The Lord of Stariel book review
I was really looking forward to this book as it seemed like a whimsical fae romance similar to Half A Soul. The biggest problem I have with this book is the MC. Usual MC are boring, whinny and self absorbed so I tend to over look them but it was impossible to do that with this book.
The MC is so weak and insecure but the whole novel was trying to play her off as an independent woman. Which make me feel like this book was written by a professional virgin because because the relationship just seem so swallow. Like does the author not have any real life experience to go from.
I felt I had to write this review after reading the other book review where they praised Hetta about being a good MC. Am I reading this wrong? Or is the bar that low for fictional female MC. Her actions spoke more than her words and through the author was trying to show her as the perfect woman, her actions show how insecure and weak of character she was.
**Spoilers**
Lets start at the beginning. Who the fuck thinks about what colour lipstick they should wear to their father's funeral. PERIOD. Well this vapid MC - Hetta.
Examples below of her weak character.
Says she doesn’t care what people think of her but worries about what colour lipstick to wear to her father’s FUNERAL. Mets the hot butler right after she arrived for father FUNERAL and worries her hair looks a mess. Wearing trouser to meet Angus because she wanted attention but then hiding her trousers from an aunt who opinion she didn’t care about. WTF. She was strong and independent but she overheard her Aunt bitching about her and instead of just facing it uses magic to hide herself. Says she doesn’t care what people think but loves attention from hot men to validate her and cares about her appearance nonstop.
The books tries to show how badly she had been treated because of her profession as an Illusionist is looked down upon but then she calls other travelling fairs illusionist “minor illusionist”. Unlike her who had talent and training. If she didn’t like people looking down on her occupation why does she put down other people in the same profession? She wonders why hot butler takes a menial job the tone is very dismissive but hate it when she is looked down upon.
She hangs around with all men group after the funeral. Where the mean tell her “You’re the first female to say as much.” She wanted to invite her younger brother but didn’t mention her two sisters to invite them to her drinking party. Seems to be one of those women who like to hang with men because they are less drama but you know they are the ones always creating it. She was so happy Angus took her to a masculine pub where she ordered a beer instead of taking her to a dainty teashop to validate that she isn’t like other women. Hetta was always proving that she can do whatever a man can do and still be down to earth and beautiful while doing it.
Was flirting with August the lord of Penharrow but set boundaries for Wyn her butler and friend until she found out that he was a fae prince….
These example are just from the first ten chapters.
I feel like this book confuses valid criticism with oppression and uses Feminism to justify the push back. Honestly when she didn't even want to go after the estate manager who had been stealing money from the estate for years and from whom she could perhaps gotten information about the starstone. I was like perhap everyone was right and you are a terrible lord. I DNF it was just too cringy. It could have been good and the history could have been whimsical but it just came off as tacky and every time Wyn called Hetta My Star my eyes rolled back.
I can't believe there are four books in this series. It's incredibility slow moving book and nothing really happens and the mystery of who stole the starstone and made her her lord wasn't compelling at all. I do not recommend.