to run into a unicorn later on and get a half-wish (whatever that is) but nope. Just another mentioning of a mystical creature that has abilities that would definitely have helped the characters.
The first 70% of this book felt sloppily thrown together with no clear direction. The plot felt torn between different possible paths and couldn't decide on where to take the story so it just walked around in circles.
Apollo claimed he wanted to protect Evangeline but then did heinous acts that had nothing to do with Evangeline or her safety. It felt like he just did them because he could.
Evangeline's memory loss didn't serve the plot at all but honestly felt like filler. During that time she could have come across an important piece of information that she wouldn't know what to do with until she got her memories back! An opportunity wasted - instead we watch her fumbling around the North almost getting killed every day and wondering what the heck is going on.
Also, RIP Hansel and Victor. They didn't deserve to die APOLLO.
HOWEVER
I really liked the last 60 pages. That's when the plot began to feel solid with clear direction and the characters all striving toward an actual goal. It's like a switch went off and suddenly the book came together beautifully. At this point I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading. The writing, the action, the romance, the suspense-absolutely superb.
Spoiler
I know a lot of reviewers are wondering where her third indebted kiss went or if she still owed it - but my theory is, that kiss is what broke the curse over Jacks. True love is facing your fears. It's disregarding yourself in favor of your true love. The threat of losing her life over kissing Jacks was the fear they needed to hurdle over to achieve their dreams of having each other. But also-what fairy tale wasn't cured with a true love's kiss?
ALSO Apollo got what he deserved. I don't think Apollo ever really loved Evangeline. He was just infatuated with her. While he was under the archer's curse he thought about her night and day-since he was hunting her- and it basically gaslit him into thinking they had a bond. When someone completely consumes your thoughts it can sway you either way and you know what they say, there's a thin line between love and hate.
He liked the idea of keeping Evangeline away from Jacks as if she was a prize to rub in his face. He liked the idea of someone loving him and possibly settling into a life with him. He wanted control over everything in his life and Evangeline was under that reign.
He never loved her. He loved himself too much to love anyone else. Justice was served when he foolishly drank from the Tree of Souls.
(I at first thought he was going to make Evangeline drink from the tree so that Jacks would be taken as the sacrifice, so I was so scared for her. However he wasn't that smart... thankfully.)
Aurora is a boy-hungry bitch. That's all I have to say about that.
And lastly, will we ever know what the deal was with the apples? The world may never know.