Andi’s Reviews > The Lions of Al-Rassan > Status Update
Andi
is 82% done
Kay is locked in on the friendships and family dynamics that inspire the love and tragedy in this story. Dissolving political stratification to help friends and acquaintances is always romantic and gutting to read. Kay imagines a small band of medieval people who choose the right side of history re: fantasy Jewish pogroms. Less is unconscionable to modern readers and I have thoughts on this pattern in modern stories
— Aug 24, 2026 12:43PM
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Andi’s Previous Updates
Andi
is 64% done
Ngl this has slowed down a lot and Kay repeats information we already know just to let us see POVs get caught up. He painstakingly explains the thwarting of the boys' assassination to the point that it blunts how emotional this apparently was for Jehane. Her boys are still very funny though, especially Rodrigo and Ammar. The cultures are great but almost funny how shamelessly Kay copy-pastes from real history lol
— Aug 23, 2026 11:16PM
Andi
is 41% done
This book knows it's going to break me and I'm fine with that. Rodrigo alluding to his own demise via sun/Jad symbolism, it's probably Ammar who does it bc he keeps killing his friends for politics, and they are basically soulmates on day 1 of knowing each other, making tough Jehane laugh and it's cute and fun, and this can only end in tears. I like that Kay has no shame in the fun bc breaking me later has purpose
— Aug 22, 2026 04:03PM
Andi
is 27% done
Unpopular opinion: I love how horny this book is. Once upon a time fantasy written by men was always horny, sometimes annoying, sometimes not. Then the era of Puritan values and pearl-clutching came. Whatever Kay has going on is SO MUCH better. He wants to be tied up and held down and verbally roasted by tough obstinate women and you know what? Respect. This book is horny but also bleeding-heart romantic. I love it
— Aug 22, 2026 09:26AM