The single most daunting fear any reader experiences is when they begin to sense themselves stumble, spiral and fall into a slump. There can be many reasons a reader experiences a slump and at the same time no reason at all. It’s an extremely unpredictable occurrence that can be ridiculously complex to navigate out of, for reasons unknown to date.
My favourite books are those that can miraculously catch and keep your interest despite the slump. I’m proud (and extremely relieved) to share that Bloodguard is one of those books. It takes a lot for a book to be a slump-killer, from immersive storytelling, heart-moving characters, brutal pacing to a tightly knit plot; and Bloodguard has all of those.
Dual perspective story-telling has become an extremely popular style of writing and while it has never been my favourite, I’m starting to see and appreciate the many merits to it. I enjoy understanding the purpose of the choices an author makes in their book—be it a scene placement, writing style or character death— and the more coherent the reason for these choices, the better my experience. Throughout her book, Cecy Robson has made many such choices that eventually layer to form an impressive tapestry that validates the presence and importance of every single detail that is featured in it. Alternating perspectives between the main characters is one such detail that provides great meaning to the readers, helping us connect to them, perceive the stark differences in their lives, understand their flaws and root for their beliefs. I was immediately enamoured by both the MCs in Bloodguard from the moment their voices were revealed.
The worldbuilding in Bloodguard, in my opinion happens on every page and is hidden within every moment. Robson has truly used every tool in her skill set to create a cumulatively comprehensive structure to explain the rules of her world, the lives of its people, the politics and state of the Kingdom and then she has expertly tied them all together in a way that connects all the dots and lights up your reader mind in shock and awe. Every reader, including me, enjoys a well plotted story with foreshadowing, emotions and plot twists and every page of Bloodguard is evidence that Robson has created and executed exactly that.
The pace of Bloodguard was extremely even. I found myself making surprising headway, despite my slump, until about 70% of the book. Once we cross the 70% mark, the book flies. The stakes propel to monumental heights, the story starts to come together in a way you do not expect, there are tears, betrayal and drama and an overwhelming sense of helplessness that overtakes you as you wonder how Robson is going to possibly be able to resolve these plot knots. However, there’s not a moment to think, to pause or to suspect as Robson ties your eyes, hands and heart to her words and submerges you in the experience so exhilarating, painful and beautiful that you wonder—despite being an avid reader—how words on a paper can render an experience as vivid as this was.
The true heart of Bloodguard lies rooted in its characters. Yes, the perspective only alternatives between the two MCs, but there are so many wonderful secondary and tertiary characters that are such an important part of this book. Outside of the fact that well written secondary and tertiary characters add a lot of personality to any story and reinforce the readers’ understanding of the world, it makes so much sense to have them in a book focused on three different aspects of the world—a flourishing Kingdom, its determined Princess and a Gladiator from a small village. Robson has clearly taken all this into account as she plunges us deep into the lives of the common people, the Nobles, the voiceless and the loud. I enjoyed the politics, emotions and presence of all these characters and was genuinely surprised with how well the author had fleshed out all the characters, even while ensuring they were more than just plot devices. While found family might not be one of the tropes that this book describes itself to have, I would personally add that to it. The sense of togetherness that comes from some of the scenes is so profound and I hold those moments close to my heart.
The plot in Bloodguard has a great way of distracting you from its true intentions. It holds your hand, walks you to the garden, shows you the flowers and it’s thorns and you watch mesmerised until you see a flash of light and look up and find the shooting star that was the actual event you were meant to witness. Then, when the shooting star casts its light over the whole story, revealing it for what it really is, you are left reeling. You won’t see it coming and the thing is you don’t have to. Robson has done all the heavy lifting, so that the reader can sit back and enjoy.
The final, but most crucial part of Bloodguard that drenches every single one of its pages is the writing. Robson had my heart from the very start with her words and while Bloodguard is not without its faults, the writing and narration of the story is done with so much of emotion, it truly felt like the author has poured herself into the pages of her romantasy. Robson’s style was gripping, heart wrenching, hopeful and powerful and carried Bloodguard all the way through. Even the animals in the book stir our sentiments and ignite our spirits and if that’s not good writing, what else is it?
However, I will also agree that there are some aspects of Bloodguard that are less developed than the rest. The romance, as sweet and lovely as it is, has more of an enemies to lovers set-up and not the actual trope, as there’s somewhat of an insta-connection that develops swiftly over the course of the book. There was also one or two other aspects that had a great effect towards the end because of the writing but was not built as well and come as a surprise both in a way that it was meant to and in a way it was not.
But there’s just something about Bloodguard that makes you look past all this and see the soul of the book; which is that it’s an entertaining, immersive, emotional tale of two unlikely people meeting and their worlds colliding in an explosion of colour, pain, healing and change.
Bloodguard was a solid 9 out of 10 read for me. I absolutely cannot wait for you to dive into this emotional adventure! Please check content warnings before reading this book, there are themes in it that can be triggering for some.
Bloodguard is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up Bloodguard? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise…
Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie.
Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena―vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive―would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose.
He was wrong―and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity.
All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day.
Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard―and his freedom.
But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap.
Nor will his ultimate revenge…
