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robotnik's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book reminded me of A Taste of God and Iron, though a better version of it with main characters who were vastly more likeable.
The one thing I really feel is this book was far too slow. You probably could have cut anywhere from 100 to 200 pages out of it, and the story could have worked out the same in both character development and plot. I do admit to skimming a bit here and there because there was just so much description dumping that felt unnecessary.
A lot of the tension in the relationship was missing because we got to see both of their POVs (where one was told in first person and the other was told in third person, which was a weird and jarring choice that took time getting used to, tbh). We got to see what both their opinions were on each other and thus there was no real conflict within the romance portion of the relationship.
That being said, the pair are both likeable and the plot was interesting, even if it was vastly on the slow side.
I think I'll give the second book a try sometime, just not any time soon. This book was a little fatiguing because of how long it was, and i need a break from this world.
The one thing I really feel is this book was far too slow. You probably could have cut anywhere from 100 to 200 pages out of it, and the story could have worked out the same in both character development and plot. I do admit to skimming a bit here and there because there was just so much description dumping that felt unnecessary.
A lot of the tension in the relationship was missing because we got to see both of their POVs (where one was told in first person and the other was told in third person, which was a weird and jarring choice that took time getting used to, tbh). We got to see what both their opinions were on each other and thus there was no real conflict within the romance portion of the relationship.
That being said, the pair are both likeable and the plot was interesting, even if it was vastly on the slow side.
I think I'll give the second book a try sometime, just not any time soon. This book was a little fatiguing because of how long it was, and i need a break from this world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
seashel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A wonderful husbands-to-friends-to-lovers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Hate crime, Sexism, Medical content, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Abandonment, and Classism
gondorgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Cursing, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol
doylee's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I liked this! It felt slow sometimes & then really fast at the end but overall pretty evenly paced. It was political & romantic & had a little magic & a little mystery & I enjoyed every little piece.
The reveal of who was behind everything seemed very out of nowhere/rushed. Idk,, they explained it so it made sense but also it was so close to the end & then everything devolved into warmongering violence?? I was clutching my pearls but also enjoying it.
There was way more murder/physical violence in this book than I thought & there is some sexual violence at the beginning & the aftermath is a theme throughout the book so once again I should’ve looked up the content warnings. Anyway! I liked it, the romance was sweet, and the story was intriguing to ME! I hope the second book is good.
Also, I picked up this book bc it was on display at the library & then I saw in my camera roll that I saved a picture of someone recommending this book based on other books I’ve read so I feel like I was meant to read & like this. Isn’t that fun? (It is.)
The reveal of who was behind everything seemed very out of nowhere/rushed. Idk,, they explained it so it made sense but also it was so close to the end & then everything devolved into warmongering violence?? I was clutching my pearls but also enjoying it.
There was way more murder/physical violence in this book than I thought & there is some sexual violence at the beginning & the aftermath is a theme throughout the book so once again I should’ve looked up the content warnings. Anyway! I liked it, the romance was sweet, and the story was intriguing to ME! I hope the second book is good.
Also, I picked up this book bc it was on display at the library & then I saw in my camera roll that I saved a picture of someone recommending this book based on other books I’ve read so I feel like I was meant to read & like this. Isn’t that fun? (It is.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
rachowl_gk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Self harm, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
kathyq10's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Overall I enjoyed this read a lot. The relationship between Cae and Vel is so sweet and lovely. The development is well written and a delicious slow burn, so much so that when they first HUG it feels huge and incredibly intimate. In turn their first kiss and first other things are a culmination of all that steamy and emotional buildup, plus healthy communication!! Gasp! The worldbuilding is well done in terms of the creative gender and sexuality norms—super refreshing in fantasy novels that are usually very binary—but I found the magic system a bit boring, underdeveloped, and underutilized. I thought this book was going to be a fantasy, but the magic feels like an afterthought and only really comes up as a plot point (rather conveniently) towards the end. The more fantastical element is really the progressive society, and I would’ve been just as happy without the magic at all.
As for negatives, the pace was slooooow. The bulk of the book takes place over like a week and a LOT happens each day. The characters acknowledge the density of the action, though, which makes it a bit better I guess. I just wanted it to move along at a faster clip. But then the solving of the mystery, reveal of the big baddie, and the consequences to them all happen pretty quickly and didn’t resolve in a satisfying way to me. I don’t think it did justice to the complexities of that character’s motivations. I cared much more about the main romantic relationship, Cae’s and Vel’s relationships with their respective close friends, and character development overall than the plot or the intrigue, so I honestly skipped some of the parts where they were bouncing around the town trying to solve the mystery of it all.
MAJOR CW for sexual violence and attempted suicide right from the very beginning of the book. The author puts this in a CW at the start but I didn’t expect it all to happen quite so fast. As the author says, though, it is a story about healing from the initial trauma.
Finally shoutout to MARKEL, Vel’s bestie and the absolute best supporting character. Markel is an icon and a messy bitch and I hope we get more of him in the sequel. His friendship with Vel was the second best part of the book; I love to see an unselfconscious portrayal of male friendship and intimacy. Plus the integration of the fact that he speaks sign language felt very natural and something I’ve never seen in a fantasy novel like this before.
Thank you Foz!!
As for negatives, the pace was slooooow. The bulk of the book takes place over like a week and a LOT happens each day. The characters acknowledge the density of the action, though, which makes it a bit better I guess. I just wanted it to move along at a faster clip. But then the solving of the mystery, reveal of the big baddie, and the consequences to them all happen pretty quickly and didn’t resolve in a satisfying way to me. I don’t think it did justice to the complexities of that character’s motivations. I cared much more about the main romantic relationship, Cae’s and Vel’s relationships with their respective close friends, and character development overall than the plot or the intrigue, so I honestly skipped some of the parts where they were bouncing around the town trying to solve the mystery of it all.
MAJOR CW for sexual violence and attempted suicide right from the very beginning of the book. The author puts this in a CW at the start but I didn’t expect it all to happen quite so fast. As the author says, though, it is a story about healing from the initial trauma.
Finally shoutout to MARKEL, Vel’s bestie and the absolute best supporting character. Markel is an icon and a messy bitch and I hope we get more of him in the sequel. His friendship with Vel was the second best part of the book; I love to see an unselfconscious portrayal of male friendship and intimacy. Plus the integration of the fact that he speaks sign language felt very natural and something I’ve never seen in a fantasy novel like this before.
Thank you Foz!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Outing
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
lothlorian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
cristina_margarita's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This is a stunning work of political fantasy! Foz has created such a lush world with Tithena; the level of detail and thought put into every aspect of the culture was palpable. The fantastical touches to the world are done so lightly but so deftly, the world is believable & well crafted. There was particular attention/explanation given to non-cisgender characters in a way that felt natural & was very interesting. There were a few copy editing slip-ups when it came to the non-binary characters that weren’t great but such is life. I also enjoyed the treatment of Markel’s muteness & sign language.
Additionally, Foz’s writing is beautiful. Both points of view felt unique & didn’t blend together; partially due to Vel’s part being in first person & Cae’s in third. All of the characters (that are meant to be) are lovable! I loved Cae & Vel but was also very fond of Markel & Liran. There were two characters mentioned who never showed up & that felt odd to me: Cae’s mother & Riya’s wife. I didn’t expect either of them to be significant to the story but it was still weird.
As for the story itself, I found the political intrigue to be gripping. The stakes were just right & the husbands’ involvement felt plausible. The pacing was also excellent, fast while also giving the reader enough time to digest information. I will be interested to see what the next book holds because as much as I loved the characters, the story was self concluding, it doesn’t require or even really ask for a sequel. I
I struggled greatly with the first part. What Velasin goes through is so raw & felt so realistic to me that it made it difficult to keep reading. (I was warned about & prepared for the rape, which didn’t make it any less upsetting or jarring, but was unprepared for the suicide attempts.) Having said that, I am immensely glad I pushed through. As the trigger warning states, this is a story about healing & I am very interested to see Vel continue to heal in the next book.
Additionally, Foz’s writing is beautiful. Both points of view felt unique & didn’t blend together; partially due to Vel’s part being in first person & Cae’s in third. All of the characters (that are meant to be) are lovable! I loved Cae & Vel but was also very fond of Markel & Liran. There were two characters mentioned who never showed up & that felt odd to me: Cae’s mother & Riya’s wife. I didn’t expect either of them to be significant to the story but it was still weird.
As for the story itself, I found the political intrigue to be gripping. The stakes were just right & the husbands’ involvement felt plausible. The pacing was also excellent, fast while also giving the reader enough time to digest information. I will be interested to see what the next book holds because as much as I loved the characters, the story was self concluding, it doesn’t require or even really ask for a sequel. I
I struggled greatly with the first part. What Velasin goes through is so raw & felt so realistic to me that it made it difficult to keep reading. (I was warned about & prepared for the rape, which didn’t make it any less upsetting or jarring, but was unprepared for the suicide attempts.) Having said that, I am immensely glad I pushed through. As the trigger warning states, this is a story about healing & I am very interested to see Vel continue to heal in the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
ollie_again's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
3.0
At some point I was tired of the constant shitstorm happening. If there was a peaceful moment you could be sure it will be interrupted by someone rushing in announcing someone murdered or attacked. I also got confused with who's-who on several occasions and overall the storytelling and pacing was a bit messy for me to enjoy. Some parts of the book are top notch and I will continue with the next book, however it was not the five star I was expecting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Stalking
silly_little_clown's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
WOW it’s the first time I’ve seen non binary people being as visible and as ingrained into a fictional culture that’s so well laid out! It’s not just one side character being non binary, it’s a society where non binary people r acknowledged as such and also present throughout the story (either as main character or side characters)! Even trans and other queer folks are included in a thought out way that just makes sense in this culture. I love the use of thei/thim/thir pronouns and other words for some of the recognized identities we have today. The use of words other than the ones we adopted in our modern world really breathed life into this fictional world and made the world way more immersive.
I’ll be honest, half way through the book I was fully convinced thatRaeki was the rat so I was thoroughly surprised by the reveal. But I love the twist a lot, it made sense when you think back on it. And I wonder if the emphasis on the color palette that was used in Laecia’s private quarters is to alert the reader about her dissatisfaction with her house. Maybe I’m reading into it too much.
I have to admit that I constantly mix up the names for places and countries. Not that it hindered my reading too much, because all I had to do is to check the world map again. I think it’s the Qs and Xs in the beginning of words that are messing with my brain.
Absolutely loved the development of the relationship between Velasin and Caethari. I wish it would’ve burned more slowly but it was very sweet once they open up to each other so I can’t complain. I honestly love all the other side characters too. They (the important ones) were all pretty fleshed out and interesting to read about. Even the villains.
I’ll be honest, half way through the book I was fully convinced that
I have to admit that I constantly mix up the names for places and countries. Not that it hindered my reading too much, because all I had to do is to check the world map again. I think it’s the Qs and Xs in the beginning of words that are messing with my brain.
Absolutely loved the development of the relationship between Velasin and Caethari. I wish it would’ve burned more slowly but it was very sweet once they open up to each other so I can’t complain. I honestly love all the other side characters too. They (the important ones) were all pretty fleshed out and interesting to read about. Even the villains.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail