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A review by haniah__x
The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye
4.0
I can't with that ending. Like, way to make me have to mess up my reading schedule and grab the sequel, Evelyn Skye. Way to go! Because now I need the sequel...that cliff-hanger.
So this is about 2 enchanters - Nikolai and Vika - who are destined to compete in The Crown's Game, a game in which they have to show off their magic and basically try to kill each other, until the Tsar decides who the winner is. There can only be one winner - who gets to serve the Tsar as his Imperial Enchanter - and the other enchanter is fated to die. Of course, Nikolai and Vika fall for each other eventually (and I SHIP THEM SO MUCH- there's a few swoon-worthy scenes....masquerade ball!!), it's a sort of enemies to lovers trope and I've lost count how many times they've tried to kill each other now. I love how this is set in 19th century Russia, before the revolution, but I must admit, the writing is rather slow, and my patience was tested. It's fascinating though, and certainly worth the read if you're into this sort of intrigue.
There's a love triangle though. Yes, the Tsarevich, Pasha - in other words, the crown prince - is the other love interest, and to be honest, it was a bit annoying. Like seriously Evelyn Skye? It's plainly clear that Pasha, although he's sweet, is no match for Nikolai, the shadow boy, and frankly the love triangle serves no purpose whatsoever other than to break Pasha's heart, and make him more depressed than he already is. Not good. Vika and him could have been best friends or something, but no and there's absolutely zero chemistry between them, so what's the point in romance?
Other than that though, this is a great novel, and I recommend it...the highlight is definitely the romance - excluding the love triangle with Pasha - but still. :D
"She wanted again to hold on to him, and have him hold on to her, so they could whirl together through the cosmos like galaxies that could not - and would not - be confined.
If only he weren't the other enchanter in the Game."
So this is about 2 enchanters - Nikolai and Vika - who are destined to compete in The Crown's Game, a game in which they have to show off their magic and basically try to kill each other, until the Tsar decides who the winner is. There can only be one winner - who gets to serve the Tsar as his Imperial Enchanter - and the other enchanter is fated to die. Of course, Nikolai and Vika fall for each other eventually (and I SHIP THEM SO MUCH- there's a few swoon-worthy scenes....masquerade ball!!), it's a sort of enemies to lovers trope and I've lost count how many times they've tried to kill each other now. I love how this is set in 19th century Russia, before the revolution, but I must admit, the writing is rather slow, and my patience was tested. It's fascinating though, and certainly worth the read if you're into this sort of intrigue.
There's a love triangle though. Yes, the Tsarevich, Pasha - in other words, the crown prince - is the other love interest, and to be honest, it was a bit annoying. Like seriously Evelyn Skye? It's plainly clear that Pasha, although he's sweet, is no match for Nikolai, the shadow boy, and frankly the love triangle serves no purpose whatsoever other than to break Pasha's heart, and make him more depressed than he already is. Not good. Vika and him could have been best friends or something, but no and there's absolutely zero chemistry between them, so what's the point in romance?
Other than that though, this is a great novel, and I recommend it...the highlight is definitely the romance - excluding the love triangle with Pasha - but still. :D