How not to plan a plot – course 101 – review of the book “Blood and Ash”

A lot of fans of fantasy literature with a romantic theme were waiting for this book. Jennifer L. Armentrout has conquered many hearts of  abroad readers. What did the world see in the book about the chosen empath?

American writer Jennifer L. Armentrout is known for creating New Adult romances and fantasy novels. Its series has numerous fan groups, and fan art is flooded with graphic websites. What is it in the books of this author that also Polish reading groups could not wait for the translation of the Blood and Ash series?

Wear a veil and don’t say anything else, or the gods won’t be pleased

Poppy was chosen by the gods, and she will soon achieve Ascension – the greatest honor in her world. Unfortunately, the mere fact of being a Maiden (as she is called) is primarily prohibitions and orders. Few contacts in people, limitations in reading and behavior, specific guidelines on where and with whom Poppy can be, and even covering part of his face with a veil – all to keep it worthy of its function. The girl, however, tries to make her own decisions at least to a small extent, thanks to which she secretly takes combat lessons, and sometimes also sneaks out of the place assigned to her. Thus, one day she ends up alone in a room with Hawk – the man for whom she secretly sighs. The situation is hot for a moment, but before anything bigger happens, Poppy leaves.

Everyone can see what they are

I have not had any contact with Armentrout books so far, but I have read a lot of opinions and enthusiasts of readers on fan groups, so I had certain expectations when reaching for the reviewed novel. A few words about the characters that aren’t the worst. We don’t know much about Poppy at first, she is chosen (we don’t know why), she has Ascension (we don’t know what it looks like and what it entails) and has the gift of sensing pain and taking it away from other people. He lives at court, surrounded by restrictions that he systematically breaks, exposing himself to punishment. The girl is thrashing a lot. On the one hand, he knows that he has a role assigned from above, on the other hand, she does not want to be a Maiden, but she cannot decide to finally give up this function. We learn that she has lost her parents, and her brother lives in the capital and is already after her Ascension. Her motivations for learning to fight are fairly clear, but there is also a problem: since she has always been curtailed, why is she having no problems expressing herself, swearing, and operating in these moments of rebellion and flight? It is completely inconsistent with what the author wants to impose on us (Poppy herself repeats so often that she is a Maiden that it could be made into a drinking game). I also perceived the girl’s complaints about her scars as forced – there are maybe 4 characters in this book who comment on these scars, two of which are positive, so I do not understand the scandal. swearing and functioning in these moments of rebellion and escape? It is completely inconsistent with what the author wants to impose on us (Poppy herself repeats so often that she is a Maiden that it could be made into a drinking game). I also perceived the girl’s complaints about her scars as forced – there are maybe 4 characters in this book who comment on these scars, two of which are positive, so I do not understand the scandal. swearing and functioning in these moments of rebellion and escape? It is completely inconsistent with what the author wants to impose on us (Poppy herself repeats so often that she is a Maiden that it could be made into a drinking game). I also perceived the girl’s complaints about her scars as forced – there are maybe 4 characters in this book who comment on these scars, two of which are positive, so I do not understand the scandal.

In addition to the main character, we also meet her maid and two closest guards, who are rather likeable individuals with human reflexes. Along the way, representatives of the elite (some quite aggressive), as well as the aforementioned mysterious and handsome Hawk enter the stage. The last one mentioned seems to be very lawful, loyal and devoted to taking care of Poppy – at least initially, because in the end we get a creation known from other novels as an attractive but at the same time a duplicitous and selfish hero.

It’s special, because yes, what are you drilling down for?

Two things in this book offended me cruelly. The first is the ill-conceived plot. For most of the book, the reader only knows that there are humans, Ascendants, and mythical Atlanteans who once made a mistake and created blood-eating monsters – sysunas. The world is inconsistent, very poorly presented, and most of the history is limited to a specific castle with a small area. I really missed the depth, a better-outlined history, social nuances, explanations (why there are no rebellions, how the economy works, since a lot of children are sacrificed) or simply interesting descriptions. The text mentions the names of the various paranormal races, but we get virtually nothing more about them. The author also did not know why she chose to keep all potentially important information a secret until the very end. Unfortunately, it did not work out – the twist is predictable (the novel itself is also not particularly innovative in relation to the genre it represents), and the abundance of sudden information is a bit like dramas from Brazilian soap operas.

However, the romance between Poppy and Hawk is the worst. The girl is a virgin who, in the direction of self-discovery and novelty, is driven primarily by limitations on all sides. Hawk, on the other hand, is a confident, arrogant asshole who doesn’t understand the word no , even when he has it in front of his nose. The bond between him and Maiden is based on the standard I don’t know why but he / she understands meas well as Hawk’s calculation, who simply knows what to say. Here’s a little spoiler – of course, there are scenes of intimate close-ups in this book. Judging whether they are well or badly described, I leave it to the subjective opinion of the readers, but I definitely say not for the ambiguous consent to the relationship. Poppy asks Hawk not to do something many times, and he ignores it, including during scenes with overtones and pseudo-chemistry. He calls her a princess despite pleading for him to stop, or is lying on her even though he has heard a plea for him to come down. The worst thing is (big spoiler) sex at the end, which is not only connected with the savoring of blood and animal rule, but also despite Poppy’s very dubious consent.

I wouldn’t choose her

I do not understand why the book is not marked 16+ (at least) and I am sorry that there is a chance that people will reach for it before the first intercourse. The plot lies and squeals, the world is neglected, and the relationship that was supposed to be a romance is a toxic creation. Older readers without requirements may treat this book as a reader for a while, although I believe that there are better things on the market.