What can I say about this book? I really enjoyed it, though if I’m honest, not as much as I wanted to… I just wanted More.
The plot was good, the characters were good, the evil queen was evil… but I just wanted more depth, more character and More world building…
Twylla was a wonderful protagonist, she grew as the book went on, but even there, I just felt like there should have been more to her. Merek was a great prince and Leif was just dreamy… I felt like the ending was rushed, there wasn’t much in the way of a build up. It kind of just plodded, then there was a weird little coup and then a revelation and then… it ended… then there was an epilogue which made next to no sense. I felt like it should have been more dramatic, Leifs confession at the end should have been a blow to my heart but I wasn’t, it barely even registered. Twylla’s self-realisation and strong mindedness at the end should have had me beaming and whooping in joy, but in reality I was slightly underwhelmed.
I realise I currently sound like I didn’t like this book, but I really did, it was just very different to the standard fantasy books that I have become so familiar with! I’m used to fantasy books that have a gut wrenching punch at the end where we have a ‘happy ever after’ after the climax, even though we know it’s just the beginning, but this book didn’t even appear to have a climax as such, just a series of events that will eventually lead to a bigger plot, in a book further along the line, and it is very different as it left me feeling slightly blasé about this book. But also wanting more… because I feel like I deserve more as a reader… though I guess it is a good tactic to keep people reading your books!
To sum it up, this book was really Nice (for want of a better word!!)
3.5* and I am looking forward to the next book, hoping for just that bit more though!