CrowNoYami
I. Loved. This Book.
Now I'm going to break this into two parts. The first bit will be spoiler-free the second will have spoilers.
What shocked me about this novel wasn't just the character development (although OMG THE DEVELOPMENT, especially with Jainan!) but how the author keeps you in the dark about who the real antagonist is until she reveals it. I had no idea, and the character wasn't even on my radar of who it could be.
Every time you think you know what's going on and what motivates the world you're sucked into, something will throw a wrench into it, leaving you wondering if you really have any detective skills at all.
I don't, apparently.
Now since no book is perfect, although this one is damn close, I am letting my fellow smut-lovers know that while there are ALL KINDS of build-up and sexual tension between Kiem and Jainan, you do not see their loving on-page but rather a fade to black.
One thing that I LOVED about this book was their gender system. Instead of merely assuming gender, each planet had its own way of going about it. For example, for the empire, you would display your preferred gender in your accessories. Also, it may get a bit confusing as the emperor is female. Because of their gender system, they use male terms instead of switching between the two. It makes sense as you read it; know that it's fantastic!
Warnings that I would include in the novel are Mentions of dub-con, gaslighting, spousal abuse. NONE of these are between Kiem and Jainan; however, some scenes can be a bit heavy if you're not forwarned.
****SPOILERS START HERE****
Where to start? First, I think I'm in love with both Kiem and Jainan. However, I'm not sure who I would pick as my favourite as their personalities are so different.
Kiem, while raised as a prince of the empire, doesn't seem to give two shits about what people think about him since he knows that he will only get a slap on the wrist should he do something wrong. that being said; however, he goes out of his way to remember everyone he meets, knowing how to work the room, turning people to his side without even thinking about it. He doesn't want to make a bad impression on people and does his best to make sure that he does things not because they are expected of him but because they are right. Honestly, he reminds me HEAVILY of Captain Kirk. Kind of a playboy, toes the line between lawbreaker and prized employee, always looking for the best in people but knowing that some out there do horrible things. But, most importantly, Kiem does what he can to improve the lives of everyone, not just those he has direct contact with.
Jainan is another story altogether and where the abuse comes in. Before he was forced to marry Kiem he was wed to another prince of the empire, Taam. When Taam dies (was murdered though they thought it was an accident for like nearly 200 pages), Jainan needs to marry Kiem to keep the alliance between their planets. There are signs of Jainan having been abused from the very beginning. He doesn't speak up; his sister nearly begs Kiem for permission to contact Jainan. All of Jainan's messages get sent to Kiem as they did with Taam, while Jainan had none of Taam's information without a passcode which he never shared. So many times during this book, I nearly growled at the signs Jainan displays and how Kiem painstakingly takes his time and treats Jainan like spun glass. We get confirmation about the abuse later on in the book, but by the time it comes up, it's not a surprise. The lengths of the abuse and gaslighting aren't surprising. However, what IS surprising is how brave and strong Jainan is when he finally overcomes his demons and learns that he's worth more than an arm decoration for his partner.
Seeing them fall in love and knowing long before they do that's how they feel is so frustrating and wonderful at the same time.
This book is wonderful, and I highly encourage you to pick it up.
