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totallyshelfaware's Reviews (1.07k)
Super-quick review --
The Good :
- I'm a total sucker for books with swordfighting, and oh, did this deliver.
- Gave me Three Musketeers + Princess Bride vibes, always a plus.
- The first half was just so. Much. Fun.
There were also some real treasures hidden in there, like:
The Meh:
Too many speeches. Like, a ridiculous number of speeches. And they were long, and rambling, and excessive, and really didn't add much to what was happening.
The Wish-it-were-better:
Around the 65% mark, things just got messy.
- Characters were randomly introduced with heavy importance, but limited backstory. So, I didn't end up caring about them as much as I probably should have.
- Things went from fun and games to DARK in like <0.8 seconds. And it felt like that was just thrown in there to lend the story gravity and justify how villainous certain characters needed to be seen as being. It didn't really add much to the narrative.
- Every. Single. Woman. Was one-dimensional. And only served to let the main character weep, moan, feel, etc.
- The pacing was all weird. The first half of the book moved at a steady, leisurely pace; 3/4th the way through, it picked up speed (still okay) and then it just .. got weird.
- Then, things got predictable.
Verdict : a fun read, that could've been a potential favourite, if not for messy plot resolution.
[My Kindle highlights]
The Good :
- I'm a total sucker for books with swordfighting, and oh, did this deliver.
- Gave me Three Musketeers + Princess Bride vibes, always a plus.
- The first half was just so. Much. Fun.
There were also some real treasures hidden in there, like:
'It states that the Gods demand that only a King or Queen may rule, not a council. It further states that the Gods imbue the line of Kings with favoured blood and the prosperity of the kingdom is tied to the quality of the blood of the ruler.’
‘What shit,’ Brasti said. ‘Blood is blood, so long as it’s red.’
The Meh:
Too many speeches. Like, a ridiculous number of speeches. And they were long, and rambling, and excessive, and really didn't add much to what was happening.
The Wish-it-were-better:
Around the 65% mark, things just got messy.
- Characters were randomly introduced with heavy importance, but limited backstory. So, I didn't end up caring about them as much as I probably should have.
- Things went from fun and games to DARK in like <0.8 seconds. And it felt like that was just thrown in there to lend the story gravity and justify how villainous certain characters needed to be seen as being. It didn't really add much to the narrative.
- Every. Single. Woman. Was one-dimensional. And only served to let the main character weep, moan, feel, etc.
- The pacing was all weird. The first half of the book moved at a steady, leisurely pace; 3/4th the way through, it picked up speed (still okay) and then it just .. got weird.
- Then, things got predictable.
Verdict : a fun read, that could've been a potential favourite, if not for messy plot resolution.
[My Kindle highlights]
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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