#reina duvianos

[tbookblurbs]

The Sun and the Void - Gabriela Romero Lacruz (Warring Gods #1)

3.75/5 - Lesbians, Venezuelan/Colombian inspired imagery, very well-rounded characters, pacing is a little off

The Sun and the Void was, by and large, a very good debut novel from Romero Lacruz. The character and interpersonal relationships on page are rich and very clearly developed. The novel takes place in two post-colonial nations, and Romero Lacruz does not shy away from criticizing real world problems through the novel. Everything from forced conversion to Christianity to homophobia and sexism to discrimination and subjugation of native people. Specifically, Pentimiento, the religion most humans follow, is clearly based on Christianity.

The characters themselves feel like very full people and none of them are exclusively good or bad. They all have their moments of poor decision-making and cowardice that are balanced out by their moments of heroism and sacrifice. From a personal standpoint, I found it really difficult to get into the headspace of Eva Kesare, mostly because she annoyed me, but I found Reina fascinating. Her motivations and the danger she has to invite upon herself makes her character and her choices so much more fraught and really pulled me in, especially when looking at her relationship with her grandmother Ursulina.

However, the book itself struggles with some pacing issues. I was around 40% of the way through the book before I felt that we had really found the plot and get underway. The book could've been probably 10-15% shorter than it was if an editor had gone over it. Furthermore, many of Romero Lacruz's plot choices were predictable. This might be because I've read so much fantasy, but by around the halfway point of the book, I predicted the ending. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it means Romero Lacruz's foreshadowing was well incorporated, but I think I would've liked a little more subtlety.

#the sun and the void #gabriela romero lacruz #reina duvianos #eva kesare serrano #book review #sapphic #fantasy #high fantasy

[evenstarfalls]

Diversity win your evil murderous racist grandmother is was also a lesbian

#hi i read a new book and i really liked it #the sun and the void #the sun and the void spoilers #tsatv #yeah I'm making up hashtags it's that new and i liked it that much #reina duvianos #ursulina duvianos

[floppywings-blog]

Ursalina Duvianos: Reina's Dark Reflection

A good villian should aways mirror the hero, showing that it's easy to go wrong. Dona Ursalina Duvianos shares Reina's same insecurities and suffered for it. As a young woman, she was obsessed with Feleva Aguila, the ambitious valco leader. Superficially, Ursalina's relationship with Feleva mirrors Reina's relationship with Celeste. Reina and Ursalina both were infatuated with valcos whom they served. There is another interesting facet, however, that I think may have lead to Ursalina becoming the vengeful sorceress we see in the books. Both Reina and Ursalina felt inferior because of their species in the presence of their love interest.

At the beginning of The Sun and the Void, Laurel dismisses rumors about Feleva raging her way to an early death because of Laurel's marriage to Enrique. Even if Feleva's discontent wasn't that intense, it still must have been there for the rumor to exist. What would that have done to Ursalina? Seeing someone whom you love degrade their daughter-in-law because they are the same species as you must have destroyed her. By this point, however, Ursalina grew to accept the disrespect. She had already let Feleva take all the credit for discovering iridio. Ursalina's son, Juan Vicente, was raised to serve Don Enrique even though they were both heirs.

However, Ursalina's attitude towards Reina's mother is hypocritical. Juan Vicente left Dona Ursalina to marry Beatrice Torondoy, a nozariel. Ursalina's disdain for Vicente's wife mirrors Feleva's scorn for Laurel. Even though Ursalina resented Feleva for her speciesm towards humans, she never recognized her own prejudices.

#the sun and the void #reina duvianos