by Brigid Kemmerer
I had to immediately pick up this sequel, and I’m so, so glad I waited to read A Curse So Dark And Lonely until I had my hands on A Heart So Fierce And Broken because – what an ending!
As always, the first part will be spoiler free, aside from what is already known, and then I will place a break, and dive into spoilers. Read past that break at your own risk.
We finally get some serious Grey perspective, which I know a lot of people were asking for, and I’m here for it! I love his character progression in this story – even if the story arc is slightly cliché. I love the “roll” another character takes in his story arc. I love all the twists and turns and some small surprises sprinkled throughout his storyline.
I’m having a hard time reviewing this book without using spoilers, I’ll admit. So much happens that’s spoilers, so it’s hard to discuss around it. I’m not a fan of Rhen in this book, even when everything is said and done and things are revealed that you didn’t know the whole time in the book [but what was guessable]. My feelings for him in ACSDAL were tentative, and this book didn’t improve it by much. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate Rhen – I’m just maybe not as enchanted with him as I’m supposed to be nor do I feel enough sympathy to excuse some of his character flaws, I guess? It’s hard to describe but, if you weren’t a fan of Rhen in ACSDAL, you won’t be in AHSFAB. Sorry.
I love that there’s mostly unforseen twists in this one! A good number are foreseeable [and easily so] but they’re not badly executed, and are still very much enjoyable [for the most part].
While the ending of this book isn’t leaving me dying for the next book, I find that most sequels in the middle of trilogies don’t. I am looking forward to the next book, and I’d love to get my hands on the ARC [and will probably pre-order the 3rd book], but I’m at “a slow burn” – definitely want the book, but I won’t find it hard to read other books while I wait.
Which is convenient, since I have so many books to read in the meantime!
**SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT. DON’T READ FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILERS. NOT JOKING. STOP HERE. I WILL NOT HOLD BACK.**
**This comment has triggers for unnecessary physical violence and bodily deformation. If you’re queasy, please don’t read this comment – and be careful with the book.** Can we talk for a second on how Rhen whipped Grey and Tycho?!? What on Earth, Rhen?!? Why did you think that would be a good idea?!? I get that you feel/felt betrayed by Grey, but whipping him and Tycho is ridiculous and unbelievably uncalled for. I’m not even sure Lilith deserves that – and she deserves far worse punishment than Grey!
But moving on. **Trigger comment over.**
Alright, I will admit, I don’t remember how much of a hint there was in ACSDAL for Grey to be the “true heir” [although, depending on the world, illegitimate heirs found after the death of the king/queen in question is usually unfounded and unrecognized since you usually can’t be 100% sure without the “parenting” monarch’s confirmation], but I think I had an inkling because I was not at all surprised when we find out Grey is Rhen’s older half-brother. I love that one of the guys scarred and traumatized by magic now wields it. I was really worried that Grey would “find a love interest” in Syhl Shallow’s heir and be completely cliché. But he doesn’t.
I love the somewhat random introduction of the scraver into the plot and storyline! It adds a fun new twist that wasn’t super anticipated, and I love what he adds to the story – and his arc so far! I’m hoping he develops and his arc continues in the next book!
Lia Mara. I still haven’t decided how I feel about her [she feels almost like a Harper carbon copy, minus the disability of cerebal palsy?], and I’m trying to hold judgement until the third book. I know that’s a long time to reserve judgement, but I didn’t have a solid opinion of her at the end of this book. Not sure why, but it is what it is.
Grey and Lia Mara. Even if I decide Lia Mara is a carbon copy of Harper, I like Lia Mara being with Grey more than Harper. I can’t really explain why, but I do. I just wish there was a bit more to Lia Mara that was distinctly Lia Mara. I mean, she has her very different mother and she has a sister instead of a protective big brother, but those things have nothing to do with her personality. Plus, her mom ends up dead, so there’s that.
Wait, what? Yeah, you heard me. And Lia Mara kills her.
Say whaaaaaaat? Yeah. And then she becomes queen. Because that’s a thing in their country. And, because her sister doesn’t actually want to be queen, she gladly “recognizes” her sister as queen, which prevents the entire country from helping her kill Lia Mara to regain the crown.
Yeah. Crazy.
But also completely foreseeable. They make mention of “whoever kills the queen becomes queen” thing a little too pointedly, and it’s not exactly only referred to once. It’s also not buried in a bunch of culture knowledge that Grey learns. It’s offered up easily and almost immediately, and not much else is told.
That being said, the execution was still exciting and gripping! There’s only so much an author can do about foreshadowing and surprises, after all, and I think Brigid Kemmerer does a decent job of balancing the two for this turn of events.
I also completely called Lilith not being dead. That also was fairly obvious, but she’s adding a much needed twist to the “new conflict” between Grey and Rhen.
Also obvious? She needs to die. [Speaking in defense of the lovely characters only, of course.] Because exiling or imprisoning her just won’t do. She didn’t stay dead the first time, and she’s making more problems, so – yeah. A real and final death is so needed here.
Any predictions for the next book like this one? I’m not sure. I think Tycho is going to play a bigger role going forward, along with Nolla Verin. I think Harper is going to be put between a rock and a hard place [again] with Rhen [and probably Grey, possibly with a little Lilith thrown in there]. I originally thought Rhen would rule with Harper, and Lai Mara would rule with Rhen, and Lia Mara’s marriage to Rhen would serve as a peace treaty of sorts, uniting the two kingdoms. I’m not as sure now, but I do think it’s still leaning in that favor, especially if Harper manages to win the people back on Rhen’s behalf [which I think more likely than Rhen winning them back on his own].
The Fox Den 