A Curse So Dark and Lonely

“Are you prepared to die, Grey?" I demand. "Because that is all that exists at the end of this path. I am sure of it. This was never a curse to be broken. This is a death sentence. The true curse has been the thought that we might find escape.”

I've read a Brigid Kemmerer book before and I very much enjoyed it so I'm disappointed that I can't say the same about this one.

If I could sum it up in a few words I'd say “I don't care for it”. It's great that it features a disabled character but I can't give praise for that alone when the quality is not there. She was still an underdeveloped character who was merely an offspring of the “I'm not like other girls” trope. The prince was no better. He literally sounds like the same prince I've encountered in fantasy books, especially re-tellings. There's nothing particularly compelling about him nor his kingdom.

The world-building is simply underwhelming. And the whole “Princess of Disi” subplot made just laugh out loud which I'm sure wasn't the expected reaction. The only mildly interesting character was Grey and even his character was spoiled because it turns out he's the king's bastard son. He's probably going to get into a crown war with the current prince in one of the future books and they'll get in a love-triangle. If Harper had instead fallen in love with Grey, slayed the monster/prince to save the kingdom, well maybe I would have signed up for that.