The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino - 2.5 stars (rounded down)

[Heather Reads Books]

2.5 stars, rounding up to 3 because I thought the writing was strong. It was just everything else that let me down. (Actually, in writing the review I ended up knocking down a star as I processed just how unchallenged the concept of genocide is in this book - in a way that just does not sit right with me.)

This is maybe a "shame on me" thing – when I checked out this book, I thought it was fantasy and not "romantasy," a genre that's really not my thing. However, it became clear immediately that this was more about the romance than the fantasy, but I found the premise interesting enough to keep going. That was perhaps my bad, because it sure is a lot about the romance between the two main characters... which I found to be the least interesting thing in the book.

The world-building is cool and the inciting incident shows a lot of promise. Sixteen years ago, the island nation of Locke, the land responsible for all the magic on the larger continent, vanished without a trace. Ever since, the remaining kingdoms have been searching for the lost heir to Locke's monarchy – especially since this heir contains all the magic ability that fuels the mages on the continent. If Locke's heir dies, goodbye magic, forever. Meanwhile, Grey, the female protagonist, is a soldier in one of the mainland armies. She is a "well," the power source for mages. Wells and mages are paired together and fight as a team, a bit of world-building I genuinely found very neat. She serves Kier, a mage captain in the army... who also happens to be her childhood best friend. Who she also happens to be madly in love with. Who also happens to be madly in love with her, and it's obvious to everyone but Grey. Who also happens to be the nicest, most devoted man you'll ever meet. Kier has no flaws, seriously. He exists to worship Grey, and that's apparent even before it's revealed that she's the missing heir of Locke.

That sounds like a big spoiler, but it really isn't. The aforementioned inciting incident involves a mission Kier and Grey are undertaking to rescue a prisoner from the enemy army, who, it's rumored, to be the missing heir of Locke. I was so ready to get wrapped up in this political intrigue, except the novel then immediately tells me this girl can't be the heir to Locke, because Grey is. Oh, well, I thought, at least there'll be conflict between Grey and Kier, because surely this is a secret she has kept from everyone who knows her, since it's so politically dangerous? Nope. Kier knows that too, and has known since childhood. And he'll do anything to protect Grey, including forsaking his entire military career, even though it is implied he worked really hard to get that far. But no, it turns out that it was his idea for them both to join the army because fighting for their new country would somehow keep her from being discovered...? (How that's supposed to work is never explained, even though you'd think putting her in the company of the soldiers looking for her would have the opposite of the desired effect...)

I could go on, but I won't. The novel is full to the brim with logistical errors like this. I guess maybe if I was invested in the romance I would have cared less, but romance is generally not my cup of tea and I found Grey and Kier as a romance plot pretty silly. The only reason they aren't already together is due to a miscommunication trope (my beloathed!), and the fact that neither of them can open their mouths and just say how they feel about each other, even though it's totally obvious. They finally do get together at about midway, and it felt like it took FOREVER. I would have much rather preferred they start out as a scheming couple with political aims, but idk, I guess that wouldn't satisfy the "slow burn" "friends to lovers" tropey expectations. (I'm so tired.) There is one smut scene, which I also found hilariously bland and rote. But if that's your thing, it's in there!

Except for the explicit sex, this novel felt very YA to me in all the worst ways. I was not surprised to learn this is a YA author's foray into "adult" fiction, because everything still felt very "young" to me. So many plot turns hinge on everyone in a scene telling the main characters things and everything they're told is 100% true. There's never any inherent biases, any shades of grey (haha, pun intended), any willful deceptions, even from leaders of hostile nations – so, you know, you'd think they would have incentive to lie. Issues that seem like they should be big and impactful to the world get brushed aside for more romantic pining between the leads.

(view spoiler)[I'm sorry, but it's fully revealed that Grey knows the identity of the nation who attacked her homeland and she never once, ONCE, considers maybe she wants revenge for them trying to kill her family and ruining her life? And like, her brother mURDERS their princess – and no one knew what happened to Locke?? Like, wouldn't the fact that Eprain's princess vanished without a trace clue everyone in?? Not to mention there's the reveal that Grey is, actually, A MASS MURDERER herself, something that she at least feels a modicum of guilt about but Kier never judges her for, nor do any of the other characters even WONDER about it. Ugh. (hide spoiler)]

I also always think it's funny when modern fantasy novels try to shove in some 21st century representation. There's two minor characters who are transmasc and nonbinary respectively, but considering that's all we learn about them, I was pretty disappointed they weren't better integrated in the world-building. Like I guess we are to believe that this world hasn't figured out representative democracy yet but they're somehow a-okay with gender as a social construct. Would have been nice to get some explanation of why in the in-universe text excerpts that happen as chapter interludes (which I did genuinely like until they became all about Grey and Kier for some reason), but the author never enlightens us. I assume because she's too afraid she'll get yelled at on social media or something.

I dunno. I think I'm too old for this shit, sometimes. I'm tired of the recent trend of novels where everything is just sort of all right in the end without anything being earned, where characters don't act like real people and all the plot points are too obvious to warrant wondering about. The strength of the writing really kept me on the hook too long with this one, and the audiobook narrator was fantastic, so I kept hoping it might surprise me. But when it did, it wasn't in the good way. (CW: genocide)(view spoiler)[Was anyone else weirded out by how Locke was resurrected but everyone native to the island was dead because of Grey? And no one in the book was uneasy about this? That Locke was just completely colonized by foreigners taking over a land whose inhabitants were totally wiped out by their ruler? I... uh. It's not like I can think of any uncomfortable real world comparisons to this going on right now...!) (hide spoiler)]

It really is a shame. Such pretty prose and atmospheric world-building, wasted on... this. I see evidence on GR the series is meant to continue, but given the ending, I can't possibly see how???

[Joanne]

Well, when this hits my recommendation list, I will delete without concern.

I do like that you have the courage to finish books that feel wrong for you. The reviews always entertain me😉

[Heather Reads Books]

Joanne wrote: "Well, when this hits my recommendation list, I will delete without concern.

I do like that you have the courage to finish books that feel wrong for you. The reviews always entertain me😉"

Haha thanks! It's a horrible habit of mine, and I'm truly trying to DNF more because if I stick out too many duds in a row I end up in a horrible reading slump. I kept hoping this one would get better and it was at least fairly entertaining to listen to the audiobook while I was cooking a bunch of food for Thanksgiving this week. But then I'd turn it off and try to remember what was happening, which was when I'd say, "Wait, what?????"