Reviewed by Chelsea on
Royal Bastards was an unexpected love for me. It caught my eye as soon as I heard about it and it did not disappoint. Sure there was some predictable moments and the plot felt a little flat at some points, but I was addicted as soon as I finished that first chapter.
My favourite part of Royal Bastards is the group of strangers who then turned into friends as they tried to survive together. I love books that don’t just feature a main character but a group of main characters. It also featured some diverse characters without sounding forced! Lyrianna and her family are pointed out for having dark skin and they weren’t cast in a minor role which was great to see! I was also REALLY happy to see that this wasn’t another ‘chosen one’ fantasy. The group of characters really did work together.
Royal Bastards started off sounding a bit middle grade but somewhere along the way it became young adult. Think along of the lines of Harry Potter. It felt younger at the start but grew into an older audience. Same idea here! I was nervous at the beginning because of that but don’t let that stop you!
The only two flaws I can possibly think of was that it was borderline insta-love and that it was much too short. I finished the whole book in two sittings which is great but I think it could have used a little more character development at some points. The romance wasn’t technically insta-love since the characters were on a month long journey, but it felt rushed because of the length of the book I think.
If you’re a fantasy lover then this is an easy option for you. There was a good mixture of humour, romance, and action while still being unique enough to not be like all the other young adult fantasies. It’s going to be a series to watch out for!
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 5 May, 2017: Finished reading
- 5 May, 2017: Reviewed