The Kiss Of Deception (Remnant Chronicles)

The Kiss of Deception

French edition : La Martinière

English edition : Macmillan Publishing Group (Henry Holt and Company)

Number of pages : 470

Genre : Epic Fantasy

Publication year : 2014 (2021 for France)

Author :Mary E Pearson

Summary

    Lia is the princess of Morrighan realm. Because of that she will soon mary a prince she knows nothing about. However Lia doesn't agree, she wants to chose her future. That's why she decides to run away form her realm. Because of her decision, the prince decides to pursue her with guards. And another realm sends a murderer on her heels. Lia takes big risks that she doesn't even know, what will happen to her ? 

Criticism

    First of all the story is not boring (reealy good point for a book ahah), there is always something that happens, that moves. There is no pause but this rhythm isn’t tiring too. Everything comes one after another and it’s even faster in the end. The story is speed up like a race against time (as the characters’ aims). Otherwise there are no details missing. To me it’s a really good point because there is a real balance between the story advancing and what we have to know as a reader. There is no waste of time, we know what is going to happen without really knowing it all and this brings suspense to the book. Moreover, the impression of movement is reinforced by the ones of the characters. They are always traveling even when they find a “home-like”. This is not a bad point because even if the setting place changes regularly, we are not lost, all is clear. When we are with them we are at home even if they are moving and this feeling is awesome. Then, during the reading of the book, you’ll find a few different point of views. This allows us to discover the various tracks of the plot, of the story. It brings many suspense to the story because at the beginning we know all the characters but we don’t know who is who (however, we aren’t lost in the story), we are always thinking “this is him” and the next chapter we are thinking “no it can’t be him, it’s the other” and so on … Besides those different point of views are interrupted at the “good-bad” moment. The good because we are about to make a big discovery, the bad because we absolutely want to know what is going to happen and we don’t because the next chapter will be in another character mind so we have to wait.

    But now can we just talk about the characters ?! I think Lia is one of my favorite. She is a big risk-taker, she is always hurrying but at the right time, she exactly knows when she has a role to play. She is fair in what she is doing. Besides she has a big personality : she is curious, she is attentive to the others, she takes care of them, she is hard-working, she is committed, she has values, she is smart… The most surprising is that among all those qualities, she succeed in growing up. Indeed, at the beginning of the story she does as she pleases to make her parents react and at the end, she reasons with herself and stand by her. She takes action not to opposite her parents but because it’s her duty. She matures a lot through the story. Moreover, when we add two male characters in addition to Lia, the story becomes even more interesting. In this book, the romance part is just insane because we are torn between the two guys, Rafe and Kaden. On one hand, Rafe represents a nice guy, a “secured” and reassuring love story, a love which is right on course. On the other hand, we have Kaden who represents the dangerous guy, the risky love which will end up in an enemies to lover situation. Both have something that appeals us, we don’t know who to choose. For my part I still don’t know which one is my favorite !!

    Concerning the author’s way with words, Mary E Pearson still succeed in making us travel and dream. Her imagination is fantastic (this is not a pun, ahah) ! Furthermore, character’s emotions are really well-passed, we can even feel secondary characters’ emotions.

Final conclusion

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH this is awesome !!!!!!!

So are you going to read it ?

Other information

“The Remnant Chronicles” is a trilogy which happens before “Dance of Thieves”. It helps a lot to understand the world of “ Dance of Thieves “ (you can easily read it without reading “The Remnant Chronicles”). Besides some characters are common to the two stories. It’s really enjoyable to see their whole life, to see their past and to observe ordeals they had to pass through.

The song

In my blood, Shawn Mendes. I think this song is a good representation of Lia's state of mind at the beginning of the story.

My note : 11/10

Characters : 3/2                My taste : 3/2

Story : 4/4                       Originality : 1/2