2.5☆

I saw the sequel in a physical store and it immediately spoke to me. Maybe it was because I just finished my end project/essay at school about mythology. I was sad they didn't have the first book in the series, so when I got home I bought it online.

And I was so excited to read it. A beautiful cover + a mythology retelling? I couldn't wait to get started.

Then I started reading, and the first 80 pages I had hope. I couldn't get into it, but I had hope, cause sometimes it just takes a bit longer. U started forcing myself to continue, 'it's only 337 pages' I told myself.

It might he only 337 pages, but wow this book felt like a 600+ pages book, it was so slow.

At page 130- something I debated whether I should continue. I just couldn't get into it. The pacing is painfully slow. The characters not really interesting, neither was the magic elements. The only thing I didn't hate was the world building, it has potential. And the time it takes place in, while I've read historical fiction before, that was 1800 or later, the Arthurian legend takes place in I think the 5th or 6th century? But even that didn't want to make me continue.

Then why did I continue reading? I've read many reviews, and both the positive and negative ones say that at the end, some say the last 20% some say the last 100 pages, it gets better. Some say it's worth it. So I wanted to find out for myself, even if that meant pushing myself to read. I kept saying to myself 'if I read at least 60 pages a day, I'll eventually get there'.

At around page 200 it started to get easier to read, and eventually I enjoyed it a little bit. I get what people say that the ending was worth it, the last 100 pages were indeed better.

I am not sure whether I want to continue this series. While I am curious what will happen next, I'm also afraid the beginning of the second book will be just like the beginning of this book. And while I pushed through with this book, I don't know if I'll be able to do that again.

Tl;dr:

+ World building has potential
+ Fun to read about this time period
+ the last 100-130 pages were better

- Characters weren't interesting
- It was so incredibly slow
- Hard to get into
- Wasn't interested in the magic
- Struggled to finish reading this
- Had high expectations so I'm very disappointed
- Not sure if I'll continue this series


UPDATE: added a few minutes later

I looked at the reviews of the second book and I see multiple people call it a filler book, and say that not much happens until the end. Sounds like this first book, so I made the decision not to continue this series.