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qotd: “‘To know everything you are would take years to study, but you are the only person in the world I truly want to know.’” — @partylikeawordstar

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Being a HUGE fan of Kiera Cass and her work, I first read “The Betrothed” last year when it was released. Knowing that the second book in the duology, “The Betrayed,” was coming out this year, I decided to give it a reread to refresh my memory.

I think one of my favorite aspects of the story is the concept of a fantastical Tudor Era. Modeling a world off the Tudor Era provides familiarity but also allows for originality which Cass capitalized off of.

The world building itself was quite intriguing. Each kingdom was given its own defining features and values. I was especially compelled by traditions like Crown Day, Coroan law, and the emphasis on the Queen’s role in the history of Coroa.

Though there were many parts of this book I admired, I felt as though it still fell flat.

The story itself felt rushed. I am usually not one for heavy imagery, but this book did not spend enough time on it. There were little to no character descriptions which made it hard to connect with the characters and imagine what they looked like. In addition, the fast-paced storyline made the “love at first sight” concept Cass was trying to utilize seem unrealistic / unbelievable. The speed in which the relationship progressed was a bit off-putting and quite literally happened “at first sight” with little to no build up.

Another area of the book I struggled with was the absence of character development. After reading “The Betrothed,” I was left with so many questions. We weren’t given much background knowledge when it came to the main characters. My guess is this might have been done purposefully so as to address it in the second book, yet I wish she had included this information in this first book so as to inform readers of her character’s motivations.

Given these points, I would label “The Betrothed” as mediocre. While it was not my favorite book, I enjoyed the quick and easy summer read!

Review cross-posted to: Instagram | Goodreads