Title: ⟫ The Goblin Twins
Author:= ⟫ Kit Barrie
Rating: ⟫ 3/5
Blurb:
⟫ What
do you do when you have nothing to give and everything to lose?
Twin
goblin princes Shi’chen and A’bbni Er-Ha’sen did not ever plan
to take the Emperor’s throne. Older twin Shi’chen is a military
prodigy, and younger twin A’bbni is studying to be a physician. But
when their father attempts and fails to overthrow their cousin, the
murderous crown prince, the brothers are accused of taking part in a
rebellion they know nothing about.
Forced
to flee for their lives, the twins find that not everything is what
it seems in the goblin empire of Hanenea’a. With the help of only a
half-elf sailor and a handful of nobles, the brothers must confront
the Emperor and his supporters, risking everyone they love for one
chance to save it all.
The
Goblin Twins is a debut m/m non-magic fantasy novel with romance from
Kit Barrie.
This
is the first book of The Goblin Twins duology, and the first of a
collection of stories set in the lands of Hanenea’a and Kendarin.
It has all the angst but does have a Happy For Now ending with no
cliff-hanger. It does not contain twincest.
Please
mind the author’s note on the first page, as this book contains
sensitive material and is also not intended for children. Additional
information can be found on kitbarrie.com. Reader discretion is
advised.
Review: ⟫ I’m not sure how to review this book. The world-building was brilliant – it was easy to picture things in your mind due to the detailed descriptions of the history and surroundings. The characters were fully fleshed out, with the villains being suitably villainous, and in the case of the cousin, slightly insane.
The aftermath of the assault was handled sensitively and with thoughtfulness, with it not being brushed aside but an obviously painful issue for those involved. The fight to regain control of the kingdom was well described and very understandable, with lines clearly drawn between what was happening and what was desired.
The friendships were solid and well-written; all of the behind-the-scenes machinations were clearly set out so that it was possible for the reader to understand what was being fought for. The actual fighting scenes were well written, with the divided loyalties made understandable and clear.
Unfortunately, for me, the romance seemed a bit superficial and I couldn’t understand just why or how A’bbni and Lai fell in love. The friendship between Lai and Shi’chen made more sense to me, with the romance feeling a little tacked on. I didn’t actually enjoy reading the book because everything felt very much like it was the build-up to the next story – most of the action felt like it happened towards the end of the book and was perhaps a little rushed, but at the same time I felt like things were very drawn out.
I think that this is something that a lot of people will enjoy – the depth of the story, the characters and the world building were very well done. It just wasn’t for me. I was surprised to discover that this was a first novel – it was very well written in that case, and I would think that the author will be very well received.
I received an ARC from GRR.
