Captive Prince (Captive Prince Trilogy, #1)

by C. S. Pacat

[mayavswords]

I want to start off by saying that my average or lower rating has nothing at all to do with the depiction of slavery in this book. I think anyone who has taken offense to it unknowingly picked up this book (titled the captive prince like, come on...what do you think that entails??) and enforces this form of “censorship” when an author simply writes a theme or a topic that makes one uncomfortable. I particularly take issue with how gay literature is scrutinized heavily in this respect when there is a whole genre of het romantic fiction that has this same or similar theme hundreds times over.

With that being said, I start my very brief (and mildly salty) review.

Yeah I’m actually really sad I didn’t care for this book much.

I’ve read quite a lot of gay (fan)fiction, so I’ve seen a lot of tropes and executions, which probably makes me incredibly picky and hardly impressed by certain things at this point.

If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers this is definitely your book and I highly recommend it, but that aside, the main issue I take with this book is the world building. It simply does not interest me nor compels to read the next books in the series. (Sexual) Slavery? Ok. Not my thing, but it’s there. Homosexuality is the norm? That’s sweet. Political fights over who rules the throne? Yawn.

Also I don’t really like Laurent. At all. There’s something about seeing another rendition of a snooty, sharp-tongued guy that doesn’t make me want to attach myself to him. It does make for some amusing dialogue with Damen, though.

I’m expecting the next book to have something to redeem Laurent in some sense, but I feel little motivation to see it through. I won’t say much more because I don’t want to have to flag this for spoiler but yeah.

I think it’s overrated, but at least the writing is excellent.