It’s a beautiful book, but I wish it was more unique and had more of an interesting plot. I started reading it and realized that it was pretty boring, but I really like the main character and the prose was beautiful, so I read it anyway. Take this passage for example, page 260-261:

My goodbyes to Luc and Yseult had been built on hope, bound with embraces and poorly cracked jokes, crowned with smiles and thundering hearts.

Certain paragraphs like that one took my breath away, and Brienna’s perspective was interesting, she’s really observant and descriptive, as is seen here, page 271:

Yes, I had seen his profile on a copper, which had depicted him as handsome, mythically godlike. And he truly might have been handsome for a man in his mid-fifties, had the scorn not soured the lines on his face, trapping his expressions in sneers and frowns.

I would have enjoyed an epilogue that showed Brienna and Cartier a few years later,

They only kiss at the end it’s so infuriating lol, but at least that scene was satisfying

Other than that it’s a good fairytale/classic-like story, with vivid descriptions and characters. If you liked the Kingdom of Back you will probably like this book. -1 star for the plot being very traditional and the world building being mediocre