The story premise, the writing, the nuanced characters, the familial dynamics and people of the court, the worldbuilding and grim atmosphere, the drama, the politics, the treason, the betrayal; the angst and inner turmoil, the grief, nostalgia, and longing for more; the foreshadowing, the secrets (the twists and the turns!!!) and the ending—it is MAGNIFICENT. He wrote a thrilling, incredible standalone, and as a debut novel, no less!

I remembered very little from reading DOTC in 2019, but I know I devoured it and gave it 5 stars solely for what it evoked in me. Then, I didn't realize how little the magic system was shown/elaborated on until a reviewer mentioned it. I agreed because, yes, that is the only reason the book is categorized as fantasy. But I no longer agree with this statement. Maybe we could settle on calling it a subtle plot device, but I do still feel that the power, politics, and consequences of the magic are so strong, weigh so heavy, that the "little" on-page screen-time compensates plenty. The stakes are HIGH. Even if we all agreed that there isn't "enough" magic to declare DOTC a fantasy, it's still an incredible tale with a lot of merit, and even better for those who want [to ease into] fantasy without being overwhelmed. Genre standards will differ between readers and while I'm normally not easily swayed, I can excuse as much when it comes to qualitative writing. There is nothing I would remove or add to this story; I think everything in DOTC was very well done ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn't remember Akira being as present as he was in the story (having a bad memory is crazy because why did I remember him being locked in a cell for the book's entirety??) but I do remember seeing reviewers upset or complain about him. Why? Because you wanted a steamy romance and ended up disappointed?? (Lest we forget about the encompassing political and internal wars 🥴) Unmet expectations do not automatically equate to bad writing/storytelling! Is a romance all Akira would've been good for? NO. He contributed sooo much and he had a lovely, heartfelt dynamic with Hesina. Akira helped her and did what court officials couldn't, Akira made her feel safe and killed her fears, Akira made her laugh and comforted her when she needed it, Akira had her back, and it was Akira who gave her hope. Akira was always there for Hesina, a complete stranger who became a good, loyal friend; who treated her better than most people she knew her entire life. Hesina was just as needed, just as much help to Akira. They saw each other. I loved watching this relationship blossom.

I have grown out of YA (He's sophisticated writing style sometimes let me pleasantly forget its YA label) and I am slowly falling out of love with fantasy, but as of now, I can confirm that DOTC is still standing as my favorite novel of the combined two. I think I appreciate it even more now... Also, I drew many parallels to Shakespeare's Hamlet when I first read this and...I STAND BY IT 🙂‍↕️❤️‍🔥 IT'S TOO GOOD!