antmacro 's review for:

Kings Rising by C. S. Pacat

5.0

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god i’m actually fucking wrecked. this series was so good i devoured it and i can’t believe ive never heard of it until this week. the amount of callbacks, symmetry, symbolism, and heart in this story is incredible. i feel like i don’t have much to say other than this was such an incredible experience. i’m just gonna end this with a bunch of quotes tbh bc i have no thoughts left

‘There was a man I was supposed to meet. He’s got all these ideas about honour and fair play, and he tries to keep me from doing the wrong thing. But he’s not here right now. Unfortunately for you.’ / Damen picked up the discarded knife, and when Laurent’s eyes opened, he put it in Laurent’s hand. Braced it. Drew it to his own abdomen, so that they stood in a familiar posture. Laurent’s back was to the post. ‘Stop me,’ said Damen. / ‘I tried to kill you. I can’t seem to go through with it. You keep overturning all my plans.’ / ‘I hated you so badly I thought I’d choke on it. If my uncle hadn’t stopped me, I would have killed you. And then you saved my life, and every time I needed you, you were there, and I hated you for that, too.’ / ‘I think if I gave you my heart, you would treat it tenderly.’ / ‘You’re still wearing it.’ He couldn’t help but say it. Laurent’s wrist was heavy with gold, like the colour of his hair in the firelight. ‘So are you.’ ‘Tell me why.’ ‘You know why,’ said Laurent. / ‘He’s very—’ ‘You get used to it,’ said Damen, with a little wellspring of joy inside him, because that wasn’t really true. / ‘You know, you’re going to have to unchain me at some point,’ said Damen. Laurent’s hair was soft. ‘I will. At some point. What’s that sound?’ He could hear it even in the slave baths, muffled but audible, the sound ringing out from the highest peak, a peal of notes, proclaiming a new king. ‘Bells,’ said Damen.