Book Review: The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

Title: The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King
Author: Carissa Broadbent
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9781250343154

Synopsis:
In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power—and the devastating love that could be her downfall.

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The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King has been in my to-read pile for a little while. And I’ll be honest, while I enjoyed book one well enough, it wasn’t my favourite novel. The same sentiment stands for this second book in the series. While it kept me entertained, and I’d say was a little more interesting than the first book, it still didn’t hit the same notes as many of the other romantasy series out there.

While characterization and world building remain Broadbent’s forte, and this book does a great job of drawing the reader in through connections with the characters, there is still a lot left wanting throughout, particularly towards the end of the novel. The rising action comes and goes quickly, the climax is so over the top it becomes a bit unbelievable, and it introduces magical concepts that are only partially formed and a bit rushed. What got me in the end, too, is that this book is marketed as a duet right on the cover, but there really isn’t any resolution when the one person who appears to be the primary antagonist disappears, leaving a heavy threat remaining over the protagonists, Oriya and Raihn. It felt unfinished in the end.

The world broadens so much more in this book, and we come to understand Oraya’s history and heritage in great detail throughout. Oraya grows as a character as she pushes against bonds and expectations held against her. She comes into her own in this novel and really stands out, taking charge of her situation and asserting herself in her new reality, staking claim to her right as an heir. It’s only fitting that as her freedom expands, so too does her movement through her world, exposing the reader to the harshness of the landscape, the devastating realities of the past, and the hope of a world and a people united to come.

Overall, it’s an interesting take on the second book in a duet. It’s got its ups and downs, but I can’t argue that it kept me interested with its strong development. Still, I left feeling a bit lacklustre, which isn’t the most positive note to end on. Perhaps there’s more to come, but I can’t say for certain if I’ll decide to venture any further in this particular world.

Happy reading!