Kiss of the Basilisk

[MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD]

What a ridiculous book.

First off, this should certainly have the erotica genre attached. Stroking cock is mentioned in the very first chapter. You can’t convince me the smut isn’t the point. But it is some of the best smut I’ve read.

The premise is unhinged, as many point out. Basilisks training a group of women in sex and pleasure so they can compete for the hand of the prince… Baffling, but intriguing and certainly unique. Monster fucking at its finest. Actually, from a monster fucking point of view, this is kind of tame.

I found the writing to be shallow. Now, I know I am expecting too much from a horny basilisk book, but I would be remiss to not point out what never quite let me really immerse myself show more into the story. The main character is… aggravating at some points and inspiring at others. I love a girl who gains confidence and knows what she wants. Except in this case, what she wanted was to ‘dedicate’ herself to one guy and then immediately run to the next guy and ‘dedicate’ her self to him, rinse and repeat. It was just baffling at a certain point. Tem (our protagonist) would quite literally promise herself to these boys and do some of the deepest bond rituals one can do, and then in the next scene, she’s bonding with the other guy. And both of them hated her for it but instantly forgave her at the same time.

Even worse, Tem’s basilisk mentor, Caspen, has a pretty significant power imbalance over her. Or it’s at least perceived, but he never actually tells Tem how strong she is and is constantly lying and keeping things from her. And Tem will be so angry and then the next time they get together, she melts into his arms and lets go of whatever (rightfully) bothered her. Even when he harms her psychically, she brushes it off.

I was prepared to rate this 4 stars for how easy it was to read and I did enjoy it despite the annoying issues with the main character, but the ending ruined it all. Not only was the climax (lol) of the story rushed (very hard to fit in a plot when every other scene is sex), but there are choices the author makes that I absolutely hated. I almost put the book down in the last 20 pages when Tem is nearly dying and crests Leo (the prince, her human side piece), which is to strip him of his free will and make her his slave, right after thinking how she couldn’t do it to him because what he valued most was making his own decisions and choosing his own path. And Leo doesn’t even know what cresting is!!!! She doesn’t even ask him if she can do it! If she was so sure he loved her enough to do anything for her, why didn’t she ask him?!? Not only that, but Caspen drones on throughout the book about how cresting is cruel and he refuses to do it when Tem begs him to crest her and says he could never take away her free will, and then he’s the one that brings Leo to Tem to do it to him instead!! And then Tem immediately tells Leo to leave and go find his lost love- he’s still in his wedding suit when he finds her in the epilogue while being obsessed with Tem against his will! Also in the epilogue, the cruel king that threatened abuse of so much power basically walks into his own cell without any fight. What a joke. If it hadn’t been for those events, this would be a star higher. show less

While I approached this book with genuine anticipation, my final assessment settled at a 3.5-star rating, a score heavily influenced by the undeniable strength of its concluding 20%. The core concept of the narrative was refreshingly unique, and the potential for exploring complex themes such as greed, the intricacies of power dynamics, the rigid structures of social class, and the fundamental human desire for self-autonomy was highly promising. Furthermore, the author's ability to construct a vivid and immersive world was a significant asset. However, the initial portion of the book suffered from a protracted pace, which ultimately hindered my ability to establish a meaningful emotional connection with the central show more characters.

Specifically, my engagement with the characters proved to be a significant challenge. Leo emerged as a notable exception, displaying a level of depth and relatability that was largely absent in the other characters. Caspien's behavioral patterns raised numerous red flags, exhibiting traits that were consistently troubling. Conversely, Tem's treatment of Caspien and Leo was marked by a glaring hypocrisy, creating a sense of dissonance that was difficult to reconcile. In addition to the characterization issues, I encountered inconsistencies within the narrative's internal logic, particularly concerning the established rules regarding lying. Instances where these rules were violated created a sense of disruption, detracting from the overall coherence of the story.

Moreover, the frequent inclusion of sex scenes, while not inherently objectionable, often felt repetitive and lacked the narrative depth necessary to justify their presence. These scenes, rather than advancing the plot or providing meaningful character development, often felt like filler, contributing to a sense of stagnation.

Ultimately, the book's concluding 20% proved to be its saving grace. This section demonstrated a level of narrative intensity and focus that was largely absent in the preceding chapters, reigniting my interest and prompting me to consider the sequel. Had the earlier sections of the book mirrored the compelling nature of its conclusion, this could have been a truly exceptional literary work.

All in all, I cannot recommend this book but I wouldn't discourage people from reading the book. show less

Temperance Verus and Caspen

Review:
I enjoyed this book - the lore was new and stimulating, sprinkled in just often enough to grasp the legends and obligations without being a study session. The spice is tastefully written and deliciously dirty - this series is definitely one to add to your morally grey collection!

Quotes:
“A king does not beg.” “He does for his queen.”
“Love is complicated. It never goes away, only changes.”
“And why shouldn’t she? She had two hands, did she not? One for each of them.”

The beginning and the ending was really good in my opinion. The middle lost my attention and took me forever to get through. The plot was good I just felt like it got sorta repetitive. Overall 4⭐️ read for me.

I ate this up. so unhinged and i love it

2.75
13th on Kindle

⭐ 3.8 stars ⭐