A Strange and Stubborn Endurance

This book was such a surprising delight. I checked it out impulsively at the library, having never heard of it before.

A queer, gender inclusive fantasy that was able to integrate these concepts seamlessly. I am so quickly taken out of a fantasy when some modern progressive aspects are put in sloppily. This book did it beautifully.

I've seen reviews say they didn't connect with the characters and they lacked depth but that wasn't my experience at all. Being raised in a very specific religious context I understood Velasin and the way Caethari helped him heal and it was an incredible representation of this experience.

Can't wait to read the second ❤️

CA: rape, suicidal ideation, animal death (off-page; aftermath on-page); fantasy violence

This fantasy romance took me a bit to settle into. The pace is leisurely, and while there is a lot of plot going on, the focus is often on the interior lives of the two main characters. None of this is a criticism, in fact I think these things elevated the novel. And once I did settle in, I was delighted to be in its company for over five hundred pages. The plot involves an arranged marriage between two noblemen from different territories and the resulting and ongoing court intrigue and politics (plus muuuurder). The world Meadows has built is an affirmational wonder, with one of the territories operating under strict gender roles, show more heteronormativity, and tight expectations around sex, and the other operating as an entirely queernorm society. With one member of our couple coming from each society, there is a delightful amount of story-appropriate consideration of how two such societies operate, and that was a joy. I loved watching the two characters fall for each other (slowly--it's my favorite kind of slow burn, the sort where the falling and realizing is slow but the characters are rarely apart), and the book as a whole has the kind of tenderness about it that never fails to delight me and which I am always seeking more of in my fiction. Recommended, especially if you wish the current romantasy trend in publishing skewed queerer and/or contained more care and craft at the sentence-level. show less

I thought about trying to reread this again immediately because I loved it so much; also thought it might help me figure out the clues in the mystery only revealed at the end. I definitely will read it again hopefully soon, but in the meantime I adored Caethari and Velasin and their slow building of a relationship from an arranged marriage to love. I don’t read much fantasy (although this book might help change that), but I enjoyed the world building here and learning more just as Velasin had to in his new home city. Also I think this might be one of the only times I’ve seen rotating between first person point of view for one character and third person for the other; it was odd at first, but I loved how it worked (and want to try it show more myself).

I was quite paranoid as I knew there was a rape somewhere at the beginning, and I hate that I was glad it was almost immediately because the dreading was rough; I usually won’t read anything with on page rape but had heard so many good things about this. There was a lot of additional violence throughout as well (and oof the climactic action was hard), but in the end this really was a beautiful journey to these two amazing men finding love. show less

The world building in this fantasy novel is extensive - rarely to I encounter a fantasy world so detailed. I enjoyed Velasin and Caethari as a couple (they're perfect for each other!) and I spent much of the book wishing they could both simply just get to know each other; instead, there's a need to investigate why someone keeps trying to kill Velasin. As the violence escalates and becomes more and more entangled with Velasin's past, the consequences impact not just Velasin and Caethari, but also the diplomacy between their two countries. Overall, a fascinating read from an author I hope to read again.

I loved this. Political marriages! Multilingualism being sexy! Courtly intrigue! Hella queer! Slow burn kind hearted romance! At times it reminded me of Megan Derr’s Tales of the High Court, which can only be a compliment in my book. I do wish the magic element was more introduced a little earlier in the book.

Loved, loved, adored! Now, I will say that this book might not be for everyone (though what book is?). It starts out near the beginning with a pretty graphic sexual assault that would absolutely be triggering for someone sensitive. On the other hand, it was written in such a way that didn't sensationalize or use for "shock value" what was happening at all; the character seemed numbed by his shock, and that numb near-dissociation translated to the reader's lens. And the assault did, of course, affect the character in myriad ways for the rest of the book (trigger warnings for self-harm, suicidal ideation), but to have it not affect him would have been offensive.

The romance (which didn't immediately heal all psychic wounds! Hurray!) was show more sweet and engrossing, the political intrigue sucked me right in, and the world-building fascinated me. I don't need a sequel, as I think it stands alone just fine, but I want more books like this one, right now! show less

Velasin, a minor noble, is about to be forced to marry a foreign princess as part of an attempt to heal political divisions, but when his preference for men is exposed (via a sexual assault by a former lover, which causes ongoing trauma), he’s married off to a foreign prince instead. In his home country, sexuality and gender are rigidly controlled, whereas the new place is progressive and accepting of all sexualities and genders, and also into consent. So his new husband, who is also very hot, does not want to force him into anything, but a lot of assassination attempts and other shenanigans get in the way of/end up facilitating their new relationship. It is nearly pure hurt-comfort with a side of palace politics.