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adesinabrown's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
emmagrace's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
gay's review
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rheah's review
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
The Devotion of Delflenor is an adult fantasy book (short relatively to the genre's standards) and a queer romance. Unfortunately the book struggles to find a balance between both and leave readers unsatisfied with both aspects as it neither focuses on the romance or the fantasy plot.
All the worldbuilding is dumped during the first chapter so if you were only half following the book at this point you will struggle a bit to understand the rest but the worldbuilding isn't that detailed: they have 3 gods and the knights and country are without a gods-given leader. Then some dude asks for help and our protagonist decides to go with the greatest knight alive because she feels like it and also has a crush on her.
I wouldn't have minded if the book decided to focus heavily on romance. Indeed, a fantasy queernorm-world romance between a demigirl protagonist and the knight she admires is rare enough to be noted. The characters already know each others and have a past which makes some elements feel less rushed than if they barely knew each other.
But alas the book also tries to have some kind of a fantasy plot that honestly didn't feel necessary. The first two thirds of the book feel plot and direction-less of just characters talking about anything (and it features some weirdly written dialogues here and there) and then something happens and raises the stakes for absolutely no reason.
Delf was an okay protagonist but are (understable and relatable) self-deprecating tendencies ended up just being annoying especially when refusing to fight an opponent trying to kill her by saying multiple times that she's not stronger enough. I know she was supposed to be "humble" but that not humility just stupidity. All of that made the predictible ending even more frustrating.
I did appreciate the casual non-binary representation in this book.
All the worldbuilding is dumped during the first chapter so if you were only half following the book at this point you will struggle a bit to understand the rest but the worldbuilding isn't that detailed: they have 3 gods and the knights and country are without a gods-given leader. Then some dude asks for help and our protagonist decides to go with the greatest knight alive because she feels like it and also has a crush on her.
I wouldn't have minded if the book decided to focus heavily on romance. Indeed, a fantasy queernorm-world romance between a demigirl protagonist and the knight she admires is rare enough to be noted. The characters already know each others and have a past which makes some elements feel less rushed than if they barely knew each other.
But alas the book also tries to have some kind of a fantasy plot that honestly didn't feel necessary. The first two thirds of the book feel plot and direction-less of just characters talking about anything (and it features some weirdly written dialogues here and there) and then something happens and raises the stakes for absolutely no reason.
Delf was an okay protagonist but are (understable and relatable) self-deprecating tendencies ended up just being annoying especially when refusing to fight an opponent trying to kill her by saying multiple times that she's not stronger enough. I know she was supposed to be "humble" but that not humility just stupidity. All of that made the predictible ending even more frustrating.
I did appreciate the casual non-binary representation in this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
millah's review
3.0
I liked the premise a lot and was curious about the characters, the fantasy, the magic, and of course the miscommunication and pining between the love interests. The MC was a bit too stubbornly clueless for my taste, I’m afraid, it made the story feel drawn out.
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