I haven't read it either, but I tend to hold this same opinion.
Themes
- AmySmiles
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Re: Themes
–Author Unknown
- Bonnie Shelby
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The influence of mystical beliefs on people with power was another one.
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“We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”
—J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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I'm with you 100% on your comments. It seems as if many of the main take-aways were overshadowed by forced fantasy elements and a complete lack ability to maturely approach sexual content in the book.Bonnie Shelby wrote: ↑11 Sep 2018, 20:01 I would have liked to see a little more history and mythology rather than the slightly over-the-top shapeshifting and strange magical abilities associated with the more powerful characters. I also wish the romance portion was written better.
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- forbidden love;
- the power of love vs. the call of duty and responsibility;
- culture clash;
- abuse;
- political intrigue and its consequences;
- military confrontation;
- religion and religious beliefs;
- women's status and role in society;
- mysticism and mystical beliefs, etc.
All these themes nicely wrap up the plot and one or the other come to the forefront at the right time throughout the story.
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I agree that one strong plot in the story is duty to family and country over personal happiness.jjmainor wrote: ↑29 Sep 2018, 23:06 Seemed to me there was an underlying theme of sacrifice and loyalty, or more specifically, personal selfishness when it came to these principles. While it's despicable in our perception the way the parents use their kids, as a work of historical fiction, we have to look at it in terms of the time. The arranged marriages were not unusual for securing the stability of kingdoms and their ruling families. Mor was expected to marry the son of a rival king to bring stability between the two families. Marcellus was expected to marry in order to restore his family's honor. Even Catrin is eventually called upon to secure peace. It seems, no matter what the stakes are, everyone is only thinking about themselves and what they want. Granted I'm not quite finished, so things might surprise me, but nobody is willing to do what's best for the greater good. Rhiannon seems to come the closest, marrying Amren to create a tie between her family's kingdom and his, but almost from the beginning, she seems to want to sabotage it by continuing her relationship with Trystan. It seems like the idea of true love winning out, in this story, comes at the expense of greater issues.