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thegreatmanda 's review for:
The Summer Palace and Other Stories
by C.S. Pacat
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a collection of four short stories set in the Captive Prince trilogy universe, and will probably make zero sense to anyone who hasn't read those. It also needs some of the same content warnings as that trilogy, and will have less of the background context for the questionable actions.
It was nice to be able to spend a little more time in that world, but Damen and Laurent are by far the biggest draw for me, and only one of the stories fully centers on them, from Damen's POV. I saved that one for last, and read them in order from what I guessed I would enjoy the least, on up.
Pet
Ancel will never be one of my favorite characters; he's too cynical for me, and the way he sees and treats Erasmus brings out my protective stabby side. Ancel has fought his way up through a tough life, but that doesn't give him the right to demand his own hardness out of everyone else, or sneer down at people who don't have it.
His scene with Damen and Laurent in the garden made me just as uncomfortable as last time, because again, slavery/nonconsent norms of this fictional world, although... Ancel's repeated mentions of their intense staring, locked into seeing only each other, made me feel some kind of way. It was like hate sex, only more of a hate blowjob-by-proxy.
I did find the overall story interesting to read, and the ending genuinely surprised me, but I wish this wasn't the longest of the four pieces in this book (at a glance, it looks like about the last third of the pages).
Green but for a Season
This is the story of how Jord came to serve Laurent, but it's also the beginning of Jord and Aimeric's story. Obviously Jord's heartbreak over Aimeric's actions is devastating, but in a less straightforward way, I feel even more awful for Aimeric. Rented out for abuse as a bargaining chip by his own father, and then used again years later as a political pawn by his abuser, Aimeric never had a chance to be anything other than what he was. I think once he got to know Jord, he started wishing he had made different choices, and he believed it was too late to change course. While I enjoyed the insights into Jord's history and thoughts, even the title of this one makes me tear up.
The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant
I expected this to be a charming story, and it absolutely is. It's told entirely from Charls' POV, and the gift of Charls knowing Laurent's true identity, but not "Lamen"'s true identity, just keeps on giving. So good.
I love the little private moments between the Prince and “Lamen” that Charls observes. I want to think of these boys forever getting themselves into dumb shit like quietly trying to figure out how skinning a rabbit works, Damen gently confused and Laurent trying to stifle his giggles. I want always to imagine Laurent, having utterly lost himself to isolation and pain and fury for so long, now moving into the future with his best friend and lover and partner, heads together, sharing kisses and laughter and the kind of affection that shines plainly for anyone to see.
The Summer Palace
This what I was both waiting for and dreading, as it’s the last new piece of Damen and Laurent that I have to experience. With the barriers between them more or less fully broken down, they really are just so sweet and lovely together.
It caught me off guard to read the interlude about the days after Kings Rising ended. Laurent was a steadfast, amazing partner for Damen to have taking care of things while he was out of commission. It’s a draining position for the healthy partner to be in, tough even without the uncertainty of a new relationship behind it, and Laurent must have been back in that headspace where he was stuck trying to face down the world and all its problems alone. The description of Damen waking up to find Laurent passed out, clothed and exhausted on top of the covers next to him, made me ache for him.
The other part that caught me off guard was Laurent swearing to the statue of Egeria to take care of her son, to give his life for their people, and then the very heavy conversations and exchanges that followed. I was expecting this story to be more of a light, sexy romp, but this was so much more, with plenty of the emotional subtext I found intoxicating in the trilogy. If there has ever been a pair of characters who deserved rest and love and healing, it’s these boys. This time we get to see them enjoy together at the Summer Palace is a gratifying, hard-earned respite.
Favorite quotes:
It was nice to be able to spend a little more time in that world, but Damen and Laurent are by far the biggest draw for me, and only one of the stories fully centers on them, from Damen's POV. I saved that one for last, and read them in order from what I guessed I would enjoy the least, on up.
Pet
Ancel will never be one of my favorite characters; he's too cynical for me, and the way he sees and treats Erasmus brings out my protective stabby side. Ancel has fought his way up through a tough life, but that doesn't give him the right to demand his own hardness out of everyone else, or sneer down at people who don't have it.
His scene with Damen and Laurent in the garden made me just as uncomfortable as last time, because again, slavery/nonconsent norms of this fictional world, although... Ancel's repeated mentions of their intense staring, locked into seeing only each other, made me feel some kind of way. It was like hate sex, only more of a hate blowjob-by-proxy.
I did find the overall story interesting to read, and the ending genuinely surprised me, but I wish this wasn't the longest of the four pieces in this book (at a glance, it looks like about the last third of the pages).
Green but for a Season
This is the story of how Jord came to serve Laurent, but it's also the beginning of Jord and Aimeric's story. Obviously Jord's heartbreak over Aimeric's actions is devastating, but in a less straightforward way, I feel even more awful for Aimeric. Rented out for abuse as a bargaining chip by his own father, and then used again years later as a political pawn by his abuser, Aimeric never had a chance to be anything other than what he was. I think once he got to know Jord, he started wishing he had made different choices, and he believed it was too late to change course. While I enjoyed the insights into Jord's history and thoughts, even the title of this one makes me tear up.
The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant
I expected this to be a charming story, and it absolutely is. It's told entirely from Charls' POV, and the gift of Charls knowing Laurent's true identity, but not "Lamen"'s true identity, just keeps on giving. So good.
I love the little private moments between the Prince and “Lamen” that Charls observes. I want to think of these boys forever getting themselves into dumb shit like quietly trying to figure out how skinning a rabbit works, Damen gently confused and Laurent trying to stifle his giggles. I want always to imagine Laurent, having utterly lost himself to isolation and pain and fury for so long, now moving into the future with his best friend and lover and partner, heads together, sharing kisses and laughter and the kind of affection that shines plainly for anyone to see.
The Summer Palace
This what I was both waiting for and dreading, as it’s the last new piece of Damen and Laurent that I have to experience. With the barriers between them more or less fully broken down, they really are just so sweet and lovely together.
It caught me off guard to read the interlude about the days after Kings Rising ended. Laurent was a steadfast, amazing partner for Damen to have taking care of things while he was out of commission. It’s a draining position for the healthy partner to be in, tough even without the uncertainty of a new relationship behind it, and Laurent must have been back in that headspace where he was stuck trying to face down the world and all its problems alone. The description of Damen waking up to find Laurent passed out, clothed and exhausted on top of the covers next to him, made me ache for him.
The other part that caught me off guard was Laurent swearing to the statue of Egeria to take care of her son, to give his life for their people, and then the very heavy conversations and exchanges that followed. I was expecting this story to be more of a light, sexy romp, but this was so much more, with plenty of the emotional subtext I found intoxicating in the trilogy. If there has ever been a pair of characters who deserved rest and love and healing, it’s these boys. This time we get to see them enjoy together at the Summer Palace is a gratifying, hard-earned respite.
Favorite quotes:
Ancel was a virgin the first twelve times he had sex. The thirteenth time, it lacked all plausibility.
Jord took out the flecked, dinted Captain's badge and looked down at it.
The Regent had sent them to the border to fail. The task of captaining these mercenaries was not one any man would volunteer for. Even for an experienced captain, holding discipline together among this rabble, against attacks from eight different sides, was impossible.
The Prince had known the scale of the task when he had tossed Jord this badge. Jord thought about that.
And, passing his thumb over the dinted starburst in the solitary clearing, he smiled.
"It was a nice hat," said Jord.
"I told you I'd take care of it," said the Prince.
"It's lucky King Damianos is at Delpha," said Charls, uncertainly. "There's no need to worry that the Prince is away so close to the Ascension."
"Yes, this would be a terrible idea otherwise," said Lamen.
Not everyone could have the blissful equanimity of Lamen, who seemed to pay the Prince no deference of rank, a piece of very good acting.
"Lamen," he said, when they were a few steps away. "Is the Prince of Vere holding a dead rabbit?"
"Yes, but—"
"He is a prince. That is a rabbit. Do you think he has ever skinned a rabbit in his life?"
"No, but—"
"No. A Prince's hands are instruments of refinement. A Prince's hands are not made to touch a dead rabbit. You have to do it!"
"But Charls—"
Charls pushed him firmly in the back. "Go!"
"They showed me to my rooms, they're open like this, to the sea. I had them lay out these clothes for me, and I thought about you coming. I thought about what it would be like here, with you."
"Like this," said Damen. He kissed the top of Laurent's bare shoulder, then his jaw.
"No, I—thinking about you and being with you are different, you're always more powerful, more—"
"Go on." Damen felt a wellspring of pure pleasure, laughing against his neck.
"Stop my mouth," said Laurent. "I don't know what I'm saying."
Damen lifted his head and kissed Laurent tenderly, found him flushed, warm like summer. He could feel Laurent's hands sliding up over his body, an unconscious mapping that was new, or rather, recent, like the new look in Laurent's eyes.
Damen was smiling; there was delight in seeing Laurent explore himself, a young man who was sweet, teasing, at times unexpectedly earnest. Having made the decision to let Damen in, Laurent had not gone back on it. When the walls went up, it was with Damen inside them.
"The night you told me about this place, it was the first time that I ever thought about the future. I thought about coming here. I thought about... being with you. It meant something to me that you suggested it. What we had on the ride to Ios, it was already more than I... At the trial, I thought it was enough. I thought I was ready. And then you came."
"In case you wanted me," said Damen.
"I thought, I have lost everything and gained you, and I would almost make the trade, if I didn't know it had happened that way for you, too."
It was so close to his own thoughts—that everything he knew was gone, but that this was here in its place, this one bright thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Slavery