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katie_the_reader 's review for:
challenging
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
There is a lot going on in this book... Dare I say too much?
The premise of this book is so gd cool, the holy maiden has the power to heal people instantly, but each time she does so she loses a day of her life. Having been essentially sold off into this life of enslaved healing that is slowly but surely killing her, Ysabel has to navigate the patriarchal bullshit that structures her life and choices, courtly machinations, creepy ass men (ofc) and now the threat of a new Dark Lord on the doorstep who wants to burn the city down.
The cover and title made me think this was going to be a silly and lighthearted lil romantasy, so that is where my expectations were at. But it isn't that? But kinda is? Idk I'm still trying to work it out. There are some really heavy and interesting topics covered here. Firstly, at some points this could be a text you analyse in a women's studies class, it's commentary on the objectification of women, bodily autonomy, sexuality, purity culture, and gender expectation is delicious. It's tongue in cheek and clever and satirical, but also thought-provoking. I particularly loved when a side character who is more of a militant feminist argues with the FMC about their different approaches to advocating for women and the way the roles of privilege/constraints/whatever shape their ways of dealing with a patriarchal system.
There is also (what I feel is, but I'm not wholly qualified to judge) really good trans representation. I will never claim to understand fully, but as an ally this felt really authentic and genuine. This was not a tokenistic side character, this was central to the plot and I enjoyed going through the experience of learning with the FMC while she navigated her own thoughts and feelings surrounding her particular relationship to the trans character (trying really hard to not include spoilers here). There was in-depth conversations about the navigation of changing their body, and other trans people included to show a different range of perspectives not just a blanket insert of one experience. Our FMC also reflects on her poor reaction to trans people in the past and it felt like she had grown and listened which was really nice to see.
But all this being said - this is heavy???? There is A LOT of discussions of rape, sexual assault, pedophilia, kidnapping, lack of bodily autonomy, gender constructs and stuggles, the oppression of women... I mean it was cool and interesting but it almost felt like a lot of this was almost laughed off by the FMC? I feel conflicted because perhaps this was excellent satire that I just didn't vibe with, but it just felt jarring to me at points that Ysabel would talk about being kidnapped as a child and the fear of rape from an older man and then be like "but lol, womanhood amirite???" which, fair, I do talk like this with my friends but was it working 100% in this book? Idk. I don't think the narration was the right fit because it sounded like they were making it sillier and so it sounded lighthearted and jokey when perhaps at points it really shouldn't have.
I kinda feel like the author has so many amazing ideas and they were all thrown together in this one book and it didn't quite blend together but I can't quite put my finger on why. I saw another review which said this book was simultaneaously the funnist thing she'd read in a while but took the absolute longest to get there and I agree. It's funny and interesting and the world is cool, but something doesn't quite hit the mark and I found myself caring more about the political/social structures than the actual characters or plot.
Anyway, this review is probably not useful at all because I don't quite know my own feelings about the book. I would recommend to read it, but like only so I'd have people to discuss it with.
The premise of this book is so gd cool, the holy maiden has the power to heal people instantly, but each time she does so she loses a day of her life. Having been essentially sold off into this life of enslaved healing that is slowly but surely killing her, Ysabel has to navigate the patriarchal bullshit that structures her life and choices, courtly machinations, creepy ass men (ofc) and now the threat of a new Dark Lord on the doorstep who wants to burn the city down.
The cover and title made me think this was going to be a silly and lighthearted lil romantasy, so that is where my expectations were at. But it isn't that? But kinda is? Idk I'm still trying to work it out. There are some really heavy and interesting topics covered here. Firstly, at some points this could be a text you analyse in a women's studies class, it's commentary on the objectification of women, bodily autonomy, sexuality, purity culture, and gender expectation is delicious. It's tongue in cheek and clever and satirical, but also thought-provoking. I particularly loved when a side character who is more of a militant feminist argues with the FMC about their different approaches to advocating for women and the way the roles of privilege/constraints/whatever shape their ways of dealing with a patriarchal system.
There is also (what I feel is, but I'm not wholly qualified to judge) really good trans representation. I will never claim to understand fully, but as an ally this felt really authentic and genuine. This was not a tokenistic side character, this was central to the plot and I enjoyed going through the experience of learning with the FMC while she navigated her own thoughts and feelings surrounding her particular relationship to the trans character (trying really hard to not include spoilers here). There was in-depth conversations about the navigation of changing their body, and other trans people included to show a different range of perspectives not just a blanket insert of one experience. Our FMC also reflects on her poor reaction to trans people in the past and it felt like she had grown and listened which was really nice to see.
But all this being said - this is heavy???? There is A LOT of discussions of rape, sexual assault, pedophilia, kidnapping, lack of bodily autonomy, gender constructs and stuggles, the oppression of women... I mean it was cool and interesting but it almost felt like a lot of this was almost laughed off by the FMC? I feel conflicted because perhaps this was excellent satire that I just didn't vibe with, but it just felt jarring to me at points that Ysabel would talk about being kidnapped as a child and the fear of rape from an older man and then be like "but lol, womanhood amirite???" which, fair, I do talk like this with my friends but was it working 100% in this book? Idk. I don't think the narration was the right fit because it sounded like they were making it sillier and so it sounded lighthearted and jokey when perhaps at points it really shouldn't have.
I kinda feel like the author has so many amazing ideas and they were all thrown together in this one book and it didn't quite blend together but I can't quite put my finger on why. I saw another review which said this book was simultaneaously the funnist thing she'd read in a while but took the absolute longest to get there and I agree. It's funny and interesting and the world is cool, but something doesn't quite hit the mark and I found myself caring more about the political/social structures than the actual characters or plot.
Anyway, this review is probably not useful at all because I don't quite know my own feelings about the book. I would recommend to read it, but like only so I'd have people to discuss it with.