When I picked up Mistress of Lies by K. M. Enright, I was intrigued by its premise—Shan’s dual roles and the political turmoil of Aeravin—but the book ultimately left me disappointed. While the pacing and dialogue were handled well, so much happened off-page that I struggled to connect with the characters or their struggles.
The political intrigue was one of the few elements that kept me reading. I’m not typically drawn to politics in books, but I wanted to see what would happen to Aeravin and its citizens. However, even this element lacked depth. The stakes were there, but the execution didn’t fully deliver.

The world-building was another area that fell short. I understood the structure of the world, but it wasn’t immersive—I couldn’t picture Aeravin or feel its atmosphere. The vampire lore tied to blood magic was an interesting twist, but it felt underdeveloped. Aside from one scene, I rarely thought, “This is vampiric.” Instead of sustaining life, blood magic enhanced strength and alertness, which could’ve been fascinating if explored further.

The plot’s logic was frustrating. The central twist was predictable—I figured it out long before the characters did. Shan’s preoccupation with maintaining her “demure” facade and Samuel's need to "not change" took up so much of the story that it detracted from the larger stakes. Months passed, four people were murdered, and yet their focus felt misaligned with the urgency of the situation.

By the end, the characters seemed to become the very things they were trying to avoid. There were no significant redemption arcs or moments of growth that made me feel invested in their journey.

There were also technical issues. Repetitive descriptions (the word “demure” was overused), misspellings, and scenes that felt heavily influenced by The Hunger Games pulled me out of the story. For example,

Shan’s transformation into a figure the king wants her to be—paired with ominous warnings from her designer

—immediately reminded me of Katniss Everdeen.

While I admired the diversity in the cast and their backgrounds, I didn’t enjoy the book. I struggled to finish it and even considered not finishing—a rare occurrence for me. I don’t plan to continue the series and am already planning to unhaul this one.