The Rebel

by Cordelia Castel

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Romance, Young Adult

54 pages, ebook

Reviews

[Danique van Dijk]

Quick review of this one, since it's just some background information on Ryce. I don't like the guy. At all. I think it's complete bullshit that he blames Zea for his father's death - she was literally nine. What the hell was she supposed to do? And then, he sees how Forelle is attacked by another guard and tells the computer guy that they can't step in. Seriously? Hypocrite. I still think he's using Zea, and this story kinda confirmed that in my opinion. His feelings aren't love. The relationship with his mother might be bad, but that doesn't excuse his own behavior in my opinion. This book also confirmed my theory about the Amstraadi's, since Ryce doesn't know the contributor to their rebel cause. It's definitely the ambassador who has been giving them stuff.

Anyway, there are quite a lot of mistakes in writing in this book, but it's a really short one, so that didn't bother me that much. On to the next book!

[Geenah]

At the end of each and every one of the Princess Trials book the author bribes you into subscribing to her newsletter with this short story. Subscribe to the newsletter if you want, but don't do it for this. Or, at least wait until you finish reading The Princess Crown.

I'm not a fan of this genre of same-story-but-told-from-another-character's-POV, but I'm not a monster, I understand that in cases like this it's just content produced to engage with your readers. I respect the hustle.

I would honestly consider it harmless if it didn't weaken the main story. In this, Carolina Wintergreen appears like a negligent mother, but infinitely more reasonable about Zea than she did in the main books. She kind of lost her villainous allure for me the moment she told Ryce that actually, Zea was only a child that had no way of intervening with the murder of Mr. Wintergreen.

Oh yeah, apparently every adult was in full and vocal agreement that Zea was only a child and that whole incident hadn't been her fault, even though Zea made it seem as though Kevon had been the first person to ever point that out.

Accepting these things as canon just weakens the main story and I'm not a fan. We know from context that Ryce is a mentally sick, mysogynistic creep with mommy issues. We didn't need 40 pages of him objectifying the Harvester women to know this.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this, read this if you want. It's free, so there's literally no harm.
Maybe it can help give readers better insight into life in Rugosa, a setting that we hear a lot about but don't really experience so much in the main books, so there's that at least. I would just recommend you read it after books 1 through 3 so you don't inadvertently ruin your perspective of characters for yourself. Oh, and there are glaring typos and mistakes in this. Of course there are...

[skawngur]

Initially, I thought it would give us more insight on who Ryce is as a person and why he is how he is. However, the book retold a part of the story and gave a perspective we already kind of knew from ryce. I hoped to see more depth to his character. Maybe even a reason to sympathize with him, but really we just found how insignificant he is.

[Jodi]

I wanted to love this book, and I did enjoy the plot and understanding how Ryce feels about Zea but it was completely ruined for me by all the typos. Not just grammer typos, but calling the Red Runners the Red Riders and using the wrong last name for one of the characters!

[Kati]

It was super good I’m literally in love with this series so far!!

[Daisy Girl]

Short story about Ryce, made me dislike him even more.

[Dakotah]

I just don’t know how I’m supposed to believe that this boy BLAMES the Zea for the death of his father when she was NINE YEARS OLD?? Also the fact that he didn’t recognize her and she’s part of his Red Runners Cell?? That just seems like a major plot hole.

This would have been better if the author would have just continued with the “ I don’t love you, I’m using you angle” not the “hmmm I don’t like her but she’s hot so I’ll probably develop feelings for her angle.”

[Virginia]

Confirmed my first impressions of Ryce Wintergreen. Multiple typos. Interesting POV.

[Chelsea Zastrow]

It is a good book to get into Ryce’s story a bit more. Definitely made me dislike him though. I would’ve liked it more but the number of typos almost made it difficult to read.

[Camille Pearson]

I still don't understand Ryce's character motivations. He flip flops from hating Zea, to wanting to manipulate her, to having honest intentions to be together romantically with her after the rebellion, to wanting an attractive woman to be a homemaker. He finds her annoying needy girl with a crush reeking of desperation and then he sees her as the source of his disgust/ anger/ bitterness as the physical reminder of his dead father. He thinks she's intelligent fire of rebellion desperate to earn his approval who will run into the arms of any man who shows her decency. He wants to get rid of her and use her as a pawn in the princess trials because he's annoyed of her, but he also sees her as an easy target prey to his charms. Like I get he's narcissistic but his internal dialogue makes no sense insulting, belittling, being disgusted to then understand his motivations in the original book series desiring to kiss her, get handsy, and dominate her physically as his future significant other. Like I just understand the emotional journey, but the fact that he leaves her with thoughts of resentment aren't true he wants Zea (given is it incredibly toxic, manipulative, dominating, physically based) he genuinely wanted to have her around to puff up his ego and make him feel more powerful. It's very inconsistent at times, but revealing of what kinda man Ryce Wintergreen is.

[Hilal Tunçkol]

The story of Ryce realizing Zea Mays grew up and that he can use her to start a revolution by sending her to the princess trials. Pretty much the same scenes as the novel, but from Ryce's POV. If you are a true fan of the series, you would enjoy this, I believe, but I am not...that. Nevertheless, I thought that this story, being as short as it is, would help me with my yearly reading goal.

P.S. Ryce confused me. First, he hated Zea Mays because she witnessed his father's murder and didn't do anything to stop it. (For the last time, Ryce, she was a KID). Then, he decided Zea was very beautiful and attractive, but he was adamant to about sending her to the palace, thinking someone would kill her during the trials. Lastly, he realized Zea Mays was in love with him, and decided he would manipulate her feelings to get her to do whatever he wanted.

I think he was supposed to be complex, but as I said, he came across as confusing.

[Zamirah Diaz]

It was alright, but the typos definitely bothered me. The author would also switch from third person to first and then back which was weird for me. I honestly don’t know how I feel about Ryce, if anything I’m more confused by reading this. I get that he associates her with murder of his dad, but to despise someone and 360 was a little much for me. I want you here but I want you to leave? typical guy shit. Anyways if you can get through the grammar and decide to read this POV you’ll see that’s it’s pretty neat. You really get that focus of “There’s two sides to every story,” and that a meager touch here can change everything.

[Melody]

I personally feel like this could’ve been about something else . I don’t really care what Ryce thought of Zea because I could already make out what he thought of her in the first books. He did not like that girl at all. What could’ve been interesting is maybe a prequel series of Phangolia, how the country started? I really like the world building of the princess trail series and I feel like that’s what makes it unique on its own.

[Jill Gauger]

This short story gives you insight as to the mindset of Ryce Wintergreen, son of Carolina Wintergreen the leader of the rebellion Red Runners. Ryce despises Zea-May Calico because at 9 years old she witnessed his fathers murder and didn’t do anything to stop it. An insightful read

[MG]

This was really disappointing. I was excited to read the pov from Ryle but it was only 3 or 4 chapters and that was it... And ended with like a “to be continued???” vibe. There was also a lot of typos.

[Zakiya]

Absolutely cannot stand Ryce. If he was really meant to be a villain that would be fine, but no, are we supposed to like him after reading this? How can he still resent her for something that was out of her control as a 9 year old? Literally.

[SARAH]

From Ryce Wintergreen's perspective of the day Zea-May entered the Princess Trials. It could have been better.

[Gelyn]

3.5 Three chapters story about Ryce Wintergreen.

[Hannah Poloway]

i want more

[Taylor]

Thought this would give some insight on Ryce, but it just made me like his character even less.

[Abby]

lots of typos

[Melissa]

I would have given it 5 stars except there were so many typos it was difficult to read.