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olivialandryxo 's review for:
And I Darken
by Kiersten White
3.5 stars
CW: attempted rape
I’m quite happy with how quickly I read this, though unfortunately that’s as far as it goes. I had high expectations, but ultimately this was just an average read.
I didn’t really care about the characters. I didn’t love them or hate them. Each had something worth liking: Lada was fierce, Radu was sweet, and Mehmed ... well, he was just there. He was sexist and honestly only survived because of Lada and Radu. Probably my least favorite character.
The love triangle was such a mess. Both siblings loved Mehmed, but he loved Lada. He only loved Radu as a friend, because in this time period two boys couldn’t be in love (and he’s clueless tbh). I felt bad for Radu, and also for Mehmed just because he had no idea what he was doing to the siblings by choosing one. I also think a bit of communication would’ve helped a lot, but Lada and Radu only ever argued. And Mehmed was the sultan, so if Radu talked to him, maybe there could’ve been a new decree or something. But no, it’s always about drama.
People say that they like the sibling relationship, but I’m not sure I agree. In my opinion, there wasn’t much there to like or dislike. Lada and Radu were polar opposites and apart for a good portion of the story. They had their moments together, but they weren’t amazing or anything.
The story was much slower than I thought it would be. I liked the concept and the time period. I found it unique. However, there wasn’t a lot of action. Politics drove the story more than action did, and while I was intrigued, I think it could’ve been more balanced. I did like the action scenes we were given; Lada fighting is really something else.
I’m surprised that, in all the reviews I’ve seen, no one has mentioned the attempted rape. That’s not to say that no one has mentioned it, only that I haven’t seen anything. So if you’re interested in this but rape is a trigger for you, be careful.
I think I’ve covered everything? I know I was critical, but I did like this book. I’ve heard the second one is better, so I’ll probably give it a try.
CW: attempted rape
I’m quite happy with how quickly I read this, though unfortunately that’s as far as it goes. I had high expectations, but ultimately this was just an average read.
I didn’t really care about the characters. I didn’t love them or hate them. Each had something worth liking: Lada was fierce, Radu was sweet, and Mehmed ... well, he was just there. He was sexist and honestly only survived because of Lada and Radu. Probably my least favorite character.
The love triangle was such a mess. Both siblings loved Mehmed, but he loved Lada. He only loved Radu as a friend, because in this time period two boys couldn’t be in love (and he’s clueless tbh). I felt bad for Radu, and also for Mehmed just because he had no idea what he was doing to the siblings by choosing one. I also think a bit of communication would’ve helped a lot, but Lada and Radu only ever argued. And Mehmed was the sultan, so if Radu talked to him, maybe there could’ve been a new decree or something. But no, it’s always about drama.
People say that they like the sibling relationship, but I’m not sure I agree. In my opinion, there wasn’t much there to like or dislike. Lada and Radu were polar opposites and apart for a good portion of the story. They had their moments together, but they weren’t amazing or anything.
The story was much slower than I thought it would be. I liked the concept and the time period. I found it unique. However, there wasn’t a lot of action. Politics drove the story more than action did, and while I was intrigued, I think it could’ve been more balanced. I did like the action scenes we were given; Lada fighting is really something else.
I’m surprised that, in all the reviews I’ve seen, no one has mentioned the attempted rape. That’s not to say that no one has mentioned it, only that I haven’t seen anything. So if you’re interested in this but rape is a trigger for you, be careful.
I think I’ve covered everything? I know I was critical, but I did like this book. I’ve heard the second one is better, so I’ll probably give it a try.