I wanted to like this book so much, but I guess reality fell a little short of my expectations. While I certainly enjoyed it, and there were times I was sitting there, hunched over the book, internally yelling, "YES!", it happened too infrequently to really cement this into my favorites. This book touches on a lot of subjects; family, loyalty, blood, honor, trust, death, and love, but sometimes it barely scratched the surface and sometimes it delved deep and sometimes it sunk like quicksand, only to resurface only to sink back into oblivion. Unfortunately, usually the things I felt were most important or that I would have liked to see emphasized were shoved aside in favor of a bleeding love quadrangle.
I know.
The characters are well-written, the good and the bad and the in-between. From Laia, one of our main characters, to Cook, whose story I wish to know, to the Commandant, who is evil personified, to Helene, whose motivations I was unsure of until the end. There's not a plethora of decent characters in this book, though, let alone ones you truly root for. Isabel and Cook, who work in the kitchen, befriend Laia, and end up playing a decently sized part in the end, are my favorites.
How I feel about Elias is hard to define. You understand his character and the choices that he makes, but a lot of them are stupid and/or hideously immoral choices. But he grows, and that's what matters. That's what makes it good. You see, I loved his character arc and the choice that he makes at the end of the book and, to be honest, I would have preferred if it would have been carried through. He's done so many terrible things and murdered a lot of people, but he comes to realize that the Empire does not control nor define him. He makes his own choices and he can choose to make the right one. All he's ever wanted is to be free; free from the Empire, from his horrible family, free from the actions that he's made and been made to take. He knows with his choice of defiance, a choice that will result in death, that his soul is free. He is no longer shackled to a regime of death and blood, and he is willing and even happy to die. But he doesn't, and while that does grant him freedom of body as well, I was a wee bit disappointed, because it felt ever so slightly like a cop-out. Not only that, but I was very annoyed by some of his actions earlier in the story when he brutally murders his friends because the Empire tells him to. Because he'll never become Emperor if he doesn't. See, in my mind, if you start your reign by killing innocent people, your reign is gonna suck. Also, the Empire would kill him if he doesn't complete his Trials, but would you really want to live with yourself if the cost is so high? Obviously, that's what it comes down to, but only because of Laia, which I thought could have been more poignant if it would have been due to Elias himself and his choices and it didn't all revolve around Laia.
So what about Laia? I love that the whole reason behind her story is because she's trying to save her brother and she's willing to go through hell to do it. I would have liked to see that emphasized more, but alas. She's headstrong and smart, for the most part, but also a little too willing to quickly cozy up to Elias and Keenan (or whatever the hell his name is) and her story gets bogged down due to her relationships with these boys.
I was so conflicted about Helene, Elias' friend/comrade/crush. She has good intentions but all the wrong ways of going about achieving them. She's willing to kill innocent people, even her friends, and encourage others to do so, so that everything can turn out for the best. But you'd think that maybe you'd question if something is truly for the best after seeing all the bloodshed it has caused. I'd think, anyways. Because the Augers told her that she needed to swear undying loyalty to whoever became Emperor so that Elias would live. And it works, sure, but at what cost?? Now you've essentially sold your souland will have to kill Elias if Marcus orders you to kill him. I just wasn't sure how much I liked her. I wanted to, really. But that and the fact that her and Elias' relationship HAD to be romantic, when what it should have been by all accounts was a boss-ass friendship, really bugged me.
As far as any plot points go, I would have liked to have seen more done with the jinn, esprits, etc. Or to have some of them explained a little better. Though I was very pleased with the motivation for the jinn.
One of the things that really bugged me about the book was the constant mention of rape. In the back half, it wasn't really mentioned too much, but in the beginning, woah. There was either the threat of rape hanging over Laia or Helene's head, or Marcus was talking/laughing about it, or one of the other slaves had been raped, or something. I mean, yes, it happens, and apparently no one really gives a shit in this Roman culture, especially if it's a slave getting raped. Unless you care about said slave. Then it matters. Regardless, it's a pretty constant undertone and makes the book uncomfortable to read.
I loved a considerable amount of the themes in this book, but not always the way they were written or carried out. Ultimately, I got way too fed up with romantic entanglements that seemed to overtake much of the story. When it was focusing more on the characters by themselves, their own personal arcs, or part of the plot, it was really good. Those last 100 pages were fantastic, but alas, those 100 pages were not the whole book.
Is this a series? Because the way it was ended seems very much like it was being set up to be a series. I mean, the whole point of this book has not been resolved, so I'm thinking there is a sequel?? Also, I neeeeed backstory for the magical and not-so-mythical beings. I would totally read a sequel, even if I wasn't as impressed with this book as I wanted to be.
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