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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
Destiny
by M.L. Fergus
"'I met a girl, wed a princess and now find myself married to a queen. I would be a poor husband, indeed, if I did not stand her most loyal subject.'"
Destiny is the third and final installation in the Fractured Kingdom trilogy, and although I have a few mixed feelings about the ending, I think most readers will be satisfied. I received all three books as Netgalley ARCs, so I'm incredibly lucky to have been able to read these books relatively close together in time. I know they were published before under a different name/publisher, so I'd be interested to see what all has changed. That being said, I enjoyed this series and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.
This book is more plot-focused than the first two, which I think works both for and against it. I would say that at least 40% of the total page time is spent in the POVs of the various antagonists, which - while helpful in some cases - severely drags the pacing in others. I also thought the first 70% of the book was significantly slower than the ending, but because the ending was so quickly paced, I didn't mind it too much. Also, some plot points felt more convenient than they had been in past books, but again, I didn't mind it too much. Overall, I did enjoy the storyline and had fun reading this book, I just found it to be a bit more heavy-handed on the plot than in previous books, perhaps even too much so.
I also found the characters to be a bit flatter in this one. Most of their development has apparently occurred in earlier books because none of them really changed in this one. While I did appreciate Persephone's mixed feelings on certain developments and enjoyed seeing her kindness juxtaposed against Mordesius's cruelty, she just felt a bit generic compared to book one. Azriel felt the same way; his snark has been replaced with constant simping, which isn't bad...it's just obnoxious at times. I didn't mind Rachel and Zdeno, but they weren't really relevant. Mordesius is just as evil as ever. I still liked the characters, I just wish they were a bit more dynamic.
Destiny is the nail-biting conclusion to the Fractured Kingdom trilogy, perfect for fans of The Princess Bride.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.75/5
Destiny is the third and final installation in the Fractured Kingdom trilogy, and although I have a few mixed feelings about the ending, I think most readers will be satisfied. I received all three books as Netgalley ARCs, so I'm incredibly lucky to have been able to read these books relatively close together in time. I know they were published before under a different name/publisher, so I'd be interested to see what all has changed. That being said, I enjoyed this series and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.
This book is more plot-focused than the first two, which I think works both for and against it. I would say that at least 40% of the total page time is spent in the POVs of the various antagonists, which - while helpful in some cases - severely drags the pacing in others. I also thought the first 70% of the book was significantly slower than the ending, but because the ending was so quickly paced, I didn't mind it too much. Also, some plot points felt more convenient than they had been in past books, but again, I didn't mind it too much. Overall, I did enjoy the storyline and had fun reading this book, I just found it to be a bit more heavy-handed on the plot than in previous books, perhaps even too much so.
I also found the characters to be a bit flatter in this one. Most of their development has apparently occurred in earlier books because none of them really changed in this one. While I did appreciate Persephone's mixed feelings on certain developments and enjoyed seeing her kindness juxtaposed against Mordesius's cruelty, she just felt a bit generic compared to book one. Azriel felt the same way; his snark has been replaced with constant simping, which isn't bad...it's just obnoxious at times. I didn't mind Rachel and Zdeno, but they weren't really relevant. Mordesius is just as evil as ever. I still liked the characters, I just wish they were a bit more dynamic.
Destiny is the nail-biting conclusion to the Fractured Kingdom trilogy, perfect for fans of The Princess Bride.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.75/5