A review by myth
Daindreth's Assassin by Elisabeth Wheatley

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel and indeed probably up to 2/3 of the way through. Unfortunately, while I didn't have a problem with the romance HAPPENING (it was in the premise, to have a problem with it happening would be stupid) I guess I felt like there wasn't enough there for me to understand why it was so all-consuming for either member. This made the rest of the book feel a little overwrought, especially since Amira seems to have forgotten about her sister.

That may not bother a lot of people. It just felt very abrupt to me. 

But! The author has clearly done a lot of research on clothing and horses and on how various courts around the world WORK, which is such a pleasant change. I'll probably read the next one.

(Special mention of Amira's flashback dream and traumatic backstory, which I ALSO, in a twist for me, thought was well handled and definitely interacted with in a more thoughtful and in-depth manner than most fantasy romance bothers to do these days)