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A Dance of Dragons #0.5
The Golden Cage
In the land of Ourthuro, cruelty is a way of life. The king rules with an iron fist and no one dare defy him--no one except his daughter. Princess Leena is keeping a dangerous secret, she has fallen in love with a soldier and it would mean both of their lives if her father ever discovered their affair. But Leena will risk it all to be with the man she loves--her heart, her life, her freedom. And when her brother's birthday celebration takes a dangerous turn, Leena is forced to make a decision that will change the fate of her nation and eventually the world.
90 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2014
97 people are currently reading
831 people want to read
About the author
Kaitlyn Davis
51 books1,714 followersBestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, "Davis writes with confidence and poise," while USA Today has recommended her work as "must-read romance."
To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com
Sign up for Kaitlyn's newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of her new releases and more! http://bit.ly/AuthorNewsletter
Like her on Facebook here: Facebook.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Follow her on Instagram here: Instagram.com/kaitlyndavisbooks/
To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com
Sign up for Kaitlyn's newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of her new releases and more! http://bit.ly/AuthorNewsletter
Like her on Facebook here: Facebook.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Follow her on Instagram here: Instagram.com/kaitlyndavisbooks/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
June 27, 2017
Wow. I did not think I would enjoy this so much when I downloaded the book from Amazon. I was only reading it because it worked for a challenge and was short...but it grabbed my attention right away and I felt for the characters.
I knew the book was not going to be a "happy" read, as it just had that feeling from the first chapter on. I look forward to reading the next book and seeing if maybe there will be a happily ever after. One can hope. ;)
I knew the book was not going to be a "happy" read, as it just had that feeling from the first chapter on. I look forward to reading the next book and seeing if maybe there will be a happily ever after. One can hope. ;)
April 18, 2017
This review is also available on my blog
This is the story of Princess Speeciaal Snoowflaake in the country of Eveerything Is Hoorrible Aand We Like Voowels A Lot. Which isn't really an improvement over Every'thing is Horryble And We L'yke Apostrophes and Ys a lot since the naming conventions are not the problem I have with so many fantasy novels.
So Ourthuri is a Horrible Place. It is so horrible that the Queens get killed if their first child isn't a boy.
Would you like me to go into why this is an extremely stupid thing to do and an incredibly cheap plot device to show that this place is horrible?
No? I don't care. I'm going to do it anyway.
First: noblewomen worthy of a king don't grow on trees. Noblewomen, in general, don't grow on trees but the fact that usually not every noble family is considered high-ranking enough to provide a future Queen/the mother of the future ruler (just as Franz Ferdinand. Not the band. The Arch Duke. Even if he hadn't met a very unfortunate end, his children wouldn't have succeeded him on the throne because their mother wasn't noble enough...she wasn't even noble enough to get a space in the family-crypt which is why Franz Ferdinand and her rest somewhere else...and that was a short excursion to the house Habsburg). Killing them off, just because they didn't manage to produce an heir immediately is cliche-villain-evil and stupid.
Second: even if we assume that every noble is equal and everybody can marry the king: shouldn't a lot of noble families go 'You know what? We have this nice marriage proposal from a different noble family which is a lot less risky. We really prefer them.'
I mean there is no mention of any superstition connected to what influences the gender of children. (Along the lines of 'if she is pure enough and never has improper thoughts the child will be a boy'). They should know that if they marry their daughter to the king there is a 50% chance of her dying. So the have the choice between 'marry her to a random noble, forge some connections, perhaps gain a bit wider influence' or 'marry her to the king, possibility of gaining a lot of influence but just as likely to go back to square 0 (or even further since presumably having a daughter who 'failed' would cause a loss of prestige)'.
Yeah. There's always going to be people who try but the king in this story needed 13 wives to get a son.
Thirteen.
Henry VIII is laughing about him.
And how big is that bloody country that they have 13 noble families with daughters that are the right age to marry/not yet promised to somebody else/noble enough for a king/willing to marry their daughter to him (especially after he went through...the first 6 wives or so).
Having voiced my minor misgivings about some details of the world-building let me come to the plot.
Now this is a 50-page prequel-novella which means it doesn't have terribly much plot (I also need to point out that I seem to have a problem with prequel novellas in general. They might be set chronologically before the main books but they tend to be written more for the people who have already read the main books...so bear that in mind).
The story revolves around Princess Leena, one of the middle of the king's 12 daughters. She can breathe underwater, is unhappily in love with a palace guard (to clarify: not unhappily because he doesn't love her back, unhappily because the love to a mere palace guard is forbidden) named Mikzahooq (bless you), and is special because she is the only one who can see how horrible everything is.
Out of all these things I would have been really fascinated by the 'magically being able to breathe underwater'-bit but that's the one we learn least about. In fact, we only learn that she can do that and she wonders if she got it from her mother but doesn't even go into details about whether magic is common in this world or not.
What we do learn over and over again is that Leena's and bless-you's love is pure and sad and that Leena is special because everybody else is stupid.
[After a description of how she and her half-sisters are all sitting on thrones, dressed in fine clothes]
Of course. Leena quickly invents feminism. Nobody else had misgivings about that before. It can't possibly have to do the fact that nobody else has voiced those misgivings to her because the king is a tyrannical psychopath and trusting the wrong person could be fatal. Move on. Oh by the way: the veils are not made of fabric but of tiny golden chains. Oh symbolism. So subtle. Much wow.
Or don't move on and keep going on about this.
Yes and you are the first one to think like that, my dear. When Leena is not moping about not being like the other princesses she has weird ideas about property:
Yeah. Sure.
What she actually bemoans here is that she doesn't have any private place to hide things. Which is a valid concern but so different from 'Strictly speaking, my pretty dresses, belong to my maids', that I do not know where to start with all the wrongness.
So...yeah. Plot. Leena and bless-you-guard want to escape because true love. Will they succeed? You have to read this novella to find out!
I have the whole series as ARC-bundle so this is going to be fun. But then the author's prose is rather nice and perhaps this just suffers from crap-prequel-syndrome.
I hope.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
This is the story of Princess Speeciaal Snoowflaake in the country of Eveerything Is Hoorrible Aand We Like Voowels A Lot. Which isn't really an improvement over Every'thing is Horryble And We L'yke Apostrophes and Ys a lot since the naming conventions are not the problem I have with so many fantasy novels.
So Ourthuri is a Horrible Place. It is so horrible that the Queens get killed if their first child isn't a boy.
Would you like me to go into why this is an extremely stupid thing to do and an incredibly cheap plot device to show that this place is horrible?
No? I don't care. I'm going to do it anyway.
First: noblewomen worthy of a king don't grow on trees. Noblewomen, in general, don't grow on trees but the fact that usually not every noble family is considered high-ranking enough to provide a future Queen/the mother of the future ruler (just as Franz Ferdinand. Not the band. The Arch Duke. Even if he hadn't met a very unfortunate end, his children wouldn't have succeeded him on the throne because their mother wasn't noble enough...she wasn't even noble enough to get a space in the family-crypt which is why Franz Ferdinand and her rest somewhere else...and that was a short excursion to the house Habsburg). Killing them off, just because they didn't manage to produce an heir immediately is cliche-villain-evil and stupid.
Second: even if we assume that every noble is equal and everybody can marry the king: shouldn't a lot of noble families go 'You know what? We have this nice marriage proposal from a different noble family which is a lot less risky. We really prefer them.'
I mean there is no mention of any superstition connected to what influences the gender of children. (Along the lines of 'if she is pure enough and never has improper thoughts the child will be a boy'). They should know that if they marry their daughter to the king there is a 50% chance of her dying. So the have the choice between 'marry her to a random noble, forge some connections, perhaps gain a bit wider influence' or 'marry her to the king, possibility of gaining a lot of influence but just as likely to go back to square 0 (or even further since presumably having a daughter who 'failed' would cause a loss of prestige)'.
Yeah. There's always going to be people who try but the king in this story needed 13 wives to get a son.
Thirteen.
Henry VIII is laughing about him.
And how big is that bloody country that they have 13 noble families with daughters that are the right age to marry/not yet promised to somebody else/noble enough for a king/willing to marry their daughter to him (especially after he went through...the first 6 wives or so).
Having voiced my minor misgivings about some details of the world-building let me come to the plot.
Now this is a 50-page prequel-novella which means it doesn't have terribly much plot (I also need to point out that I seem to have a problem with prequel novellas in general. They might be set chronologically before the main books but they tend to be written more for the people who have already read the main books...so bear that in mind).
The story revolves around Princess Leena, one of the middle of the king's 12 daughters. She can breathe underwater, is unhappily in love with a palace guard (to clarify: not unhappily because he doesn't love her back, unhappily because the love to a mere palace guard is forbidden) named Mikzahooq (bless you), and is special because she is the only one who can see how horrible everything is.
Out of all these things I would have been really fascinated by the 'magically being able to breathe underwater'-bit but that's the one we learn least about. In fact, we only learn that she can do that and she wonders if she got it from her mother but doesn't even go into details about whether magic is common in this world or not.
What we do learn over and over again is that Leena's and bless-you's love is pure and sad and that Leena is special because everybody else is stupid.
[After a description of how she and her half-sisters are all sitting on thrones, dressed in fine clothes]
Like statuesque decorations in flowing dresses and jingling jewelery, their faces were hidden behind veils. A backdrop. Pieces of art to be admired. Leena Sighed. Of the twelve princesses, she seemed the only one uncomfortable with the whole display.
Of course. Leena quickly invents feminism. Nobody else had misgivings about that before. It can't possibly have to do the fact that nobody else has voiced those misgivings to her because the king is a tyrannical psychopath and trusting the wrong person could be fatal. Move on. Oh by the way: the veils are not made of fabric but of tiny golden chains. Oh symbolism. So subtle. Much wow.
A cage invisible to everybody it seemed except her. But it was there.
Or don't move on and keep going on about this.
A princess. But it was not how she saw herself. This girl was weak, demure, meant for nothing other than a life of birthing sons. Leena wanted so much more for herself.
Yes and you are the first one to think like that, my dear. When Leena is not moping about not being like the other princesses she has weird ideas about property:
Her clothes belonged to the maids that dressed her. It was their job to rifle through her drawers. And the topside of the bed belonged to the servants who snuck in every morning to carefully pull her sheets back into place and fluff the pillows. Even in her room, nothing truly belonged just to her.
Yeah. Sure.
What she actually bemoans here is that she doesn't have any private place to hide things. Which is a valid concern but so different from 'Strictly speaking, my pretty dresses, belong to my maids', that I do not know where to start with all the wrongness.
So...yeah. Plot. Leena and bless-you-guard want to escape because true love. Will they succeed? You have to read this novella to find out!
I have the whole series as ARC-bundle so this is going to be fun. But then the author's prose is rather nice and perhaps this just suffers from crap-prequel-syndrome.
I hope.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
May 26, 2017
I think it gives something even more tragic to the entire story of A Dance of Dragons, which was nice. It is always nice to see all the hopes of the characters being shattered in no time.
May 14, 2015
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
A short prequel novella. A short review.
I got the first book in this series some time ago on Netgalley, but I hadn't come around to actually reading it yet. This novella was for free on Smashwords, so I thought I'd try it as an appetizer.
And, although I was not familiar yet with the world or any of the character, I did become really interested into this series. It's a short story about a princess trying to escape the golden cage she's been living in (and escape her arranged marriage), so it's not groundbreaking new. But it's quite enjoyable and I hope to read this series soon.
The Golden Cage is a prequel novella to the A Dance of Dragons series. The first book in this series is The Shadow Soul (review to come). There is also another short story, The Silver Key, and a second book The Spirit Heir.
A short prequel novella. A short review.
I got the first book in this series some time ago on Netgalley, but I hadn't come around to actually reading it yet. This novella was for free on Smashwords, so I thought I'd try it as an appetizer.
And, although I was not familiar yet with the world or any of the character, I did become really interested into this series. It's a short story about a princess trying to escape the golden cage she's been living in (and escape her arranged marriage), so it's not groundbreaking new. But it's quite enjoyable and I hope to read this series soon.
The Golden Cage is a prequel novella to the A Dance of Dragons series. The first book in this series is The Shadow Soul (review to come). There is also another short story, The Silver Key, and a second book The Spirit Heir.
Want to read
November 12, 201512 November 2015: $0.00 FREE on Kindle
June 29, 2017
I liked this more than expected. I am often not a fan of novellas unless it is a series that I am already invested in. This was my intro to the series. And is has left me craving more!
Leena seems like a sweet girl who has seen too much cruelty for her years. Unexpected since she is a princess, right? Not when the evil one is her own father. She has much to learn of the word but a decent grasp of the limited reality she knows. The ending left me with mixed emotions. I can't say what because I don't want to mislead you in why I think that way without spoilers. Very mild fantasy element so far. And no known dragons which left me sad with that series title. But this was just a prequel so I am not without hope. There is a story to her backround not yet shared....
Leena seems like a sweet girl who has seen too much cruelty for her years. Unexpected since she is a princess, right? Not when the evil one is her own father. She has much to learn of the word but a decent grasp of the limited reality she knows. The ending left me with mixed emotions. I can't say what because I don't want to mislead you in why I think that way without spoilers. Very mild fantasy element so far. And no known dragons which left me sad with that series title. But this was just a prequel so I am not without hope. There is a story to her backround not yet shared....
July 29, 2018
The start of a potentially interesting story, but the author needs an editor who is strict with the old red pen and encourages her to not over use this style: "that seemed alive, seemed to move like fire"; "a Queen could only live if her first child was a boy, if she provided an heir."; "to watch him grow up, to watch the bars slowly build around him"; "on their uncertainty, on their fear"; "a memory, a weapon"; "letting the pain take away the defeat, the hurt"; "She was happy in her solitude. In her freedom."; "too harsh, too blinding". There are dozens and dozens more examples. I don't know if there's a term for this type of phrasing, but whatever it might be, it works occasionally but not when used over and over again. Rein yourself in please, Ms Davis!
March 25, 2016
Leena is in love with a soldier. It's a dangerous feeling. She's a princess and her father already has plans for her future.
Leena can no longer watch her young brother transform into a cruel ruler.
To escape from it all, she needs help. Mikza, the man she loves and who's willing to give his life for her, will do whatever he can to help Leena run away from the golden cage.
This story left me heartbroken and curious. It's a good introduction to the cruel world of Ourthuro, to some of the characters. I don't know which of them will show up in the first book of Dance of Dragons, but I can't wait to read it already.
I loved the writing, the story, the magic, the idea of tattoos identifying person's status. It's fascinating how many information a good story can provide within 50 pages. And it wasn't just an information dump, it was cleverly put as Leena's thoughts and observations.
There will be a bit of a spoiler here...
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check my reviews at: https://maginibooks.wordpress.com
Leena can no longer watch her young brother transform into a cruel ruler.
To escape from it all, she needs help. Mikza, the man she loves and who's willing to give his life for her, will do whatever he can to help Leena run away from the golden cage.
This story left me heartbroken and curious. It's a good introduction to the cruel world of Ourthuro, to some of the characters. I don't know which of them will show up in the first book of Dance of Dragons, but I can't wait to read it already.
I loved the writing, the story, the magic, the idea of tattoos identifying person's status. It's fascinating how many information a good story can provide within 50 pages. And it wasn't just an information dump, it was cleverly put as Leena's thoughts and observations.
There will be a bit of a spoiler here...
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check my reviews at: https://maginibooks.wordpress.com
May 3, 2014
The next person who says books can’t hurt you emotionally will be slapped with this novella. There was one point where I had to put down my Kindle because I was getting so tense and anxious that I couldn’t take it anymore. Then when I started reading again, my heart was literally racing with terror.
This novella must be good and I have decided to bestow it with five stars because it got me all tangled up and worried and nervous and angry and generally neurotic. Within the first few pages I was invested in the story.
The story itself was rather short, but still managed to break me and I find myself maliciously wishing for some diabolical and distinctly unpleasant fate to befall all but three of the characters. I am looking forward to the novel, but hope those characters’ tales take a happier twist than what happened here.
My only complaint would probably be that there was a supporting character who plays a significant role and I wish he had been introduced or at least hinted at sooner. His emergence just felt kind of sudden and I think that could have been handled more smoothly.
All in all, another book to add to my list of novellas that broke my heart in under 100 pages. I recommend it to fans of YA fantasy who don’t mind a sad, open ended read.
This novella must be good and I have decided to bestow it with five stars because it got me all tangled up and worried and nervous and angry and generally neurotic. Within the first few pages I was invested in the story.
The story itself was rather short, but still managed to break me and I find myself maliciously wishing for some diabolical and distinctly unpleasant fate to befall all but three of the characters. I am looking forward to the novel, but hope those characters’ tales take a happier twist than what happened here.
My only complaint would probably be that there was a supporting character who plays a significant role and I wish he had been introduced or at least hinted at sooner. His emergence just felt kind of sudden and I think that could have been handled more smoothly.
All in all, another book to add to my list of novellas that broke my heart in under 100 pages. I recommend it to fans of YA fantasy who don’t mind a sad, open ended read.
June 13, 2014
In ‘The Golden Cage’ we follow Princess Leena, one of the many princesses in the Ourthura realm. But Leena isn’t happy with her life as an princess. No, Leena hates her life at the in palace. The only light in her life full of darkness is Mikzahooq, a personal guard with the job to protect Leena. But no one knows Leena and Mikza are secret lovers, desperately looking for a way out of ‘The Golden Cage’.
Although this story is a prequel novella, and there for very short, I loved this story immediately. I’m a real sucker for forbidden love stories and this one pulled me in right from the start. In just a short time Kaitlyn Davis pulls you inside her story and makes you fall in love with the characters. I especially loved the main character Leena and the way she dealt with her life in ‘The Golden Cage’.
Even though there are many love stories out there, I still found this one very original. The tattoos and Leena’s swimming. I really loved it and I just couldn't put it down.
Lying with an cocktail in my hand on the beach, I can definitely conclude that this short novella is a great first book and a great start for beginning in ‘The Shadow Soul (A Dance of Dragons #1)’. I can’t wait to read that book.
Although this story is a prequel novella, and there for very short, I loved this story immediately. I’m a real sucker for forbidden love stories and this one pulled me in right from the start. In just a short time Kaitlyn Davis pulls you inside her story and makes you fall in love with the characters. I especially loved the main character Leena and the way she dealt with her life in ‘The Golden Cage’.
Even though there are many love stories out there, I still found this one very original. The tattoos and Leena’s swimming. I really loved it and I just couldn't put it down.
Lying with an cocktail in my hand on the beach, I can definitely conclude that this short novella is a great first book and a great start for beginning in ‘The Shadow Soul (A Dance of Dragons #1)’. I can’t wait to read that book.
December 12, 2015
In Ourthuro, the King’s word is law and no one can go against his wishes, not even his daughter, Princess Leena. However, Leena is keeping a dangerous secret, she has fallen in love with Mikza, a solider, and here father will punish them both if he ever finds out, but she is willing to abandon her life of luxury and risk it all to be with him. Will they be able to escape before it’s too late?
The Golden Cage is a really enjoyable prequel short story in the A Dance of Dragons series. Even though it is a novella, it is not lacking as it has forbidden romance and it was great to learn more about Leena.
I liked Leena as she is strong-willed and relatable, and is not easily swayed by her father. Mikza is a strong and protective character although I think he would have known more about how the king watched Leena.
Although not a happy ending, I am looking forward to reading the other short story about Leena. I would recommend The Golden Cage to people who enjoyed The Shadow Soul.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
The Golden Cage is a really enjoyable prequel short story in the A Dance of Dragons series. Even though it is a novella, it is not lacking as it has forbidden romance and it was great to learn more about Leena.
I liked Leena as she is strong-willed and relatable, and is not easily swayed by her father. Mikza is a strong and protective character although I think he would have known more about how the king watched Leena.
Although not a happy ending, I am looking forward to reading the other short story about Leena. I would recommend The Golden Cage to people who enjoyed The Shadow Soul.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
February 25, 2015
3.5
This was such an interesting Fantasy story (even if it was only 50 or so pages).
Life can be tough in the land of Ourthuro, where Princess Leena’s father, the king, rules with an iron fist. Leena is desperately in love with her bodyguard, and they plan to escape the palace walls to finally be free from tyranny. Will they make a daring escape, or will the king figure out their plan and stop them?
Overall, this was an emotional intro to what sounds like a really awesome series. I can’t wait to read the other books in the future! If you’re a fan of Fantasy, or you’re looking for a quick read, then I recommend picking this up.
This was such an interesting Fantasy story (even if it was only 50 or so pages).
Life can be tough in the land of Ourthuro, where Princess Leena’s father, the king, rules with an iron fist. Leena is desperately in love with her bodyguard, and they plan to escape the palace walls to finally be free from tyranny. Will they make a daring escape, or will the king figure out their plan and stop them?
Overall, this was an emotional intro to what sounds like a really awesome series. I can’t wait to read the other books in the future! If you’re a fan of Fantasy, or you’re looking for a quick read, then I recommend picking this up.
December 9, 2015
2.8
What the heck? The Golden Cage is not a prequel novella but more like unfinished prologue. Ok the book is beautifully written but the end....the cliff hanger ending! it makes me want to know more but please i feel betrayed.
What the heck? The Golden Cage is not a prequel novella but more like unfinished prologue. Ok the book is beautifully written but the end....the cliff hanger ending! it makes me want to know more but please i feel betrayed.
February 3, 2018
So this is a prequel novella? With a cliffhanger? And book 1 has different characters? I’m so confused.
I might need to do more research but I really did enjoy the novella and I’m hoping Leena’s story continues.
I might need to do more research but I really did enjoy the novella and I’m hoping Leena’s story continues.
January 16, 2022
This was a very quick read. Only lasting around 40 pages with the vast rest being a teaser of the first book of the official series, I breezed through it within an hour at the most.
We are introduced to Princess Leena who is one of 12 princesses of the vicious King Razzaq whose mother was presumably murdered at the time of her birth because (drumrolls) she was born female. Pretty much this is the same fate of the rest of her half-sisters and one of the reasons why she doesn't have much of a connection to them. Meanwhile, her youngest brother Prince Hayden is 5 years old and everyone gushes over him like he's the big tamale. To say this is a patriarchal society would be an understatement.
I like how the book gives us a few glimpses of Ourthuran society. Every freeborn has tattoos on their arms and it is apparently very expensive to get one so most low caste folk have a simple black ringlet. As a princess, her entire arms are etched with beautiful flower and jewel black tats which are both beautiful to look at while also another way to imprison her because it is difficult to cover them with paint. This is a society that became ruthless due to the misfortune of being located in islets filled with precious ore but the rocky terrain is unsuitable to grow crops, and so a lot of the cruel things Razzaq does has underlying meanings that we are sadly unable to glimpse.
And I really did like sweet bodyguard Mikzahooq. Selfless and kind, he knew getting too close to a pampered princess was dangerous, but ah, the hormones... This is definitely a teen love story viewed entirely by the POV of a sweet but very clueless rich girl whose only way to game the system that was rigged against her from the start was to flirt at myriads of guys at parties to make it harder to marry.
Maybe if I was a 17 year old like Leena, I would have felt more connected to her annoyance of living locked up under dad's rules. To a certain degree, I can't entirely hate her cluelessness because the society where she grew up in treats her like a walking baby oven. We are offered no hints that she knows how to read & write, and even though she has lived in the court and would be familiar with backstabbing nobles, it is a bit grating to see her wasting her time making snarling faces at her dad (big mistake) or pouting in her private pool instead of finding a solution to her problems. I would have enjoyed it if she had been more insistent in demanding her father to learn more about the laws of her kingdom. As just another one of endless middle siblings, her children weren't going to become important heirs to the throne anyways. If she had been smarter, she could have coerced her father into selecting a man from an island far away from the capital just for the sake of being far from his opression and tried to manipulate the guy (of course, while her handsome & dashing bodyguard was always two steps away as the likely future father of her children). Perhaps she didn't learn how to use the sword due to this rigid society, but women throught history have learned how to exert control in other ways... such as using poison.
Obviously the book is going for a tragic teenage first love story and the writing is pretty good, just that I would have wanted Leena to have been cleverer. I have not yet read the official series so I cannot comment whether this novella fully connects the dots, but rather than feeling it was a tragic love story, the ending felt too inevitable from the start and Leena never saw it coming because she was too fixiated in herself.
Oh, and seriously? What kind of 5 year old kid is strong enough to cut human tissue with a toy decorative sword? Wut?
3 stars!
We are introduced to Princess Leena who is one of 12 princesses of the vicious King Razzaq whose mother was presumably murdered at the time of her birth because (drumrolls) she was born female. Pretty much this is the same fate of the rest of her half-sisters and one of the reasons why she doesn't have much of a connection to them. Meanwhile, her youngest brother Prince Hayden is 5 years old and everyone gushes over him like he's the big tamale. To say this is a patriarchal society would be an understatement.
I like how the book gives us a few glimpses of Ourthuran society. Every freeborn has tattoos on their arms and it is apparently very expensive to get one so most low caste folk have a simple black ringlet. As a princess, her entire arms are etched with beautiful flower and jewel black tats which are both beautiful to look at while also another way to imprison her because it is difficult to cover them with paint. This is a society that became ruthless due to the misfortune of being located in islets filled with precious ore but the rocky terrain is unsuitable to grow crops, and so a lot of the cruel things Razzaq does has underlying meanings that we are sadly unable to glimpse.
And I really did like sweet bodyguard Mikzahooq. Selfless and kind, he knew getting too close to a pampered princess was dangerous, but ah, the hormones... This is definitely a teen love story viewed entirely by the POV of a sweet but very clueless rich girl whose only way to game the system that was rigged against her from the start was to flirt at myriads of guys at parties to make it harder to marry.
Maybe if I was a 17 year old like Leena, I would have felt more connected to her annoyance of living locked up under dad's rules. To a certain degree, I can't entirely hate her cluelessness because the society where she grew up in treats her like a walking baby oven. We are offered no hints that she knows how to read & write, and even though she has lived in the court and would be familiar with backstabbing nobles, it is a bit grating to see her wasting her time making snarling faces at her dad (big mistake) or pouting in her private pool instead of finding a solution to her problems. I would have enjoyed it if she had been more insistent in demanding her father to learn more about the laws of her kingdom. As just another one of endless middle siblings, her children weren't going to become important heirs to the throne anyways. If she had been smarter, she could have coerced her father into selecting a man from an island far away from the capital just for the sake of being far from his opression and tried to manipulate the guy (of course, while her handsome & dashing bodyguard was always two steps away as the likely future father of her children). Perhaps she didn't learn how to use the sword due to this rigid society, but women throught history have learned how to exert control in other ways... such as using poison.
Obviously the book is going for a tragic teenage first love story and the writing is pretty good, just that I would have wanted Leena to have been cleverer. I have not yet read the official series so I cannot comment whether this novella fully connects the dots, but rather than feeling it was a tragic love story, the ending felt too inevitable from the start and Leena never saw it coming because she was too fixiated in herself.
Oh, and seriously? What kind of 5 year old kid is strong enough to cut human tissue with a toy decorative sword? Wut?
3 stars!
January 20, 2018
What a horrible, horrible world!!! I want to read more and learn more. This prologue really did capture me. First with the cover, then it was a freebie (don’t mind me being cheap), and then the story.
The story follows Leena who is a princess with a horrible father who is an utter brute to his subjects AND family. Honestly, this place is Henry VIII’s wet dream. He wishes he could’ve made England like this world! She falls in loves with her hot bodyguard and they plan to run away together.
The only thing that truly bugged me was the fact that this world has this weird superstition that if the queen gives birth to a girl first it is a bad thing and so they have her killed. What???? How are the nobles okay with this???? They all seem perfectly okay with it. This king has killed 12 women (I am assuming they have to be noble of some sort) since each one birthed a daughter first. WHO WOULD AGREE TO SEND THEIR DAUGHTER TO A DEATH TRAP!? Gah! But it truly drives home the point that the king is a nasty bugger and no one stands up to him…they allow him to innocent women because of a silly “superstition”. See? Henry VIII WISHES he had had this power.
Anyways….
Yes, Leena is hiding her love. Honestly, she and that boy are fools. Sad, love-ridden fools.
The ending made me tear-up. FIRST BOOK TO MAKE ME FEEL FEELINGS THIS YEAR! *throws sad confetti*. But yes…it was sad. I can’t say I didn’t expect it, but it still made me tear-up.
This was a quick story and I enjoyed it. It made me want to move forward and read more. Maybe the next book can go over more about the world and the kingdom of death painted in gold. I’ll give this 4 stars.
The story follows Leena who is a princess with a horrible father who is an utter brute to his subjects AND family. Honestly, this place is Henry VIII’s wet dream. He wishes he could’ve made England like this world! She falls in loves with her hot bodyguard and they plan to run away together.
The only thing that truly bugged me was the fact that this world has this weird superstition that if the queen gives birth to a girl first it is a bad thing and so they have her killed. What???? How are the nobles okay with this???? They all seem perfectly okay with it. This king has killed 12 women (I am assuming they have to be noble of some sort) since each one birthed a daughter first. WHO WOULD AGREE TO SEND THEIR DAUGHTER TO A DEATH TRAP!? Gah! But it truly drives home the point that the king is a nasty bugger and no one stands up to him…they allow him to innocent women because of a silly “superstition”. See? Henry VIII WISHES he had had this power.
Anyways….
Yes, Leena is hiding her love. Honestly, she and that boy are fools. Sad, love-ridden fools.
The ending made me tear-up. FIRST BOOK TO MAKE ME FEEL FEELINGS THIS YEAR! *throws sad confetti*. But yes…it was sad. I can’t say I didn’t expect it, but it still made me tear-up.
This was a quick story and I enjoyed it. It made me want to move forward and read more. Maybe the next book can go over more about the world and the kingdom of death painted in gold. I’ll give this 4 stars.
October 18, 2022
Princess Leena’s older sister is about to be married off to a man, not of her choosing, and it’s her turn next. She is in love with a soldier, a forbidden love, and her iron-fisted father would kill them both if he found out about them. According to her father, she must marry whom he chooses. According to her, she must run away if she is going to have any freedom at all.
This is a fast and fun little read. However, it does highlight the cruel land of Ourthuro and how women are treated as property, but I still liked the writing style. It is a prequel to “The Shadow Soul Book 1,” which I read before this one, but I reviewed this one before I reviewed that one.
Yes, no matter how gilded the cage is, it is still a cage. I liked this read and the sacrifice. I give this just a little larger than a pamphlet, four stars out of five stars.
This is a fast and fun little read. However, it does highlight the cruel land of Ourthuro and how women are treated as property, but I still liked the writing style. It is a prequel to “The Shadow Soul Book 1,” which I read before this one, but I reviewed this one before I reviewed that one.
Yes, no matter how gilded the cage is, it is still a cage. I liked this read and the sacrifice. I give this just a little larger than a pamphlet, four stars out of five stars.
April 11, 2019
This didn't feel like a novella, but more of a teaser. When it ended, I felt certain there was a full version of the book I could buy somewhere, and in fact did purchase one on Amazon (it's probably no different that the "starter set" I already had, but it won't download so I can't tell). The ending is just so abrupt and unresolved; it was not a kind place to leave the reader. I get that the main character is woven into a later book, but I really needed at least a little resolution here.
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May 16, 2023A novella 0.5 of A Dance of Dragons series.
Princess Leenaka, one of seven sisters competing for favor and position in the Ourthuro royal court. With their little brother is the heir, women are little more than decorations expected to bare children.
But she’s keeping secrets from everyone. First, her ability to breathe underwater, giving her the means to hide when she wants to. Another is her love for her bodyguard.
Fave scene: Leenaka being rescued from her pool.
Princess Leenaka, one of seven sisters competing for favor and position in the Ourthuro royal court. With their little brother is the heir, women are little more than decorations expected to bare children.
But she’s keeping secrets from everyone. First, her ability to breathe underwater, giving her the means to hide when she wants to. Another is her love for her bodyguard.
Fave scene: Leenaka being rescued from her pool.
August 31, 2025
Not sure what to say about this; it was extremely short, did not have enough dialogues for my taste, nor - I would assume, due to its being so short - a buildup of plot and tension. There were not enough explanations, not enough background on the characters, especially for a prequel which should give any of that missing in the main books of a series.
Hopefully the next one, Book one, is more interesting.
Hopefully the next one, Book one, is more interesting.
October 19, 2022
Prequel novella ending on a cliffhanger, for a series which apparently focusses on a whole different set of characters? I'm... confused. But still mildly interested in this world, and not particularly attached to the protagonist in this story, so the prospect of a different protagonist in the full length novels is actually quite welcome.
July 3, 2017
So good! Too short.
July 27, 2017
3.5/5 stars
August 10, 2017
This book is so much better than I expected. Such an awesome surprise. Love it
April 18, 2019
Wonderful prequel. Definitely leaving you wondering what Lena is going to do next. How she is going to defy her father.
June 29, 2020
This is a short little book only 5 chapters long. It is meant as a prequel and it does a good job of creating interest in the rest of the story. I'm glad I read it.
January 30, 2021
Decent standalone book that makes me want to read the series and see how this connects to the bigger picture.
December 13, 2022
I was all prepared to be disappointed because it's a self-published book ... But was actually really impressed by the quality of the writing! Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
August 7, 2023
Intriguing - can't wait to get further into the series to find out more of her story!
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