Admittedly, I’ve always been into fiction but fantasy? Ehh. I mean I had my picks of course – the Harry Potter books (yes, they’re considered urban fantasy), The Song of Ice and Fire series (dark fantasy), Twilight trilogy (urban fantasy), the Vampire Academy books (urban fantasy) etc. but in general, I would not say this genre was my cup of coffee tea. Then upon the Bookstagram hype I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and immerse myself in the world of violence, passion, and fae that’s mapped out in The Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black. Experiencing the ups and downs of high fantasy struck me as one of the most influential reading epiphanies I’ve ever had, and I’ve been a changed woman ever since. What’s more, I even developed a distinctive taste for romantic fantasy or in short, romantasy. This is how I ended up reading The Ever King by LJ Andrews. This one’s a bit darker than most, but it’s romantasy nevertheless.
Summary
This story follows the turbulent relationship of Livia Ferus, an earth fae princess, and Erik Bloodsinger, a sea fae king. A decade passed since the great war between their folk ended and the sea has been sealed off from the earth, but when Livia unintentionally breaks the seal, and Erik, the Ever King, abducts her as a mean of revenge for the crimes of her people, the sparks of animosity ignite once more. Between a possible war brewing and a dark spell cast to devour the Ever Kingdom, the hardest challenge our heroes must fight may be their own conflicted feelings for one another.
Thoughts
Admittedly, after the first couple of chapters I was a bit confused but intrigued by the very same thing – the worldbuilding. It borrows elements of multiple origins including Viking culture, pirate lore, and dark fae fantasy, and the result is a fairly unconventional yet captivating universe. It took a few more chapters, but eventually, I found myself easing into it and it wasn’t long before I got hooked.
We are introduced to quite a number of characters, but it’s made clear from the very first pages how our protagonists are Livia and Erik – also referred to as Songbird and Serpent -, so they are the most polished ones out of all, naturally. The rest are stereotypical supporting characters that help them stand out, with a few having interesting backstories themselves. The initial dynamic between our heroes is what you’d call complicated due to both societal and self-inflicted expectations, but as the story develops, so does their relationship. It’s a slow, sometimes rather agonizing process but the positive progress in the end is undeniable. Furthermore, their advancement as a unit proves to be beneficial for them as individuals as well.
The plot itself was well-structured – for the most part. At the beginning every scene served a purpose – be it dispersing information or providing deeper characterization – but towards the end, some seemed to lack any form of intent. Especially the spice scenes. I mean, don’t get me wrong, who doesn’t love a good spice scene? It’s just that the balance between adequate and excessive amounts of spice is very delicate and for me in this case the scale slightly tipped towards the latter. No harm done, though, since like I stated, the overall story arch is pretty solid. It ends on a cliffhanger, preparing the stage for the sequel, which will thankfully be published this year so we don’t have to wait ages before we can revisit the Ever and its prominent figures.
Conclusion
The Ever King is the first installment of a unique saga that’s perfect for anyone who’s looking for something out of the ordinary and isn’t one to shy away from graphic descriptions – be that of violence or romance.
About the Author
According to her Instagram, LJ Andrews lives in Utah with her husband and four kids. Her previous work includes The Broken Kingdom series.
What are your thoughts regarding the book? Have you already read it? Or will you? Either way, please feel free to drop a few words in the comments. Stay caffeinated and well-read until next time – Your bookish friend, Nat