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asims723 's review for:
Silvercloak
by L.K. Steven
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Silvercloak is a dark fantasy romance about time, fate, and loyalty. I have a lot of thoughts about this book, and they are all a bit messy. Overall, I liked it enough to be interested in reading the second in this series, and I enjoyed it more than the author's other recent novel with very similar themes, Our Infinite Fates, though I'm rating them about the same. The magic system is interesting, but I felt there was an unresolved issue where Saffron's quirk and Levan come up. I also think there was too much "down time" where very little plot progression happens.
I ship the romance, but it's all very toxic. My favorite character was Levan, and I think he's the most developed and clearly motivated, which is refreshing in a villain. Saffron, on the other hand, constantly tells us her strength is planning, yet her plans are universally terrible. I don't understand how revenge can fuel an existence beyond the need for basic survival. Like it must have limits, right?! She has so many chances and choices early on in this novel, and making all the wrong ones leads her right to the end. I do approve of this ending as it is fairly neutral as far as the ending of a first book in a series goes. I am interested to see what happens next, but it also ends in a really good spot. I really hope Saffron grows more in the next novel. Defining herself as one thing is so limiting, I wish she could look more beyond any one allegiance to be true to herself instead.
A slight thing, but one of my least favorite things about the fantasy genre is the lack of permanence as a plot device. Something goes catastrophically wrong? OMG don't worry we'll just fix it real quick! If anything can be healed, is it worth caring about any injury? What really matters? I think it's a cop out for dark fantasy that makes it more palatable to a wider audience. It isn't that I want characters to suffer. I want the stakes to matter. I'm interested to see how the stakes are upheld in the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC!
I ship the romance, but it's all very toxic. My favorite character was Levan, and I think he's the most developed and clearly motivated, which is refreshing in a villain. Saffron, on the other hand, constantly tells us her strength is planning, yet her plans are universally terrible. I don't understand how revenge can fuel an existence beyond the need for basic survival. Like it must have limits, right?! She has so many chances and choices early on in this novel, and making all the wrong ones leads her right to the end. I do approve of this ending as it is fairly neutral as far as the ending of a first book in a series goes. I am interested to see what happens next, but it also ends in a really good spot. I really hope Saffron grows more in the next novel. Defining herself as one thing is so limiting, I wish she could look more beyond any one allegiance to be true to herself instead.
A slight thing, but one of my least favorite things about the fantasy genre is the lack of permanence as a plot device. Something goes catastrophically wrong? OMG don't worry we'll just fix it real quick! If anything can be healed, is it worth caring about any injury? What really matters? I think it's a cop out for dark fantasy that makes it more palatable to a wider audience. It isn't that I want characters to suffer. I want the stakes to matter. I'm interested to see how the stakes are upheld in the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood