mostlyliterate's reviews
150 reviews

I finished this book a few days ago and am still thinking about how to review it, especially considering that I was about 15 minutes from dropping it when it really picked up (for me at least).

I was drawn into this book by the writing (which I didn’t find too flowery) and the world-building (which I didn’t find too confusing). The main character, I thought, was very well-written and I enjoyed her perspective.

Things that made this book difficult to stomach for me included children being raised as future consorts based on their personality traits (including sadism and masochism), intimate relationships between adults and minors (that I don’t think were portrayed critically enough), and racial/ethnic group (in this alternate historical Europe) representation that toed the line between inclusive and stereotypical.

Then why did I keep reading the book? Mostly, it’s compelling. For the first several hundred pages, I just couldn’t look away, much like reading Flowers in the Attic. There was a certain point for me,

when Phèdre and Joscelin are sent to Skaldia

, where the book really picked up.

I think that this book is in many ways criticizing and satirizing the sexual politics in many of its contemporaries, and as our narrator matured this became more apparent. Although at times disturbing and frustrating, I was glad I finished this book. I think I’ll read the next one as well.

Content Warnings