by J.F. Hughes
GENRE : #Historical-Fiction war-romance #tragedy
My rating: ★★☆☆☆
Yes, I know the cover is amazing, I was fascinated by it too, but this is not a story I recommend to anyone who wants to read a beautiful and satisfying love story.
____ THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL ______
The year is 622 A.D., and the Persian and Byzantine empires have been locked in conflict across the deserts long before she was born.
Asana's life has always been marked by upheaval and change. Each year, she is uprooted from her home and taken to distant, unfamiliar lands to live a strict, soldier's life alongside her father, an officer in the Persian army. But in the chaos of war, her gentle spirit often feels out of place.
Soon, she is torn from her family and forced to escape atop her beloved horse. Guided by destiny, she finds herself in the care of a handsome, mysterious Roman soldier who hides her away inside an exquisite palace in the heart of Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire’s capital.
As Asana begins to develop feelings for him, it seems she might finally discover a sanctuary of happiness amid the war-torn world around her. But that fragile peace shatters when news arrives of a Persian army advancing toward the city, setting off a chain of events that leads to an extraordinary, tragic conclusion.
Honestly, I was pretty excited to read The Garden of Bysantium after reading the general plot and the first intriguing chapter.
The story, told in the third person, kicks off with a Roman soldier, Antonius, captured and tortured by Persians, which immediately pulled me in.
The twist—his captor’s daughter secretly helping him, and his narrow escape with the help of more Romans—was pretty gripping.
The blend of revenge, love, and fate kept me hooked during Antonius’s chapters. Those parts really shine and made me care about his struggle.
However, things started to slide for me as soon as the story shifted focus to Asana, the Persian girl. Honestly, her chapters felt dull and at times a little silly and flat, lacking any captivating elements.
I enjoy fast-paced books, but in this case, the writing felt hurried and lacked the tension that keeps readers hooked, especially during the battles, which came across more like dull TV commentary than gripping action scenes.
The characters, overall, seemed rather flat to me, including the two protagonists. The concept was good, but they weren't developed properly, which prevented me from connecting with them as deeply as I would have liked.
And then the ending… It’s tragic !!!!! Don’t get me wrong, a dark ending can work, but here it just felt bitter and hopeless, stripping away any sense of hope or redemption the story might have offered:
______ WARNING: SPOILER ___DON'T GO ON,IF YOU WANT TO READ THE BOOK ) Everyone dies and the last survivor, Asana, commits suicide because she’s entirely alone. _________ SPOILER END
The book tries to say war is pointless and revenge only leads to more pain, which is a strong message, but honestly, it leaves the reader feeling pretty crushed rather than inspired.
Plus, the cover art is gorgeous, really appealing, but it’s kind of misleading!!!
It looks like one of those feel-good romance books, which is totally not what this story is about.
The writing style didn’t help either; it felt rushed and underdeveloped, making me not want to pick up anything else by Hughes.
Overall, not a fan. I’ve read more moving historical fiction that keeps characters real and offers some hope at the end. I wouldn’t recommend this one. If you’re into heavy, tragic stories about war with deep characters, there are definitely better options out there.
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