A review by paintedgiraffe
Cold Magic by Kate Elliott

4.0

Started off way weird. Didn't like the characters, world was too convoluted (how can you have encroaching ice shelves, AND steampunk AND a Napoleon figure coming back until power AND magic AND alternate history of multiple cultures in one setting?). I thought the main female characters were whiny and immature, far more like middle schoolers than college freshmen. But thanks to other reviews on here, I did not put it down, and it really picked up and started to cohere past the halfway point. I appreciate how the main relationship was handled, despite her finding him stunningly attractive at odd moments.

Spoiler

It's good that they didn't forcibly fall in love and get together at the end. They truly do NOT know each other well enough, and the circumstances were hideous. Best to try to be amicable friends first.

I will definitely be reading the second book.