Regina’s Reviews > Der Ruf des Reihers > Status Update

One thing to realize you don't love your spouse that much anymore and quite another to fuck over the whole country with your separation ... like, I get it's possible but it also feels like plot twist for the sake of plot twist, especially because Kaede has so little POV in this book

One is quick to underrate Akio because he has no magical tribe skills but he is very good at neutralizing tribe skills (like a dark mirror to Takeo). Yet it still must've sucked for Akio because what is the point of being able to fight against tribe skills if you serve the tribe?

The Kikuta are always "but Takeo killed Kotaro!" Yeah, because Kotaro immediately plotted Takeo's death although Takeo joined Kotaro willingly (after Kotaro abducted him). What loyalty was Takeo supposed to owe him after that?? Does the tribe shrug off any abuse and fatal punishments as rough upbringing?

I'm impressed how Takeo's personal failing prepare the tragedy after all. I so underrated this book! And that it's the villains who point this out as in "even the bad guys know how miserable Hisao is, Takeo that loser"? This villain POV chapter is very enlightening

I stand corrected again: If Takeo loved Hisao unconditionally as I wrote, he would've taken him away from Akio. Maybe he has no idea how violently Akio abuses Hisao but Takeo fails to do this because he WANTS to avoid problems to arrive if Hisao was close to him AND his avoidance bites him in the ass anyway.

I stand corrected: Maya is sapphic indeed! I must've forgotten since her story arc is so frustrating (and she's a brat). Now that lifts my respect for Lian Hearn (though I still wish Miki was sapphic too in the Sunaomi duology, or that character there was left aro-ace without falling in love in that super weird way that sounds like ghost possession)

Miki should be lesbian, what a wasted chance here and in the Sunaomi duology. Yes, she says her twin sister is her true love but what if she confuses the connection to her sister (no incest) with attraction she feels to women and girls in general?? I mean, Lian Hearn has queer men in all of her books, so the sapphic women and girls shouldn't be missing.

The twins's fate is so intriguing. Where else are princesses with sinister inherited assassin-spy ninja powers they have to hide and pretend to be noble ladies while people revile them for being twins anyway? Or that Takeo still uses his tribe skills to sneak out to engage with commoners? No surprise the twins wish to do the same.

"'If Shigeko is the sole woman ruler, she will have to become like a man. If other women are in positions of power, we may see change flow throughout the Three Countries.'" - Takeo says as he supports Shizuka as head of the Muto family. He still is and always was the OG feminist king. Never forget how hot he finds Kaede as his girlboss wife

Sunaomi seems such a rando in this book but it's rewarding to reread and know how charismatic he is in his own duology. I wonder if he will see ghosts already in this book.