Quick summary: Marmite series. I loved it, some people hate it, everyone should try it.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Try this series if you like: Laini Taylor, Veronica Roth & Holly Black
Check out the full synopsis here
We have three main points of view in this series; Lia, Rafe and Kaden, and the transitions between the POV’s are pretty seamless. The thing that really drew me to the series in the first place is that for a substantial part of the first novel, we know that Lia is being hunted by an Assassin and a Prince, but we don’t know which of the two men is which. There is a big sense of intrigue throughout the series, and I personally think this makes up for the fact that there is less magic present throughout than you might expect for a fantasy series.
As far as the character of Lia goes, it is a nice touch that her true skills come in language and social interaction. In an almost feministic statement, Lia wants to change her fate, and show the men around her that she should be allowed to make her own choices. She is a headstrong dreamer, with a capability to lead and change the world for the better. All of these qualities are a fantastic combination for the protagonist of a YA Fantasy series.
There is a love triangle in these books. Now, I know many people who hate love triangles with a fervent passion, and all I can say to these people is that you will probably not enjoy this love triangle any more than other love triangles. It is pretty subtle and non-intrusive as triangles go, but if we’re honest it doesn’t have anything on the Mark-Kieran-Cristina steamy triangle of The Dark Artifices. I was reasonably satisfied with the ending, because I felt it did reflect the state of the characters in the books, and wasn’t too abrupt.
The plot of the first book of this series, The Kiss of Deception, gets very mixed reviews, especially in the Goodreads comments. Some readers loved the slow-paced, gentle dreams of Lia, our main protagonist. Others, however, felt that for a series described as high fantasy, there was not enough action, adventure or plot interest. For me, I stand with the lovers of Lia’s quiet dreams. She is a princess who spent her whole life surrounded by the promise of magic, war and kingdom, and when old enough faced the threat of being married off to a man she didn’t know or love as a political pawn. I think it is very plausible that she would want a quiet, understated life after that. Although I understand the argument that the sleepy seaside town scene goes on for potentially too long, I didn’t find myself bored, and by the second and third books the scene wildly changes.
To summarise my views of this series; I liked it. It had some interesting plot points, I loved the inclusion of language, I didn’t hate the love triangle, and I really enjoyed Pearson’s treatment of magic. I feel some people will love it, some people will hate it, and that’s ok, but I do recommend reading it!
Rosie x
THE ROSIE WORD. 