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Summary
I have been learn theCrescent Cityseries and enjoying it , but there ’s one vista that ’s so unrealistic that it in reality took me out of the story for a bit and I ca n’t turn back thinking about it . The first book introduces Bryce Quinlan , a young half - Fae , half - human woman living in Lunathion , a.k.a . Crescent City . In many ways , the heroine of theCrescent City booksisa refreshing modification of gait from most romantic fancy protagonist . She ’s irresponsible and more concerned with experience playfulness than survival , has supportive , loving ( if absentminded ) parent , swears and has sexual activity , and is , as the ledger likes to hammer home , bosomy .
Still , anyone who has read Sarah J. Maas ' books knows that her protagonists tend to get surd backstories to justify breezing through most challenge offered up in the floor . power come easily to them , overcome unmanageable skills that take other character years to learn seems to take them only a few months – if they do n’t pick it up at once . While it hold them compelling heroine in some agency , occasionally , their ultra - gifted nature is absurd , andone particular scene inHouse of Earth and Blooddrove that ridiculousness home for me .
Those who love Sarah J. Maas ’ A Court of Thorns & Roses books may be reckon for something interchangeable , particularly while they wait for new substance .
Bryce Beating The Fae Auxiliary At The Shooting Range Is Ridiculous
For So Many Reasons, This Would Not Happen
Bryce Quinlan is no doubt skilled , andHouse of Earth and Bloodcertainly induce a point of driving home that she was teach how to burgeon forth by fabled human sharpshooter Randall Silago . However , when the Koran opens , Bryce has spent years partying , getting intoxicated , and getting high on party drugs , though she does trip the light fantastic . After Danika ’s execution , Bryce spends the next two yr in a fog of heartache – while she no longer drinks , she also no longer dance or does anything forcible . On top of that , she ’s understandably an worked up crash . All of this makesBryce outshooting Ruhn and his fellow Fae guard at the shot range not just farfetched , but place it in the realm of the ridiculous .
Sharpshooting is n’t a science that one can ignore for long time and let deteriorate ; it want veritable practice and vigilance to keep the " sharp " part of it integral .
Sharpshooting is n’t a skill that one can disregard for age and permit deteriorate ; it requires regular practice and vigilance to keep the " precipitous " part of it intact . There ’s simply no way that Bryce , who has n’t touched a gunman in year , would outshoot the equivalent of Fae special personnel , who practice every single day , with zero pattern or clip to rock off the rust . This go double for a half - fuel-air explosive who has n’t made the Drop yet . I can forgive a lot in my romantasy books for the sake of fun , butI at least want my nonsense to be credible – and that scene was so incredibly extra that I had to wave my optic .
Yes , I realize that having issues with the plausibleness of a scene in a serial publication where fuel-air explosive , shifters , angels , and mermaids all hang out is a little silly . After all , fantasy is , well , fantastical . It does n’t reflect reality . But that illusion needs to be settle in the believable and that aspect just was n’t . Still , mayhap it bother me so much becauseit speaks to a larger trouble with romantasy heroines .
Romantasy Books Have A Problem With Mary Sue Protagonists
We Need A Little Less Plot Amor In Our Heroines
I love a gutsy romantasy protagonist – who does n’t , really ? – butI sometimes wish that they were n’t quite so everlasting . Too many romantasy heroines ( and dystopian YA heroine , if we ’re being honest ) come down firm under the umbrella of Mary Sue , with everything come to them far too easy . It ’s a problem that goes back to at leastTwilightwhen the formerly inept Bella Swan suddenly became a perfect superhuman the here and now she awakened as a vampire . Feyre Archeron also followed this spark , with her being incredibly ( but at least credibly ) skilled beforehand but conduct to being a fuel-air explosive as though she was born for it . Violet Sorrengail ofFourth Wingalso suffer from this ; despite her forcible challenges , she ’s somehow still impudent , luckier , and more hefty than everyone around her .
While plenty of phantasy book series admit larger-than-life romance , there are just as many awe-inspiring novels that do n’t have any romantic entanglements .
Crescent City ’s Bryce Quinlan also falls into this trap . She ’s able to outwit , outmaneuver , and outwork Hunt Athalar , a fabled angel and one of the most powerful in existence , and high - conduct fuel-air explosive who are supernaturally gifted . Again , this is all before she even crap the cliff and taps into her baron – which , of course , is a uncommon and awe - barrack kind of illusion seen in centuries . Do n’t mistake me : It can be a peck of fun to watch a quality growing into her power and leveling up as she goes . Butromantasy book are starting to reflect the realitythat when everyone ’s special , no one ’s special .
Not every romantasy heroine has to be the princess who was promise or a once - in - centuries powerful physique .
It would be just as much merriment – not to mention more of a challenge to write – if not everything come too well to the heroine . Not every romantasy heroine has to be the princess who was predict or a once - in - 100 knock-down figure . It would be great to see a romantasy series where the heroine give out , and in a braggy direction , before figuring out how to process within her limitations . It would surely be more relatable , even inspiring , if she were a small more … normal . unluckily , as Bryce ’s shooting range picture in theCrescent Citybooks shows , patch armour protagonists probably are n’t going away any time soon .
Book Title
Publication Year
House of Earth and Blood
2020
Fan art byMFT Fernandez
House of Sky and breathing place
2022
House of Flame and Shadow
2024
Crescent City 4 ( Title TBA )
TBA
