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ambi_dexter_writes's review
3.0
It was,,, ok.
The book started pretty meh, felt like a formulaic fantasy novel set in a mediaeval world with magic and politics. Wasn't that great of a hook, but a few chapters in and you realise that oh this was a deliberate writing style since our main character and narrator
The book picks up it's pace and I quite liked her struggling through the middle section.
Ok but then the ending was a bit disappointing. It felt very haphazard and forced for her to end up the way she did. It was like the ending had already been set and we needed to see her there before the page limit was reached. Also, she can suddenly shake the earth? That make's no sense- how does one as unexperienced and physically weak as she is suddenly achieve all of that?
Do I want to read the sequel? Kind of, since the story has already gotten to this point. If they all die, they all die. I'm actually ok with that kind of ending, because protagonist was framed to be this realistically helpless. But will I enjoy it 100%? Probably not.
The book started pretty meh, felt like a formulaic fantasy novel set in a mediaeval world with magic and politics. Wasn't that great of a hook, but a few chapters in and you realise that oh this was a deliberate writing style since our main character and narrator
Spoiler
is as dumb (ignorant?) and unobservant as her grandma makes her out to be. There really is a good reason why she hasn't taken the throne yet.The book picks up it's pace and I quite liked her struggling through the middle section.
Spoiler
She really is trying, and it really feel like her struggles are realistic given that she's only 17. There's also the soft magic system introduced, where even Matilde doesn't know how her powers work.Ok but then the ending was a bit disappointing. It felt very haphazard and forced for her to end up the way she did. It was like the ending had already been set and we needed to see her there before the page limit was reached. Also, she can suddenly shake the earth? That make's no sense- how does one as unexperienced and physically weak as she is suddenly achieve all of that?
Do I want to read the sequel? Kind of, since the story has already gotten to this point. If they all die, they all die. I'm actually ok with that kind of ending, because protagonist was framed to be this realistically helpless. But will I enjoy it 100%? Probably not.
jetsilver's review
3.0
I'm not sure what I thought of this. The main character had an original and compelling voice, but on the other hand, all of the characters behaved erractically. I couldn't work out anyone's goals or motivations, and that made for an unsatisfying read. I didn't feel I knew who any of these people were by the end of the book, which makes it rather difficult to care what happens to them.
celiaedf12's review
3.0
I enjoyed this tense, dark fantasy, about Matilde, the heir to the throne, and the considerable political upheaval that takes place in her land. I was a bit concerned that the story was edging towards a falling-in-love-with-a-captor thing, which is one of my pet hates. It's ends ambigiously - there's clearly a lot more story to come, and ends in a fairly dark place - and so it's not clear whether Matilde's feelings (whatever they are, and even she is not sure) are the result of a sort of Stockholm syndrome.
I like the uncertain nature of this novel, Matilde's desperate attempts to regain and secure power, the desperate sense of how much is at stake. It's not a cliffhanger ending (not a happy end, but not really a cliffhanger) which is nice in a series where you have to wait for the next book to be published.
I like the uncertain nature of this novel, Matilde's desperate attempts to regain and secure power, the desperate sense of how much is at stake. It's not a cliffhanger ending (not a happy end, but not really a cliffhanger) which is nice in a series where you have to wait for the next book to be published.
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