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A review by rowena_m_andrews
Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders by Aliette de Bodard
4.0
*I received an e-arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I had heard a lot about this book, and even though I hadn’t read the original series (something I will be rectifying asap) I leapt at the chance to read this one and to be honest, I was sold at Dragon Prince and Fallen Angel. As a newcomer to this world, I found that it worked wonderfully as a standalone, although I did feel that I missed out on some nuance from not having read the series, and I will reread this one again once I have to see what a difference it makes.
This was such an entertaining read from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. The main reason was the relationship and interactions between Asmodeus and Thuan, who seem like they should be completely at odds, and are yet perfect together and complement one another. There was loyalty and devotion to their relationship and a maturity that made it so believable, without either losing their individuality for the sake of the other or those around them. I adored Asmodeus from the start, his sarcasm and his way of seeing the world around him were fantastic, and the protectiveness of his own household and I loved how utterly unapologetic he was about being himself. Thuan, on the other hand, was a lot gentler, more responsible and more willing to play by the rules. Honestly, they had so many moments throughout the entire story, that had me falling in love with them and their relationship.
The murder mystery aspect of the story was well done, although without some of the usual tension and urgency that you would find in such a tale. However, that is a credit to the book – because it reflected not only the investigators, with their own interests and issues – such as Asmodeus having a clear desire to return home, but also that the murder mystery was only part of a larger, overarching plot and so it’s not just a simple case of ‘whodunnit’, and therefore the tension came from the wider questions.
That was what stood out for me about this book, that beneath the wonderful characters and relationships, and the fun, there were deeper themes of justice and the question of power. With brewing rebellion, lies and court politics, there were layers upon layers to this story.
I had heard a lot about this book, and even though I hadn’t read the original series (something I will be rectifying asap) I leapt at the chance to read this one and to be honest, I was sold at Dragon Prince and Fallen Angel. As a newcomer to this world, I found that it worked wonderfully as a standalone, although I did feel that I missed out on some nuance from not having read the series, and I will reread this one again once I have to see what a difference it makes.
This was such an entertaining read from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. The main reason was the relationship and interactions between Asmodeus and Thuan, who seem like they should be completely at odds, and are yet perfect together and complement one another. There was loyalty and devotion to their relationship and a maturity that made it so believable, without either losing their individuality for the sake of the other or those around them. I adored Asmodeus from the start, his sarcasm and his way of seeing the world around him were fantastic, and the protectiveness of his own household and I loved how utterly unapologetic he was about being himself. Thuan, on the other hand, was a lot gentler, more responsible and more willing to play by the rules. Honestly, they had so many moments throughout the entire story, that had me falling in love with them and their relationship.
The murder mystery aspect of the story was well done, although without some of the usual tension and urgency that you would find in such a tale. However, that is a credit to the book – because it reflected not only the investigators, with their own interests and issues – such as Asmodeus having a clear desire to return home, but also that the murder mystery was only part of a larger, overarching plot and so it’s not just a simple case of ‘whodunnit’, and therefore the tension came from the wider questions.
That was what stood out for me about this book, that beneath the wonderful characters and relationships, and the fun, there were deeper themes of justice and the question of power. With brewing rebellion, lies and court politics, there were layers upon layers to this story.