the popularity of the book was an indication of a disappointing route but still i delved in because of my curiosity. throughout, anyone could tell the author had based the book upon cliché scenes and banters. the tension of the forced proximity felt.... forced (you know what i mean). the archery scene was giving me second hand embarrassment (i skimmed through it). right after the tending of wounds scene, their chemistry went down the graph, reaching the bottom of the negative axis. 
[SPOILER ALERT]
when kai asked paedyn for a dance (in the middle of a deadly trial) i was fucking laughing at that. there was no reason for author to add that scene. even if that was for distraction, there are thousands of way to do that. at one point i was begging for blair to show up. 

so many scenes of kai and pae could have been done better to build up the chemistry, the obvious cliché scenes made the story and the couple annoyingly boring that at one point i was rooting for kitt and pae. 

however, i may be reading the second book when it comes out. gotta see how all of this goes down the hill.

and those people who are saying it better than fourth wing. IT'S NOT. its on the same level of crap as fourth wing.
and those saying it's better than divine rivals. that's also not true however divine rivals had better writing.