whatthedeuce's Reviews (1.39k)

The writing was great, and I was enjoying the time jumps from the present to the past, but then stuff got very clunky at the end. I was so incredibly disappointed by the last 40 pages of this novel.

Like all of a sudden, relationships were being repaired instantaneously, which was absurd after how caustic and hostile the characters often were toward each other. It really bothered me that we just get told by Akash that he and Renu revealed their secrets to each other. Ummm, why not actually write out those scenes instead of “And then my mom told me all about being in love with some other dude and now I’m not afraid of our mad at her even though she’s been hostile to me basically my entire life?!” Like FOR REAL?! 

And Akash just suddenly giving up drinking in the middle of the book like that’s supposed to be something easy? That was handled so unrealistically. He was clearly an alcoholic throughout the present day arc, and then he just decided to quit on a whim and was successful. Right. Sure. That felt too jarring and so did Akash making up with Bijal and Renu at the snap of a finger. Oh, not to mention Parth being all blase about Akash fucking punching him in high school instead of standing up for him. Like I’m not saying that would’ve been easy when Akash was tired of not belonging and also possibly being outed, but STILL. Parth just saying it was water under the bridge cuz they were young when it happened was such a letdown.

 

This started off so strongly for me, and I loved Bjorn and Freya’s banter at first. But the book got majorly bogged down by Freya’s constant self doubt and wallowing in guilt what felt like every other page, and it was tedious as hell. Like I get that it’s not easy to turn your back on your family even if they suck, and it did make sense that Freya felt horrified whenever someone died because jarls were warring over her, but you can only read her guilty thoughts so many times before you begin rolling your eyes and wanting her to fucking get over it already. Also I figured out the plot twist maybe halfway through, and I just wanted the reveal already because this book could have lost 100 pages and still have stayed the same. It was unnecessarily long. And last of all, I get that it’s partly a romance, but I find it super irritating when characters are distracted by their own lust even  in the middle of life threatening situations. You’re telling me Freya has the wherewithal to notice Bjorn’s gaze or touch or breathing near her when she’s facing a horde of undead warriors? REALLY?! Spare me.