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A review by princesspandoraslibrary
The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
Who knew one could become emotionally attached to a self-serving, morally-ambitious demon?
Summary: The Scarlet Throne is a fantasy steeped in Tibetan mythology featuring a healthy dose of political intrigue and an ambitious, morally-grey female main character. Binsa is a vessel for a goddess, and thus lives a very respected and revered life. But her use of her body as a "living goddess" is a lie. Instead, she harbors a demon. This demon, Ilam, lends Binsa his powers in exchange for a price, so that she may do what she needs to do (even if it involves taking the lives of others) to maintain her position of power. As her priests start to become suspicious of her powers, Binsa must go to greater and greater extremes to prove her prowess and eliminate anyone who dares to conspire against her.
Note: there is no romance in this book- if you're looking for a fantasy romance, look elsewhere!
Thoughts: I thought the writing quality of this book was quite good, especially considering it is a debut novel. I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author, including the sequel to The Scarlet Throne. The plot and pacing started off strong (chapter 12 was excellent, so much so that I was furiously scribbling notes and quotes as I read) and ended strong, but I do think the plot dragged a bit in the middle of the book. I think a bit more descriptive world-building would have been a nice addition, particularly considering that the majority of this story takes place within the same temple walls. I liked the characters and found myself particularly attached to Ilam, which I think speaks a lot about Amy Leow's writing ability that she was able to write a demon character in a way that that includes both his empathetic nature and his own selfish ambitions.
Rating: 3.5 stars. I think this would have been a 4 star book for me, if the plot in the middle of the book had not gotten a bit bogged down, but the ending was very unique and even a bit heartwarming, which is a descriptor I was surprised to find myself wanting to use, considering the self-centered nature of the main characters. Upon reflection one day after finishing the book (when I'm writing this review), I find myself actually fairly attached to Ilam, in particular, and the ending was significant in contributing to that feeling.
Who knew one could become emotionally attached to a self-serving, morally-ambitious demon?
Summary: The Scarlet Throne is a fantasy steeped in Tibetan mythology featuring a healthy dose of political intrigue and an ambitious, morally-grey female main character. Binsa is a vessel for a goddess, and thus lives a very respected and revered life. But her use of her body as a "living goddess" is a lie. Instead, she harbors a demon. This demon, Ilam, lends Binsa his powers in exchange for a price, so that she may do what she needs to do (even if it involves taking the lives of others) to maintain her position of power. As her priests start to become suspicious of her powers, Binsa must go to greater and greater extremes to prove her prowess and eliminate anyone who dares to conspire against her.
Note: there is no romance in this book- if you're looking for a fantasy romance, look elsewhere!
Thoughts: I thought the writing quality of this book was quite good, especially considering it is a debut novel. I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author, including the sequel to The Scarlet Throne. The plot and pacing started off strong (chapter 12 was excellent, so much so that I was furiously scribbling notes and quotes as I read) and ended strong, but I do think the plot dragged a bit in the middle of the book. I think a bit more descriptive world-building would have been a nice addition, particularly considering that the majority of this story takes place within the same temple walls. I liked the characters and found myself particularly attached to Ilam, which I think speaks a lot about Amy Leow's writing ability that she was able to write a demon character in a way that that includes both his empathetic nature and his own selfish ambitions.
Rating: 3.5 stars. I think this would have been a 4 star book for me, if the plot in the middle of the book had not gotten a bit bogged down, but the ending was very unique and even a bit heartwarming, which is a descriptor I was surprised to find myself wanting to use, considering the self-centered nature of the main characters. Upon reflection one day after finishing the book (when I'm writing this review), I find myself actually fairly attached to Ilam, in particular, and the ending was significant in contributing to that feeling.