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A review by sapphirebubble_
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I am actually very conflicted about how and what to rate this novel. But right now I am going with 3.5 stars.
cw// death, guns, abuse, abusive relationship
Winter's Orbit is not an instant favourite, its more of an acquired taste. It is more than its tropes of arranged marriage/marriage of convenience, grumpy-sunshine, stuck on an icy tundra and huddling for warmth, slow burn. It is about two people who have very bad self-esteem issues, perpetrated by the people around them, although in very different circumstances.
The premise of the novel is very interesting. A wayward prince (Kiem) and a dutiful diplomat (Jainan) are forcefully bonded into marriage. Kiem is a happy-go-lucky extrovert while Jainan is shy and pensive. Kiem verbalises every emotion while Jainan keeps everything close to his heart. Kiem is a recently reformed rebellious prince who no one expects much of. Jainan is a grieving widower who has gotten into the habit of making himself smaller. Their relationship is sweet and frustrating. Sweet because they study each other and learn the other's habits, nervous tics and behavioural patterns; frustrating because both of them are swimming in so much self-pity and disdain that they can't see past it. Their relationship does not develop over banter and conversations, but over how they shape themselves around each other to cause the least amount of damage.
Although I really liked the storyline, I think we should have seen Kiem and Jainan interact more. Entire scenes written out for the readers, rather than just mentioned in passing as something that happened in the past. It would have made their attachment more subtle, true and believable.
I was very intrigued by the politics of the Empire and its vassal states, the Auditor and the Resolution, as well as the outer Galatic entities. Since, we do not have prior information about all these entities and their relationships, its hard to understand how they function. We are interested in their history and politics, but since our characters are diplomats, they are not aware of them. So, it leads to situations where we either have an info dump, or a very flimsy understanding of the situation. At times, I most ardently wished for a companion's guide so that I can have a better handle on how the Iskat Empire works. As fun as it is, to watch our protagonists investigate a murder that might bring war upon their empire unless it is solved, it does not reach its full potential because we do not know how this society functions or who is actually supposed to solve the murder. I did not understand what clan duties Jainan had forsaken that made him so ashamed to face his people and why were Unification Day protests on Thea so very concerning.
There are many threads in the storyline and I was able to follow them all pretty easily, which is always a plus point in epic fantasies and space operas. I do believe that the entire book needed a little bit more polishing, to make it palatable to its audience as well as to do justice to its characters.
cw// death, guns, abuse, abusive relationship
Winter's Orbit is not an instant favourite, its more of an acquired taste. It is more than its tropes of arranged marriage/marriage of convenience, grumpy-sunshine, stuck on an icy tundra and huddling for warmth, slow burn. It is about two people who have very bad self-esteem issues, perpetrated by the people around them, although in very different circumstances.
The premise of the novel is very interesting. A wayward prince (Kiem) and a dutiful diplomat (Jainan) are forcefully bonded into marriage. Kiem is a happy-go-lucky extrovert while Jainan is shy and pensive. Kiem verbalises every emotion while Jainan keeps everything close to his heart. Kiem is a recently reformed rebellious prince who no one expects much of. Jainan is a grieving widower who has gotten into the habit of making himself smaller. Their relationship is sweet and frustrating. Sweet because they study each other and learn the other's habits, nervous tics and behavioural patterns; frustrating because both of them are swimming in so much self-pity and disdain that they can't see past it. Their relationship does not develop over banter and conversations, but over how they shape themselves around each other to cause the least amount of damage.
Although I really liked the storyline, I think we should have seen Kiem and Jainan interact more. Entire scenes written out for the readers, rather than just mentioned in passing as something that happened in the past. It would have made their attachment more subtle, true and believable.
I was very intrigued by the politics of the Empire and its vassal states, the Auditor and the Resolution, as well as the outer Galatic entities. Since, we do not have prior information about all these entities and their relationships, its hard to understand how they function. We are interested in their history and politics, but since our characters are diplomats, they are not aware of them. So, it leads to situations where we either have an info dump, or a very flimsy understanding of the situation. At times, I most ardently wished for a companion's guide so that I can have a better handle on how the Iskat Empire works. As fun as it is, to watch our protagonists investigate a murder that might bring war upon their empire unless it is solved, it does not reach its full potential because we do not know how this society functions or who is actually supposed to solve the murder. I did not understand what clan duties Jainan had forsaken that made him so ashamed to face his people and why were Unification Day protests on Thea so very concerning.
There are many threads in the storyline and I was able to follow them all pretty easily, which is always a plus point in epic fantasies and space operas. I do believe that the entire book needed a little bit more polishing, to make it palatable to its audience as well as to do justice to its characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse