“A broken blade can be mended.”

Quick review tonight because I want to go to bed lol.

Somehow, this was a book that was both extremely derivative and unique at once. Much of the plot feels like something you've read before complete with a smattering of tropes and overused character archetypes, but these are set against a backdrop that's primarily focused with the examination of themes of colonization and occupation - as well as discussions of addiction and mental health.

This was - despite the hard topics - a really easy read, even for someone that's been struggling to read lately. Some of the familiarity of the tropes and plot lent themselves to the reading experience, making it easier to focus on the other aspects of the story.

I think my largest complaint was actually the characters, particularly the MMC. I hate that man and all of his lackluster apologies did nothing to resolve the fact he's an asshole. :)

That aside, I see why people love this and I would recommend it - but definitely not to everyone. If you like familiar fae leaning stories and enjoyed An Heir Comes to Rise but wanted something a bit darker, I think you'd love this.
However, if you're someone that gets irritated with tropey, super predictable stories - maybe stay away from this.

Overall, I did like this and I will be carrying on with the series.