"Just fuck already! " Was my consistent reaction throughout the book and naturally the only thing I could put in words immediately after I had closed the book. This book was insert all the superlatives of good you can possibly think of in all kinds of ways spectacular. So good in fact that I am almost reluctant to say much about it, as if it is glass and my unworthy, juggernaut of a thought jumble will shatter the delicate illusion.

Why the 4.5 stars then ? If this was such a splendid read? Do I take sadistic pleasure in withholding stars? Well, the thing is there are emotional five star reads but then there has to be an objective review written with the knowledge that emotions are personal and reviews need to convey more than that.

The yearning was vivid, poetic in its rendition so accurate that you feel like you are in fact an eavesdropper watching the intimacy unfold hiding behind ornate burgundy and gold drapery in the king's bed chamber. The characters even the minor ones shine in their personality, distinctive and leaving behind the subtle after-taste of a medieval fairytale.

It does help immensely, that the author is themselves a medievalist and has poured every ounce of heart into their work. The queer bit of the queer retelling is not even doing much heavy lifting because the original story just sets it up, and the author has picked right off from where it left. This is such an underrated book that it is criminal, almost unfair. The poetry, the unique narrative structure choice and teleporting the reader from inside one character's head to another is seamless. Now the reason I withheld half a start is because of the almost 400 page length. Some bits could have been cut (not much very little) and that would have been in favour of the book tightening up the structure. However I am aware that this opinion can be very subjective hence I would encourage the individual experience.

"Just fuck already! " Was my consistent reaction throughout the book and naturally the only thing I could put in words immediately after I had closed the book. This book was insert all the superlatives of good you can possibly think of in all kinds of ways spectacular. So good in fact that I am almost reluctant to say much about it, as if it is glass and my unworthy, juggernaut of a thought jumble will shatter the delicate illusion.

Why the 4.5 stars then ? If this was such a splendid read? Do I take sadistic pleasure in withholding stars? Well, the thing is there are emotional five star reads but then there has to be an objective review written with the knowledge that emotions are personal and reviews need to convey more than that.

The yearning was vivid, poetic in its rendition so accurate that you feel like you are in fact an eavesdropper watching the intimacy unfold hiding behind ornate burgundy and gold drapery in the king's bed chamber. The characters even the minor ones shine in their personality, distinctive and leaving behind the subtle after-taste of a medieval fairytale.

It does help immensely, that the author is themselves a medievalist and has poured every ounce of heart into their work. The queer bit of the queer retelling is not even doing much heavy lifting because the original story just sets it up, and the author has picked right off from where it left. This is such an underrated book that it is criminal, almost unfair. The poetry, the unique narrative structure choice and teleporting the reader from inside one character's head to another is seamless. Now the reason I withheld half a start is because of the almost 400 page length. Some bits could have been cut (not much very little) and that would have been in favour of the book tightening up the structure. However I am aware that this opinion can be very subjective hence I would encourage the individual experience.