Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 03/03/2022
Cover:
The simple graphic illustration helps establish this story as an epic fantasy tale. However, having read this book, I now feel that the design is somewhat deceiving as this story does not include many fantasy elements.
Writing:
The world-building is undeniably unique. The kingdoms, the bridge, the politics – all these are not only fascinating but are all presented relatively simply. Through this, Danielle smoothly avoids the dreaded info dump often seen in fantasy books while still creating a vivid world. I must also acknowledge the large amount of tension that builds gradually throughout the story. Although I was frustrated with the events driving this tension, it did keep me invested in the story and eager for the inevitable train wreck.
This man might be a hunter. But he was mistaken if he believed she was prey.
Storyline:
Personally, the action scenes are my favourite part of the storyline. Vivid and well-crafted, these scenes provide much-needed relief from the overwhelmingly political nature of the storyline. Honestly, there is so much talk of war, treaties, and strategies that I failed to take in most of this information after some time. The constant repetition of parts of this information and the presence of only a few fantasy elements made it hard for me to stay engaged. Then there is the fact that the storyline suffers from being far too predictable. After only a few chapters, it is easy to predict where things are going and the impact each new revelation or event will have.
Main character:
Lara is a character that fails to be as fierce and cunning as I needed her to be – especially since she is supposed to be a trained warrior princess. Attempts to present her as such were undermined by numerous scenes showing that she is soft-hearted and easily deceived. Despite this, I liked that Lara attempts to accomplish the task she has been trained to do and avoids being a helpless captive.
Aren, our dear male protagonist, is your classic good guy. Handsome? Check. Caring? Check. Smart? Questionable – especially given how quickly he trusts Lara. He is a relatively simple character who tries his best for his kingdom and people. Together, Lara and Aren make a nice contrast with entertaining banter and internal dialogues. However, I did find it hard to relate or connect with them as they did not seem particularly fascinating.
Secondary characters:
There are a few secondary characters in this story, but none even get close to the spotlight set on Lara and Aren. These characters fade into the background, only to be used at various points as plot devices.
Romance:
Lara and Aren make a super attractive couple who are unsurprisingly super attracted to each other despite being “enemies.” Unfortunately, this attraction does not lead to a deep connection between the characters. In fact, there is nothing special about the relationship that develops between these two. It just seems like two people who were married and attracted to each other came to a mutual understanding and made their situation work.
Desire is your weapon to wield as wickedly as any sword.
Ultimately, ‘The Bridge Kingdom’ is an easy read with an appealing world but a predictable storyline. As the story progressed, much of my interest waned and the only thing that kept me reading was the unmissable hint of future problems. These impending problems have now run their course, so there isn’t much driving me to pick up the next book in this series.
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