I feel like this year has been a series of me reading books at the wrong time and not enjoying them as much as I would have. I did like this book because I love learning about history, specifically a darker period of Joseon history, and what happens when there’s a coup and transfer of power done by a group of elites. People in power always care more about lining their own pockets than the lives of the actual people they depend on to live comfortably. I think where the book fell short for me was Iseul. She’s not a terrible character but she did annoy me a little with her privilege and rushing off into danger without thinking. The romance did grow on me though. I liked the conclusion even if it was a bit predictable. I just think the whole thing with Nameless Flower felt a bit off. I didn’t understand why he wanted to kill Iseul and Daehyun when they were literally working to overthrow the king. Yeongho seemed to have a bit more sense than that when we saw him throughout the book. I think if he stuck to killing the horrible people in the government, they could have ended up working together instead to kill the king. 

Not a bad book, but not my favourite of the ones I’ve read by June Hur.