Why Pacat’s Captive Prince is so ✨captivating✨ and the role of fandom in an often monotoned life.
By way of warning *Spoiler Alert*
So it’s been a few months now since I went on a whim and decided to read my copy of Captive Prince which had been sitting on my bookshelf for years, along with many novels I have yet to delve into for leisure.
Upon devouring the series, the accompanying short-story collection, and now being neck deep in both reading and writing Capri fanfics—I decided to take a step back, in order to reflect on the aspects which I believe made Pacat’s work so distinct, and ultimately fantastic:
The blend of third-person/the unreliable narrator: I think it was clear pretty early on, that Laurent knew who Damen was. Damianos was giving very much dumb jock energy and I will admit it was sometimes frustrating to read. I will say however, that his ignorance in this respect, is reflective of how black and white his thinking is. He held a “right is right” and “wrong is wrong” type of mentality, which is the stark opposite of Laurent, whose nature is cunning as a means of survival from the regent’s abuse. And as they say, opposites attract! Unreliable narrator was definitely a literary choice, one which I found to be effective.
The world-building. Okay, the absolute debauchery that was thrown in our faces in book one was jarring—but I think there is something to be said about the function of shock and the depictions of pleasure. Veretians were described to do everything in extreme hedonistic extravagance, from sex-rings to mentions of public consummation, I’d argue that we as readers were made to feel just as shocked as Damen was when he was first faced with it all. Indulgences like sex, which is often done in private is brought to the forefront of this fictitious world. The hidden being made into a public spectacle in such a bold fashion has a sort of twisted appeal.
The idea of a homo-normative society. The way in which Veretian custom frowns upon the opposite sex coupling up because they’d produce bastards, and the encouragement of same-sex relations is a very interesting concept. “Bastards curse the line, and sour the milk, ruin the crops, and drag the sun out of the sky” (Prince’s Gambit, 168). IM—Our often homophobic society could never.
Illicitness/opposites attract: Damen and Laurent are polar opposites. Akielos and Vere are described as rival countries, so to have two people from warring lands fall in love, already aligns with the famed trope that predates the iconic Romeo and Juliet. Throw in a pleasure slave/master dynamic and also “my lover is my brother’s killer”—whew! The illicitness is shockingly off of the charts, which makes the story so so good.
On the significance of re-reading—now, upon re-reading Prince’s Gambit and Kings Rising, I clocked several intricacies and notable details that I did not recognize nor fully appreciate the very first time I delved into the books:
Jokaste: ugh my girl Jo—Y’ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL. Pls, when you’ve finished here, go show my fics ‘Mirrored Reptiles’ and ‘Meet Me At The Clock’ some love on AO3. Shameless plug aside, Jokaste’s switch in Kings Rising, from antagonist who betrayed Damen in book one, to it being revealed that she in fact saved him from Kastor by sending him off to Vere is such an UNDERRATED function of hers! If it wasn’t for Jokaste, Damen and Laurent would never have met! Every scene she was in during Kings Rising were so damn powerful, she was basically Laurent but scarier because she was calm about it!
The lyrics of the songs described during the parties scenes which played along with the kithara. Kill me. The poetry, I just can’t. Too good.
Laurent’s tactical manoeuvres while fighting against his uncle. Holy crap, everything from his negotiations with Vask and meeting Nikandros, I was so caught up with the romance that at first I missed the extent of the political complexities and the sheer treacheries at play. Laurent as a character is honestly so resilient.
The ending. People tend to say it felt rushed and at first, I thought the same. But the second time I read it over, it absolutely makes sense. It’s a full circle moment for Laurent to have killed Kastor, it made equal what Damen did to Auguste. Damen being left to nearly bleed out on the floor of the baths is honestly very fitting, considering everything that transpired prior. We are reminded that this isn’t just a love story, it is a war-centred narrative, thus a dramatic ending such as was published is appropriate.
Trigger Warning: Mentions of R*pe & Sexual Assault
Finally, a note on the regent and sexual assault. Critics deem that this story condones rape, it is clear from the early parts of book one, that it does not. Damen is described to be sickened by the sexual activities of minors from the get-go. Rape is addressed, not condoned in this work. I would have closed its bounds and threw it out if the narrative was some bullshit romanticizing a minor and a grown ass man. The Regent is disgusting and got everything coming to him by the end of it all. As for the mention of aspects like sexual assault and slavery, though unfortunate, disgusting and utterly wrong to read about or to consider, these are the realities that span global history. Though I want to say that we’ve come far, I’d argue that the atrocities detailed in this work still happen to this day, though in discreet forms, which is honestly even more alarming. If anything, Captive Prince touches on larger problems that span far greater than the fictitious world Pacat presents.
On fandom and fanfiction:
When I finished the trilogy and ate up the short stories, it still wasn’t enough. It’s been a long while since I’ve indulged in fanfiction, haven’t shipped a couple since Larry from One Direction y’all 😂. Life just got in the way. Though after speaking with my lovely cousin who has always been involved in some type of fandom, upon her suggestion I searched Captive Prince on AO3, and the rest is history. My god, I am astounded by the sheer talent that some writers possess, truly, there are folks out here thriving in their craft who need to be published in a professional capacity. Furthermore, for me to be able to write as a way to give back to the series that has meant so much to me, in a time of my life that I chose not to detail for anonymity’s sake—has honestly been so wonderful. Even though Captive Prince was published many years ago and I am late joiner of this fandom, the beauty of fanfic is that it stands the test of time and exists in order that people will always have free access, and enjoy the labour of love that writers extend by their own genuine volition.
What a joy it is to have discovered Captive Prince, in the year that Dark Rise is being released.
In a rather monotoned life, to have fanfic is to have a glimmer of hope.♥️
