First off the premise of these stories taking place a millennium a part is GENUIS. It felt like two separate stories at first( and they really are), but as the two progressed, there’s a moment when the two stories mold together because they’re so intertwined.
My favorite of the two POV’s was Eliana hands down. She was one of my favorite characters, and she also interacted with my favorite character of all.
S I M O N
Ugh, the amount of things I could say about this man. Ughhhh it tears my hearts to shreds.
Now my favorite part was the prologue because that scene was utterly fantastic. It is honestly the BEST prologue I have ever read, or it’s in the top three. It’s just phenomenal and gut wrenching and terrifyingly bittersweet. Claire Legrand deserves a standing ovation in my opinion for writing that scene and basically this whole story. The prologue really set the tone for this book in levels of pain, grief, terror, and the most important: hope.
Something I also really enjoyed was the fact that these two woman are very similar yet starkly different. Specifically, one of them desperately tries to be good when she is very dark internally and another tries to be dark when she really is very good. Obviously, they’re much more than those labels, but it was a contrast I found very telling and enlightening.
It doesn’t hurt either that morally grey characters are my kryptonite.
Both of the stories were perfect because they had the right flow, entertainment, and great writing. Claire Legrand has this amazing power to make me emotionally unstable in a millisecond, and I was left (multiple times!!) in a state where I had to shut the book due to the overwhelming emotions I was feeling.
It was a lot, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
There’s some wonderful diversity too. Eliana, Navi, Audric, and countless others are all POC, and specifically, Eliana and Audric are mixed. LGBTQ+ rep is included in numerous characters but obviously with Eliana in her bisexuality/ pansexuality. Her sexuality is never stated for certain (I HATE labeling her), but she prefers both men and women. Rielle I believe is also bisexual, but it isn’t referenced as often as Eliana’s.
EDIT: I just finished my reread of this glorious book, and I cannot wait to see what Claire has in store next. It’s still the 5/5 I gave it originally, and I’m just so thankful this story exists. GOODNESS, I missed my girls.
My favorite of the two POV’s was Eliana hands down. She was one of my favorite characters, and she also interacted with my favorite character of all.
S I M O N
Ugh, the amount of things I could say about this man. Ughhhh it tears my hearts to shreds.
Now my favorite part was the prologue because that scene was utterly fantastic. It is honestly the BEST prologue I have ever read, or it’s in the top three. It’s just phenomenal and gut wrenching and terrifyingly bittersweet. Claire Legrand deserves a standing ovation in my opinion for writing that scene and basically this whole story. The prologue really set the tone for this book in levels of pain, grief, terror, and the most important: hope.
Something I also really enjoyed was the fact that these two woman are very similar yet starkly different. Specifically, one of them desperately tries to be good when she is very dark internally and another tries to be dark when she really is very good. Obviously, they’re much more than those labels, but it was a contrast I found very telling and enlightening.
It doesn’t hurt either that morally grey characters are my kryptonite.
Both of the stories were perfect because they had the right flow, entertainment, and great writing. Claire Legrand has this amazing power to make me emotionally unstable in a millisecond, and I was left (multiple times!!) in a state where I had to shut the book due to the overwhelming emotions I was feeling.
It was a lot, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
There’s some wonderful diversity too. Eliana, Navi, Audric, and countless others are all POC, and specifically, Eliana and Audric are mixed. LGBTQ+ rep is included in numerous characters but obviously with Eliana in her bisexuality/ pansexuality. Her sexuality is never stated for certain (I HATE labeling her), but she prefers both men and women. Rielle I believe is also bisexual, but it isn’t referenced as often as Eliana’s.
EDIT: I just finished my reread of this glorious book, and I cannot wait to see what Claire has in store next. It’s still the 5/5 I gave it originally, and I’m just so thankful this story exists. GOODNESS, I missed my girls.