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Because I Killed Him
Not yet published
Expected 13 May 26The wrong ally is deadlier than an enemy.
In the Civilized World, everyone is rich, yet money doesn’t buy safety. It only buys a gold coffin. The real currency is having the right allies. Low-citizens survive by joining high-citizens’ exclusive inner circles, trading loyalty for protection from laws that govern speech, dress, and posture—and punish mistakes with public beheading.
Low-citizen Loredana Waldsten already knows the cost of breaking the rules. Once a rising fencing prodigy, she lost the right to carry weapons after killing a high-citizen in a brutal locker-room attack. The courts erased his death to preserve his family’s honor. Now she’s unarmed, legally defenseless, and enrolled at the elite Grandmaster University, where champagne spills into the gutters and reputations are built on death duels.
When Loredana’s father, a low-citizen politician, publicly challenges the high-citizens, she becomes a target. Some classmates demand her execution. Others hunt her for sport. And by law, she’s forbidden to fight back.
Her only chance of survival lies with Edmund Prew, a charming yet ruthless high-citizen student she’s been warned against. Edmund's family has been locked in a bitter feud with Loredana’s for years, and he wants nothing to do with her until a lost bet forces him to protect her within his inner circle. What begins as a scandalous, strategic alliance turns perilous as they fall for each other.
Because the man Loredana killed wasn’t just a high-citizen. He was Edmund’s cousin.
Loving Edmund means living a lie.
Telling the truth means certain death.
In the Civilized World, everyone is rich, yet money doesn’t buy safety. It only buys a gold coffin. The real currency is having the right allies. Low-citizens survive by joining high-citizens’ exclusive inner circles, trading loyalty for protection from laws that govern speech, dress, and posture—and punish mistakes with public beheading.
Low-citizen Loredana Waldsten already knows the cost of breaking the rules. Once a rising fencing prodigy, she lost the right to carry weapons after killing a high-citizen in a brutal locker-room attack. The courts erased his death to preserve his family’s honor. Now she’s unarmed, legally defenseless, and enrolled at the elite Grandmaster University, where champagne spills into the gutters and reputations are built on death duels.
When Loredana’s father, a low-citizen politician, publicly challenges the high-citizens, she becomes a target. Some classmates demand her execution. Others hunt her for sport. And by law, she’s forbidden to fight back.
Her only chance of survival lies with Edmund Prew, a charming yet ruthless high-citizen student she’s been warned against. Edmund's family has been locked in a bitter feud with Loredana’s for years, and he wants nothing to do with her until a lost bet forces him to protect her within his inner circle. What begins as a scandalous, strategic alliance turns perilous as they fall for each other.
Because the man Loredana killed wasn’t just a high-citizen. He was Edmund’s cousin.
Loving Edmund means living a lie.
Telling the truth means certain death.
693 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 13, 2026
1261 people want to read
About the author
Edith Birde
1 book15 followersEdith Birde is the shared pen name for two sisters who have been writing together since their early teenage years.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy
I have been reading a lot of YA and New Adult fiction lately, especially in the dystopian genre, and I decided to try something new by checking out ARCs on Book Sirens. There were plenty of books to choose from, most of them looking exactly the same. But this book stood out immediately because of its cover, which was completely different from anything else, so I decided to explore further, and after reading the description, give it a try. It’s my first ARC, and it’s a long book, but a quick read. Book Sirens wants a longer review than I normally give, so here goes.
The premise of the book is an authoritarian society divided into four castes by the color of each person’s blood, each caste genetically bred for certain skills and strengths. The “Blues” are the rulers, but the other castes don’t have zero political power, just marginal. The society has extremely rigid rules for personal interactions, etiquette, and honor – even language. These rules are enforced ruthlessly via public executions using a guillotine, which all citizens are required to watch. Public dueling is also a large part of society. When a citizen’s honor is impugned, he can call for a duel, usually with swords. Citizens are judged by a social credit score called “civil credits” and earn more credits by behaving well, while losing credits by taking actions that go against public order. Once a person’s civil credits go below a certain value, they are arrested, or if low enough, executed. It seems much easier in this society to earn civil credits than to lose them, and the civil credit system plays a major role in the story. Despite the authoritarian society, the “Civilized World” is quite wealthy. It’s a dystopia, but not dark, dingy, rainy, and dreary, like Blade Runner, but wealthy, stylish, and, well, civilized, if deadly for people who do not conform.
The protagonist, Loredana, is one of the lower colors (“low citizens”), and before the story starts, she had killed (in self-defense) a “high citizen” who assaulted her. While this type of killing would normally mean Loredana would be executed, even as a child, because the killing is so embarrassing to the family of the person who assaulted her, it is hushed up, and Loredana is not prosecuted. Except, in a society where everyone is armed, and where Loredana was an aspiring fencing master, Loredana is prohibited from carrying a weapon of any sort, making her a prime target for people who have a grudge against her, especially the family of the boy she killed. To make matters worse, her father is a politician who, allied with prominent Blues, pushes a bill to ban a narcotic (“bliss”), which is extremely popular among a certain type of young person. So, when Loredana goes off to college, she is an unarmed target for almost everyone in the school.
Most of the action takes place during Loredana’s first year at Grandmaster University, where she protects herself by, through guts and trickery, joining the entourage of one of the prominent Blue students. Blues collect lower colors in their entourage to show their power and influence, not unlike the clientela system in the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, the Blue she chose as protector, Edmund, is the cousin of the boy she killed, and family is very important in this society.
There are twists and turns, and Loredana and Edmund grow closer as the book evolves, hinting at a forbidden romance between people of different colors. Loredana’s primary concern is staying alive while maintaining a decent civil credit score. She encounters many enemies, primarily those students who were users of (and addicted to) bliss. There are about seven or eight primary characters, each with a unique personality, including both flaws and virtues. The characterization is well done, in that you really do get to know the characters and their motivations as the book progresses. The setting is constrained by being a school story, with classes, professors, and classmates, all the normal things one would expect, but within a world that is both modern in technology and civil credit scores, and ancient in codes of conduct, an honor system, rigid class hierarchies, and instant death for treason. The science fiction elements are very subtle and believable: computers implanted in people’s brains, hover cars, and service robots that perform all the menial tasks. This is a science fiction story grounded in believable future technology, not magic.
The world-building is well done, with just enough hints of a backstory showing how this society evolved to keep you interested, and hints of more sinister things that lie outside the “Civilized World.” The book is long, but it’s easy to read, and there are no wasted scenes. Each chapter progresses the plot and characters. Since told in the first-person present tense, the reader only sees into Loredana’s thoughts. Given that this is the first of a series, I hope the author uses more POV characters in subsequent books, because the reader sometimes needs to see into the motivations of other characters, especially Edmund. What’s best about the world-building, honestly, after reading many of these dystopian novels, is that it’s different from anything else out there, which is quite refreshing. It’s not “romantasy.” And, thank goodness, there are no explicit sex scenes, something I hate in modern genre fiction.
Overall, I liked this book a lot. Don’t be intimidated by the page count, as I read it through in only a week. I hope the author maintains this level of quality and originality in future books in this series, which I will definitely read when they come out.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The premise of the book is an authoritarian society divided into four castes by the color of each person’s blood, each caste genetically bred for certain skills and strengths. The “Blues” are the rulers, but the other castes don’t have zero political power, just marginal. The society has extremely rigid rules for personal interactions, etiquette, and honor – even language. These rules are enforced ruthlessly via public executions using a guillotine, which all citizens are required to watch. Public dueling is also a large part of society. When a citizen’s honor is impugned, he can call for a duel, usually with swords. Citizens are judged by a social credit score called “civil credits” and earn more credits by behaving well, while losing credits by taking actions that go against public order. Once a person’s civil credits go below a certain value, they are arrested, or if low enough, executed. It seems much easier in this society to earn civil credits than to lose them, and the civil credit system plays a major role in the story. Despite the authoritarian society, the “Civilized World” is quite wealthy. It’s a dystopia, but not dark, dingy, rainy, and dreary, like Blade Runner, but wealthy, stylish, and, well, civilized, if deadly for people who do not conform.
The protagonist, Loredana, is one of the lower colors (“low citizens”), and before the story starts, she had killed (in self-defense) a “high citizen” who assaulted her. While this type of killing would normally mean Loredana would be executed, even as a child, because the killing is so embarrassing to the family of the person who assaulted her, it is hushed up, and Loredana is not prosecuted. Except, in a society where everyone is armed, and where Loredana was an aspiring fencing master, Loredana is prohibited from carrying a weapon of any sort, making her a prime target for people who have a grudge against her, especially the family of the boy she killed. To make matters worse, her father is a politician who, allied with prominent Blues, pushes a bill to ban a narcotic (“bliss”), which is extremely popular among a certain type of young person. So, when Loredana goes off to college, she is an unarmed target for almost everyone in the school.
Most of the action takes place during Loredana’s first year at Grandmaster University, where she protects herself by, through guts and trickery, joining the entourage of one of the prominent Blue students. Blues collect lower colors in their entourage to show their power and influence, not unlike the clientela system in the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, the Blue she chose as protector, Edmund, is the cousin of the boy she killed, and family is very important in this society.
There are twists and turns, and Loredana and Edmund grow closer as the book evolves, hinting at a forbidden romance between people of different colors. Loredana’s primary concern is staying alive while maintaining a decent civil credit score. She encounters many enemies, primarily those students who were users of (and addicted to) bliss. There are about seven or eight primary characters, each with a unique personality, including both flaws and virtues. The characterization is well done, in that you really do get to know the characters and their motivations as the book progresses. The setting is constrained by being a school story, with classes, professors, and classmates, all the normal things one would expect, but within a world that is both modern in technology and civil credit scores, and ancient in codes of conduct, an honor system, rigid class hierarchies, and instant death for treason. The science fiction elements are very subtle and believable: computers implanted in people’s brains, hover cars, and service robots that perform all the menial tasks. This is a science fiction story grounded in believable future technology, not magic.
The world-building is well done, with just enough hints of a backstory showing how this society evolved to keep you interested, and hints of more sinister things that lie outside the “Civilized World.” The book is long, but it’s easy to read, and there are no wasted scenes. Each chapter progresses the plot and characters. Since told in the first-person present tense, the reader only sees into Loredana’s thoughts. Given that this is the first of a series, I hope the author uses more POV characters in subsequent books, because the reader sometimes needs to see into the motivations of other characters, especially Edmund. What’s best about the world-building, honestly, after reading many of these dystopian novels, is that it’s different from anything else out there, which is quite refreshing. It’s not “romantasy.” And, thank goodness, there are no explicit sex scenes, something I hate in modern genre fiction.
Overall, I liked this book a lot. Don’t be intimidated by the page count, as I read it through in only a week. I hope the author maintains this level of quality and originality in future books in this series, which I will definitely read when they come out.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I found Because I Killed Him by accident while browsing online. What caught my attention was the idea of a society built on wealth. Not scarcity, not poverty—but excess. And still, no one is safe. It was a worthwhile concept that spoke to me despite not being what I'm usually interested in. There is a tension between luxury and brutality. Thanks to this chance encounter I had the privilege to receive an advanced copy from the authors. Which is just as well because I would have gone mad without knowing what happens next.
This is my first review, and what a worthy story for it to be! From the first chapter it’s clear the author knows what they’re doing. The writing is confident and deliberate. Scenes are constructed with care. There is a steady narrative pull that makes it difficult to stop reading. Chapters are well structured. It can get addictive. I stayed up to the early hours of the morning a few times, much to the dismay of my professional life.
The strongest element of the novel is its worldbuilding. I loved the world! The setting unfolds gradually, through implication and lived experience. The rules of this society — social, political, and cultural— are revealed in trickles, trusting the reader to assemble them. In this manner the story was quite the page turner. The class system feels rigid and dangerous, yet believable within its own logic. There is history beneath the surface, and it quietly shapes every interaction. The result is a world that feels complete and well thought out. One that's enjoyable to explore and be surprised by.
The atmosphere deserves special mention. Opulence and violence coexist in unsettling harmony. Grand spaces are described with vivid precision, and the contrast between beauty and threat gives the setting a strange elegance. It is easy to get lost in the detail of a single room, a ritual, or a public spectacle. The environment is not just background; it actively pressures the characters. This created a ‘chicken or the egg’ scenario for me; Is it the world that’s so awesome, or how the author describes it?
Tension is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The story escalates repeatedly, often to chaotic extremes, but it never feels uncontrolled. The pacing is tight. There are multiple crescendos that land with impact, and the narrative rarely gives the reader room to disengage. Scratch that, the pacing was perfect. I was never bored.
The protagonist is steady rather than flashy. I was perhaps too primed by a 2026 aura farming web novel background, yet you quickly get absorbed by her nonetheless. She is not written as an untouchable prodigy, but as someone shaped by her upbringing and guided by a clear moral compass. Her integrity drives the story as much as the external conflict does. While I would have enjoyed seeing more of her in combat, what we do see is handled well.
The supporting cast is well considered. Their motivations are coherent, and their actions align with who they are. I feel this is another part of the charm. The central group dynamic adds warmth and balance to an otherwise high-pressure narrative. The novel also explores competing loyalties—family, friendship, social standing, personal conviction—in a way that feels authentic and layered.
The central romance did not fully convince me at first. In its early stages, it felt slightly sudden. However, as the plot deepened and the characters were forced into increasingly difficult situations, the relationship gained credibility. By the time the emotional stakes peaked, the connection felt earned. Some later scenes were genuinely moving. It’s here where I find it most difficult not to give any spoilers, because there are a few scenes with the romance that were worth sharing.
There are several mysteries threaded throughout the story, and many developments took turns I did not anticipate. Structurally, the book feels purposeful. It stands as a complete narrative, yet easily prepares for future installments, I find. There is a sense that the author knows exactly where the larger arc is heading, which has me hyped.
One especially satisfying element is the use of fencing—not only in action sequences but as a thematic and structural device. It shapes parts of the story in subtle ways that become increasingly rewarding as the narrative progresses. This is another example that the authors knew what they were doing. The fact I had no choice but to trust in them from chapter one, and thus trust was rewarded, was greatly satisfying.
Overall, Because I Killed Him is a tightly paced, immersive, and thoughtfully constructed novel. The prose is clean and direct. The world is imaginative and cohesive. Its tension rarely falters in its execution. While the romance wavers slightly at the beginning for me personally, that is just me stretching my brain cells to find a fault. The book as a whole is compelling and confident, and indeed the romance now lives with me from this day onward.
With regards to intricate social systems, high emotional stakes, and stories that balance politics, action, and character growth, this is well worth the time. This is a world that needs to be explored further. If future books build on what has been established here, the series will likely be picked up for a live adaptation. Well done. I look forward to what's in store for the ladies and gentlemen of the Civilised World.
-sleepdrops
This is my first review, and what a worthy story for it to be! From the first chapter it’s clear the author knows what they’re doing. The writing is confident and deliberate. Scenes are constructed with care. There is a steady narrative pull that makes it difficult to stop reading. Chapters are well structured. It can get addictive. I stayed up to the early hours of the morning a few times, much to the dismay of my professional life.
The strongest element of the novel is its worldbuilding. I loved the world! The setting unfolds gradually, through implication and lived experience. The rules of this society — social, political, and cultural— are revealed in trickles, trusting the reader to assemble them. In this manner the story was quite the page turner. The class system feels rigid and dangerous, yet believable within its own logic. There is history beneath the surface, and it quietly shapes every interaction. The result is a world that feels complete and well thought out. One that's enjoyable to explore and be surprised by.
The atmosphere deserves special mention. Opulence and violence coexist in unsettling harmony. Grand spaces are described with vivid precision, and the contrast between beauty and threat gives the setting a strange elegance. It is easy to get lost in the detail of a single room, a ritual, or a public spectacle. The environment is not just background; it actively pressures the characters. This created a ‘chicken or the egg’ scenario for me; Is it the world that’s so awesome, or how the author describes it?
Tension is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The story escalates repeatedly, often to chaotic extremes, but it never feels uncontrolled. The pacing is tight. There are multiple crescendos that land with impact, and the narrative rarely gives the reader room to disengage. Scratch that, the pacing was perfect. I was never bored.
The protagonist is steady rather than flashy. I was perhaps too primed by a 2026 aura farming web novel background, yet you quickly get absorbed by her nonetheless. She is not written as an untouchable prodigy, but as someone shaped by her upbringing and guided by a clear moral compass. Her integrity drives the story as much as the external conflict does. While I would have enjoyed seeing more of her in combat, what we do see is handled well.
The supporting cast is well considered. Their motivations are coherent, and their actions align with who they are. I feel this is another part of the charm. The central group dynamic adds warmth and balance to an otherwise high-pressure narrative. The novel also explores competing loyalties—family, friendship, social standing, personal conviction—in a way that feels authentic and layered.
The central romance did not fully convince me at first. In its early stages, it felt slightly sudden. However, as the plot deepened and the characters were forced into increasingly difficult situations, the relationship gained credibility. By the time the emotional stakes peaked, the connection felt earned. Some later scenes were genuinely moving. It’s here where I find it most difficult not to give any spoilers, because there are a few scenes with the romance that were worth sharing.
There are several mysteries threaded throughout the story, and many developments took turns I did not anticipate. Structurally, the book feels purposeful. It stands as a complete narrative, yet easily prepares for future installments, I find. There is a sense that the author knows exactly where the larger arc is heading, which has me hyped.
One especially satisfying element is the use of fencing—not only in action sequences but as a thematic and structural device. It shapes parts of the story in subtle ways that become increasingly rewarding as the narrative progresses. This is another example that the authors knew what they were doing. The fact I had no choice but to trust in them from chapter one, and thus trust was rewarded, was greatly satisfying.
Overall, Because I Killed Him is a tightly paced, immersive, and thoughtfully constructed novel. The prose is clean and direct. The world is imaginative and cohesive. Its tension rarely falters in its execution. While the romance wavers slightly at the beginning for me personally, that is just me stretching my brain cells to find a fault. The book as a whole is compelling and confident, and indeed the romance now lives with me from this day onward.
With regards to intricate social systems, high emotional stakes, and stories that balance politics, action, and character growth, this is well worth the time. This is a world that needs to be explored further. If future books build on what has been established here, the series will likely be picked up for a live adaptation. Well done. I look forward to what's in store for the ladies and gentlemen of the Civilised World.
-sleepdrops
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a slow burn romance for those who love the episodic nature of fan fic. Our characters are placed in circumstances where they are forced to interact again & again. The drama is real! The only way I can think to summarize it is; think of the Black Mirror episode “Nosedive” mix in reality tv & fencing and you’re getting close to the story!
What worked best for me were our core characters! I loved our MMC and his bromance with his friends. The FMC can be a bit single minded/ is pretty sure she’s always right which was slightly annoying. However I loved that she was genetically engineered to be athletic and strong. She enjoys what her body is capable of and never makes herself less to please men. She’s intelligent, curious about the world, has a strong sense of justice and is totally loyal to her best friend.
Next paragraph has spoilers!!!
I am wildly curious about a teacher at the end. Things are set up for a really interesting book two. I wish our main characters hadn’t gotten back together so quickly though. I want them both to explore other people before deciding they were meant to be.
The setting is a strange pairing of dystopian future society founded on genetic engineering with Gatsby level jazz age decadence and cowboys for villains? Characters ride in self driving hover cars to get to a tap dance jazz club where they drink like fish. Although they live in a wealthy society where no one needs to work (except for genetically engineered human/robot servants who I suspect are sentient) if they break the rules of etiquette (like bowing or formal introductions) their civility points get deducted. Lose too many points & your head gets chopped off on Sundays.
So yeah, all of it is kinda crazy but I did enjoy it! I genuinely want to know what happens next! I need them to leave the safety of the shield because I want to know what’s going on outside it immediately!
The reason it’s not rated higher is essentially the length and the title. There’s definitely 200-300pgs that need to be cut. If a book is over 800 pages my expectations grow exponentially. It needs to be a masterpiece to justify that sort of length. The title drives me nuts. It sounds like you’re about to read a murder mystery or suspense novel. While it references events in the plot it doesn’t fit what the book really is about.
People who like Zodiac Academy but are interested in less spice, dystopian society & more world building should give this a try!
What worked best for me were our core characters! I loved our MMC and his bromance with his friends. The FMC can be a bit single minded/ is pretty sure she’s always right which was slightly annoying. However I loved that she was genetically engineered to be athletic and strong. She enjoys what her body is capable of and never makes herself less to please men. She’s intelligent, curious about the world, has a strong sense of justice and is totally loyal to her best friend.
Next paragraph has spoilers!!!
I am wildly curious about a teacher at the end. Things are set up for a really interesting book two. I wish our main characters hadn’t gotten back together so quickly though. I want them both to explore other people before deciding they were meant to be.
The setting is a strange pairing of dystopian future society founded on genetic engineering with Gatsby level jazz age decadence and cowboys for villains? Characters ride in self driving hover cars to get to a tap dance jazz club where they drink like fish. Although they live in a wealthy society where no one needs to work (except for genetically engineered human/robot servants who I suspect are sentient) if they break the rules of etiquette (like bowing or formal introductions) their civility points get deducted. Lose too many points & your head gets chopped off on Sundays.
So yeah, all of it is kinda crazy but I did enjoy it! I genuinely want to know what happens next! I need them to leave the safety of the shield because I want to know what’s going on outside it immediately!
The reason it’s not rated higher is essentially the length and the title. There’s definitely 200-300pgs that need to be cut. If a book is over 800 pages my expectations grow exponentially. It needs to be a masterpiece to justify that sort of length. The title drives me nuts. It sounds like you’re about to read a murder mystery or suspense novel. While it references events in the plot it doesn’t fit what the book really is about.
People who like Zodiac Academy but are interested in less spice, dystopian society & more world building should give this a try!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read.
For being a indie (?) read written by two sisters, I really enjoyed this. The world is different but familiar. I like that people bleed colors, and that once upon a time the world seemed to be a version of our own. Then there was the split and 9 Gentlemen ended up fighting against those who were against science and innovation. They sealed themselves up in this shield dome and world continued on in alarmingly fast technology advancements while still keeping with an early 1900's prohibition era. While the world outside has a wild wild west / cowboy attitude.
I loved the characters, I loved the executions, the point system that people have to uphold, the way that duels with swords are a thing. I also love that there was a lot of drama. I also enjoy that the male and female lead went from being adversaries to lovers. It was well done.
The reason I ranked it down a star is that I wanted more about the world outside the dome, the politics and if anybody is conspiring with them. We get attacks here and there from them, and we get attacks from the heretics. So, I'm hoping book two has more about them. I also want to know if any of the studies that they're studying are important? There is a cloning class that the main character is taking and I'm curious if that becomes a plotline in the future. I also don't like the title. I get that it's because she killed someone that her world moves in such a trajectory from that moment... but I feel like it could have a better title than that.
All in all, I liked what I read and had fun in the world with the characters and the drama.
For being a indie (?) read written by two sisters, I really enjoyed this. The world is different but familiar. I like that people bleed colors, and that once upon a time the world seemed to be a version of our own. Then there was the split and 9 Gentlemen ended up fighting against those who were against science and innovation. They sealed themselves up in this shield dome and world continued on in alarmingly fast technology advancements while still keeping with an early 1900's prohibition era. While the world outside has a wild wild west / cowboy attitude.
I loved the characters, I loved the executions, the point system that people have to uphold, the way that duels with swords are a thing. I also love that there was a lot of drama. I also enjoy that the male and female lead went from being adversaries to lovers. It was well done.
The reason I ranked it down a star is that I wanted more about the world outside the dome, the politics and if anybody is conspiring with them. We get attacks here and there from them, and we get attacks from the heretics. So, I'm hoping book two has more about them. I also want to know if any of the studies that they're studying are important? There is a cloning class that the main character is taking and I'm curious if that becomes a plotline in the future. I also don't like the title. I get that it's because she killed someone that her world moves in such a trajectory from that moment... but I feel like it could have a better title than that.
All in all, I liked what I read and had fun in the world with the characters and the drama.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an Advanced Readers Copy!
Overall Rating: 2 out of 5
Spice Rating: 0 out of 5
Cons:
- I would have liked a smidge more history or world building surrounding the people. How do you know what someone will bleed after birth in order to color classify them? How was that original system established? A little knowledge to help me understand why such division and standards amongst the colors exist.
- The cities, people, and the politics all felt jumbled to me. Like they're all good ideas individually but for me I couldn't fit them together as a unit very well.
- I felt like all the events and scenarios that occured had no build up. No tension, no previous mentions or even hints to them being a thing. Everything just conveniently happened when the story needed it to happen. And on the flip side, when something dramatic did happen it was glazed over or passed by too quickly.
- I felt like the whole plot had no through line; like events never happened consecutively. I would read a chapter about one event, the next chapter jumps to a different event later, and things mentioned in a few chapters back weren't even revisited until it felt like an afterthought. It really felt more like a story of "this happened, oh yeah and this, but also I forgot to mention this KEY DETAIL until just now and then this happened that resolved it immediately."
- The love connection between two characters wasn't connecting for me. I didn't feel enough happened with them for it to be a thing or progress like it did.
Overall Rating: 2 out of 5
Spice Rating: 0 out of 5
Cons:
- I would have liked a smidge more history or world building surrounding the people. How do you know what someone will bleed after birth in order to color classify them? How was that original system established? A little knowledge to help me understand why such division and standards amongst the colors exist.
- The cities, people, and the politics all felt jumbled to me. Like they're all good ideas individually but for me I couldn't fit them together as a unit very well.
- I felt like all the events and scenarios that occured had no build up. No tension, no previous mentions or even hints to them being a thing. Everything just conveniently happened when the story needed it to happen. And on the flip side, when something dramatic did happen it was glazed over or passed by too quickly.
- I felt like the whole plot had no through line; like events never happened consecutively. I would read a chapter about one event, the next chapter jumps to a different event later, and things mentioned in a few chapters back weren't even revisited until it felt like an afterthought. It really felt more like a story of "this happened, oh yeah and this, but also I forgot to mention this KEY DETAIL until just now and then this happened that resolved it immediately."
- The love connection between two characters wasn't connecting for me. I didn't feel enough happened with them for it to be a thing or progress like it did.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Because I Killed Him isn’t surface-level hamfisted dystopian fiction. It doesn’t yell its theme at you nor hold your hand through a plot twist you can see coming a mile away. The novel just allows its world to exist, and that’s exactly what contributes to the disturbing feeling dystopian readers always crave but for too long have been deprived of.
Edith Birde has a gift for creating believable atmospheres in her fiction, which (coming from the trenches of being a writer myself) is quite a rare talent among authors. Rather than use flashy technology or dramatic events to draw attention to the story, she uses how the characters speak, the rules that they’ve learned to live by, and the thoughts they’re afraid to finish to create the necessary tension.
If Agatha Christie and Aldous Huxley had ever produced a single story together, it would be very close to something like this one.
Edith Birde has a gift for creating believable atmospheres in her fiction, which (coming from the trenches of being a writer myself) is quite a rare talent among authors. Rather than use flashy technology or dramatic events to draw attention to the story, she uses how the characters speak, the rules that they’ve learned to live by, and the thoughts they’re afraid to finish to create the necessary tension.
If Agatha Christie and Aldous Huxley had ever produced a single story together, it would be very close to something like this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
6 STARS ⭐️ MASTERPIECE!!!
Did I finish this book or did it finish me? WOW when I say I want a unique read this is what I mean. The setting was incredible and immersive with such cool futuristic elements blending with a roaring 20s Jazz age that gave great Gatsby vibes in a corrupt dystopian world.
This book is multi dimensional with so many layers to the story from the most heart aching kicking my feet level yearning romance to the high stakes political intrigue and death duals I could not put this down if I tried.
I have not been so obsessed with a book a very long time and believe this book was absolute perfection!
Did I finish this book or did it finish me? WOW when I say I want a unique read this is what I mean. The setting was incredible and immersive with such cool futuristic elements blending with a roaring 20s Jazz age that gave great Gatsby vibes in a corrupt dystopian world.
This book is multi dimensional with so many layers to the story from the most heart aching kicking my feet level yearning romance to the high stakes political intrigue and death duals I could not put this down if I tried.
I have not been so obsessed with a book a very long time and believe this book was absolute perfection!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Fantastic! This story had so many interesting elements to it--- the fantasy/dystonia world-building, colors hierarchy, Pinkies service robots, family dramas, battles, ruthless enemies and romance. Loved the quotes at the beginnings of each chapter.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads. I was thrilled to win this Kindle ebook in a Goodreads giveaway.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads. I was thrilled to win this Kindle ebook in a Goodreads giveaway.
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