A review by mainstbooksmonroe
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed the first book in the series, so I was disappointed that the sequel spent a great deal of time on
building up to a sexual relationship of the antagonistic main two characters. It felt out of place with the rest of the plot, our main character as she behaved in the first book, the expectations of the genre, and the age group it's marketed to. I don't know if it was an attempt at the trend of toxic relationships, but I found it boring compared to the author's other works and the scenes felt more like outdated bodice-rippery. I've heard the series is going to be a trilogy now, so it's possible this sequence will be more cohesive in the overall arc. I'll probably re-read the first two and may come back to revise my rating.
I did like the book otherwise.
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