itch.io

THAT PLOT TWIST AT THE END. I KNEW IT. DAMN IT, I KNEW IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS. Still, with my own, suspicions, my jaw landed on the floor. I am amazed, inspired, craving so much more.

Now, when it comes to my thoughts about the whole piece, since there are *many.*

I am impressed by how many characters there are, and how the author deeply cares for each character to have their own time to shine, whether you romance them or not. While at times, I've caught myself thinking about how much I wished I could skip over some interactions and get to Oswin again, I am grateful they were all there. The favoritism is clear, but I easily push it aside, as each story line for each character had managed to captivate me regardless.

for the record, I chose the male version for every character. (Had to get that MLM content for the main character <3)

Zahn isn't the type of character I typically get very curious about, but his story and development intrigued me. He's a character with so many layers to him, and that's exactly what struck me right into my heart. I love complex characters more than anything in storytelling!

Oswin... He had my heart from the start, dammit. I go weak for characters such as Rune-and that's exactly whom I'd go for usually, but-! I couldn't. Not when my biggest weakness is that 'best friends-to strangers-back to friends and eventually' lovers trope. I've deeply enjoyed the slow burn, even if each time I thought that barrier, that wall that Oswin had built up, would finally be broken and it wasn't, I might have plotted a violent act against the screen of my own phone, as if it was its fault. When it finally did happen, though, my heart was broken and mended all at the same time. While I'm cautious about, and certainly don't want, this relationship going down the "I can fix him" path, I love this guy so much. While the main character can help him heal, I only genuinely hope he can learn how to be happy by himself, without the need to rely on the MC. (Just like the wolf/dog fortune card warning said.)

Duri'naan is hilarious and I love him. I can see he also has many, *many* issues to be resolved, but the way he's willing to put so much on the line to help the MC even as a friend is heart-warming. I also love the type of character he is, with that braggy sass and charisma of his, hiding many softer parts that the MC knows about but has enough grace not to point out for Duri's comfort. 

Rune, like I said before, is exactly the kind of character that would usually steal my heart-and he still did, in a way. At least in the beginning, he really reminded me of the Sorcerer from 'A tale of Crowns', in that way. Of course, not exactly-the closer the MC got to Rune, the more differences I saw between him and Rezan. Still, I think he might secretly be my favorite character, or the one to whom I can see myself most drawn towards. (He also got many bonus points for being very purple-themed... It's my favorite color, too!) The charismatic bard with a very clear understanding of his own boundaries and limits-i love that. From the outside seeming as the type to only be there to be pretty, while in reality being extremely powerful-god, that part really gets me. (That's the part that has really struck me with Rezan, too. I really damn love it when pretty ones are one of the strongest, too.) In general, I love him a lot-his design, his personality, his powers, his nerdy speeches, the pieces of his story I got... No notes. 10/10. Love him so much.

Now, when it comes to Aster, I do not have many thoughts about. I remain cautious, can't really say I trust him, but I can see how useful he is to the party. I appreciate the purpose he serves and the way he was written-that's something I can see no matter how I feel about a character of their actions. Do I half expect him to have a betrayal arc at some point? Maybe, but that doesn't matter. Either way, I'm invested! Story is always at the top of my priorities, even if it means the main character doesn't end up getting what they want. What matters is the way it had all been told. 

I really appreciate the way the things from the sidelines had been weaved into the story. Such as the possible one-night-stands or episodic characters. Sure, those doesn't exactly impact the story, at least not strongly, but the possibility to partake in them makes you really feel like there's more to the world than what happens to the MC, than their main journey. The choice even being there a nice reprieve from the serious main plotline, even if one was to pass over the opportunities entirely. The fact that they're there either way means a lot for the immersion! 

I love how careful the author is being with the trigger warnings and limits. A lot of the options seem similar, one could even deem them unnecessary-after all, what difference does it make if one is okay with a simple kiss on the lips or not, if the character is taking part in an intimate act anyway? Except, it does. It makes a huge difference for some. That might not be everyone, but to some it does, and that's what shows just how much the author cares for the reader's comfort. The way the player is asked multiple times about their boundaries with each character, about their MC's feelings about them, about their relationship... It's refreshing. The author didn't have to include many of the options (Such as, in the part where Oswin confessed, there's the 3 options about how to react. Whether to kneel and hug, kneel and put your hand on his back, or simply kneel nearby.), but they did. It really helps with immersion, again, knowing that there's options even with slight differences, so you don't have to settle for an option that feels 'close enough' to what your character does. Of course, you can't predict each and every option-much less write an outcome for every single solution each time-but even more than two options is a great effort. One much appreciated.

At the end, I'd like to mention how much I love the way the 'curse' itself is described. The MC is strong, but still dependent and at a constant disadvantage because of how sick they get. Many times, I've caught myself a bit frustrated. I thought: "Damn, I really want my character to be seen as independent! I don't like how Oswin constantly coddles over them and has to protect them. I want the MC to sometimes return the favor, not need it constantly!" And then, it hit me.
That's exactly the point. That is *the point.* The MC is not weak. They don't want to be this way. They get frustrated with their helplessness, they crave to be able to get up on their own, they crave to show their resilience.
That. Is. The. Point.
As a person with no chronic illness of my own, I deeply appreciate the stories that help me understand the issues of people different than myself. Some struggles of others are ones that I will never experience, never understand in a way they would, so such a way of learning about such issues-through leading through a story of a character suffering from them-is one I value greatly. 

Thank you. Thank you for writing this, thank you for working on this. I am excited to learn more, to read more, to continue discovering more and playing through the story. Can't wait for chapter 7. Great work, Author!