This is a spoiler-free review!
I remember seeing blurbs for this book on TikTok ages ago and adding it to my TBR shelf because it intrigued me so much. Three and a half years later, I should have known that my memories of the blurbs may have combined with other blurbs I have seen over the years. Looking back at my track record with TikTok recommendations, I should have known that I did not have a good chance of finding my next favorite romantasy series. The premise of the series is well-intended and I love the aspect of incorporating Greek mythology into the world, but I felt as though the plot lacked some serious development and character arcs that could have pushed this over from a "sure, read it" to a "definitely need to read" when it comes to recommendations.
Elara's journey was certainly the most gripping aspect of this book - I could very much get a sense that her character development was more thought out compared to the other characters. Yes, she is the female lead, but I am still a firm believer that all characters should be treated equally when it comes to development, especially when the majority of side characters were playing some part in aiding her and Enzo on their quest. That being said, watching Elara's development was refreshing in the sense that she was able to acknowledge her own disadvantages and was able to open up about past experiences that lead her to making certain choices. I felt like she was written slightly more "modern" compared to other characters - at one point she notes while reading a book that she "hates when the female characters lose their powers in the end" - and I could not agree more - but it did feel slightly out of scope for the setting of the book.
Enzo is much more mysterious, and he has that brooding, reluctant aura that tends to draw readers in. I enjoyed that he had this guarded exterior when Elara came along - he did not trust her, and while we knew her intensions were well-intended, she was keeping a few secrets, so it was fair that he did not immediately become vulnerable around her. His personality throughout the book was the one with the most depth in my opinion - he became more intriguing to me than Elara as his actions and development definitely captured me while reading. Elara's development was definitely up there, but there was just something missing in her story that was not pushing me over the line from enjoying her to rooting for her.
While this is not what I expected from this book - was I expecting greatness? No, but I was expecting a much more intricate story with well-developed lore. I did appreciate the guide in the beginning of the book that detailed pronunciation and the basics of who everyone was, but I typically prefer for that to be worked into the story rather than just information being provided to the reader. I will likely continue on with this series to see it through and can only hope that the storytelling improves with the next installment.
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