InkedBookSloth’s Reviews > A Heart of Onyx Flame > Status Update

Whilst I got the plot, there were so many options to explore in terms of scenes, but instead the characters were eating, sewing or attending to classes even though the classes had no real weight that would have led the plot. So, this felt a bit unnecessary. Scenes could’ve been a bit more varied. Whilst significant thoughts and feelings were lacking in the inner monologues at the beginning, they did pick up later.

I adored the romance and the MCs’ chemistry. The writing style wasn’t really my favourite though as it felt a bit simple and repetitive, but it wasn’t bad, I just like a bit more complicated writing styles. However, for how simple it was, the execution really did confuse me. I felt like I didn’t understand what was going at the first 40% of the book and the last 15% of the book so basically half of the story.

“Where were you? What happened to you?” I asked.
“I was here all this time, with you,” he said.

Huh? I am so bl00dy confused. Where? He definitely wasn’t. Where was he? What happened? I finished the book, I thought we’d get the answer later but we didn’t. What on earth happened?

I’m so glad Bohdana is the one going/“running” after Cian. Not only because of the role she has to fulfil, and because she also f’ed it up, but also because I’m so tired of boys always chasing the girls. Sometimes women fall first or at least, they have jobs/missions that require them to stay close to the MMC. The MMC doesn’t have to be the only one visibly pinning after the FMC all the time.

Is Miss. Read mentally sound?

- She tells Bohdana that she has to leave and then a few sentences later she tells her that she can’t leave.
- She tells Bohdana that she can only train if Mr. Oxley agrees and once he agrees, albeit reluctantly, she sets out a few conditions that Bohdana needs to deliver on if she wants to train.

This woman changes directions faster than a damn F1 car.

I do like the dynamic between Cian and Bohdana. It’s both a bit cold and distant, and a bit cheeky and teasing. Like a tiny bit of a rollercoaster but it’s entertaining.

“You will have to find another place to live.”
Few dialogues later.
“You are not going anywhere.”

Huh? Am I supposed to understand these conflicting information/dialogues? I’m so utterly confused…

I don’t understand what’s going on. I’m honestly confused. She wanted to run away so she did and then she returned? Why? She literally saw a fraction of the outside so what was her logic by returning? I have no idea what’s happening or where this book is going.

I always have a little issue with first person POVs. I prefer it in certain circumstances because it brings me closer to the characters, but I do not like it when it’s executed so simply.

Such as “I walked over”, “I asked”, “I wrapped myself in it”, “I adjusted the cloak”, “I climbed down”, “I sprinted back”… this is a very simple form of writing style which feels very repetitive.

This had an interesting start with its deus ex machina moment, but ever since then it’s been very heavy in telling.

The FMC’s, Bohdana, dialogues feel a bit odd, and everything that I feel should be experienced by the FMC, such as the backwards way of thinking and historical view of woman’s existence, is basically explained through conversations. Rather than learning via experience, she is just told things.