a VERY generous three stars

to be fair, this book wasn't bad. the themes of colonisation (although heavy handed) were discussed splendidly (it is a military fantasy so it's very heavy on the colonial politics). i think the coloniser love interest allowed for a good "lovers to enemies" vibe, but the romanticised coloniser/colonised dynamic just felt too uncomfortable for me personally to get behind. one of the main reasons i picked this book up was because i heard it was a sapphic fantasy featuring non-white characters, but unfortunately that element fell through for me :(

aside from the romance, the characters were infuriating. i found Touraine to be really silly tbh, making impulsive, rash decisions that had me rolling my eyes.

however, i think if you can overlook the coloniser love interest, and if you like the "lovers to enemies" dynamic & slower, military fantasies then i'd recommend!! it just wasn't for me, unfortunately, but i'm glad i gave it a go!!