I liked Cruel Beauty more! I'm not sure if I would say not to read this. I can see how fans of Cruel Beauty would like this book, maybe it just wasn't for me . . . I'm pretty double-minded
I LOVED Cruel Beauty and was insanely looking forward to this, and it just disappointed so much. I was lukewarm about Rachelle until towards the end because there wasn't much personality building? No look into her thoughts and motivations until, ooh, around halfway through the book? Erik was an ass, but at least more well-developed than Armand (ugh) who we were told again and again was a LIVING SAINT and yet he did nothing worthy of the title, but did start a revolution to try to put his half-brother on the throne and who says he's the best choice? He was also clueless, oddly, to the fact that Rachelle's entire village hated and feared her. I really disliked the character. Also figured out who/what Erik was fairly early, and what he'd done to Rachelle's aunt.
The saving grace, for me, was the world building, and a large part of that being the Hansel & Gretel-inspired creation myth. That was awesome. I would have read an entire book about that! But, eh. (I've been meaning tow rite my own review for about a month, since I've read it, and haven't yet, so you're getting a long-ass comment with the thoughts that have been bouncing around my head, LOL! xP)
I understand how you feel about Rachel! I felt like she was complex, but what was the point if I didn't really understand her?! Like with Nyx from Cruel Beauty I understood the decisions she made and why.
Yeah, I never really understood what exactly made Armand a saint, and how one minute he and Rachel would be sharing their feelings and then the next, she would have a knife on his neck . . .
I actually didn't really know who Erec was! I had an idea, but I wasn't very fond of Erec, so I wouldn't really try to look into his story for anything.
I also only gave this three stars because of the author's writing. She is really talented, she can really pick a tone for the story and connect the world to the plot. I am checking out her other books, but this one was slightly a disappointment.
The writing was beautiful. And I was probably too easy on it, I think I gave it four stars, just because of that, and because I read a truly godawful book afterwards that made me like it better, LOL! Her novella that takes place in the Cruel Beauty universe, Gilded Ashes? That was amazing, too, which perhaps gave me higher expectations for this than I ought to have. But, sighs, it let me down.
Also, don't want to give the impression that I, in any way, liked Erec. Continuously reading about him humiliating Rachelle, and how oddly turned on she got by it, and then ashamed, actually made me sick, and, in of itself, made me want to knock a star off. I guess I understood the character more easily because he was a massive butt, which isn't a good thing, LOL! But, ehhhh! I wish she'd left out both him and Armand, as I liked neither; one squicked me completely, and the other bored me.
Sorry to hear the book disappointed, I was looking forward to it since I enjoyed Cruel Beauty.
The saving grace, for me, was the world building, and a large part of that being the Hansel & Gretel-inspired creation myth. That was awesome. I would have read an entire book about that! But, eh. (I've been meaning tow rite my own review for about a month, since I've read it, and haven't yet, so you're getting a long-ass comment with the thoughts that have been bouncing around my head, LOL! xP)
Yeah, I never really understood what exactly made Armand a saint, and how one minute he and Rachel would be sharing their feelings and then the next, she would have a knife on his neck . . .
I actually didn't really know who Erec was! I had an idea, but I wasn't very fond of Erec, so I wouldn't really try to look into his story for anything.
I also only gave this three stars because of the author's writing. She is really talented, she can really pick a tone for the story and connect the world to the plot. I am checking out her other books, but this one was slightly a disappointment.
Also, don't want to give the impression that I, in any way, liked Erec. Continuously reading about him humiliating Rachelle, and how oddly turned on she got by it, and then ashamed, actually made me sick, and, in of itself, made me want to knock a star off. I guess I understood the character more easily because he was a massive butt, which isn't a good thing, LOL! But, ehhhh! I wish she'd left out both him and Armand, as I liked neither; one squicked me completely, and the other bored me.