Captive Prince

This book series is a weird choice for me considering all the trigger warnings. I've been curious about it ever since its glory days when it was really popular and I thought I can always DNF it if it gets too much.

I don't like to read explicit scenes in books, most are usually cringy to super cringy. Even more so, non-consensual events are revolting. Which is why I had to fast-forward through the questionable scenes in this book. Luckily there were not that many, despite the overall atmosphere in these kingdoms.

But the overall plot was intriguing. I was pulled into finding out how things would wrap up for Damen (Damianos) who suffered one of the most frightening fates imaginable. As a future King to be, his throne was usurped by his brother who came from his father's illegitimate relationship, he gets captured and sent as a “gift” to the neighboring Kingdom, Vere.

We soon find out that Vere is a very effed up place. Which is where I would have handled things differently. The whole "pets" angle was unnecessary. For many reasons. For example, the context of Damen and Laurent's relationship would have been less repulsive. I don't get why it was needed to gross out the reader by having a kingdom where individuals lived in constant fear of being molested or raped. There could have been tension around Damen's situation without all of that. Vere could have still had the characteristic that they permitted extramarital affairs but because they were so obsessed with not having illegitimate children they allowed taking lovers only of the same sex. The context of the "pets" in Vere was also contradictory. In some parts, they were described as slaves in others they were described as "employed" meaning they got money and status out of it. The whole slavery subplot was kinda poorly done, in general, in this series. On one hand, it was shown that the "pets" and slaves were subjected to abhorrent treatment, abuses, and on the other hand, it was implied that it could be a joyous thing when presented with a good "master", see Erasmus's chapter and Damen's thoughts in the beginning. Nicaise was also used to villanize Laurent's uncle but the Regent was never directly confronted about being a pedophile. I would have preferred a more clear cut approach to denouncing the detestable practices in these kinddoms. In a way, I do understand the choice of having Vere, Akielos, and the others like this because the intention was to build on the fact that Laurent was a better man than the rest and that he was the right choice for King. Because when everyone there enjoyed being a pervert with all the "pet" and slave lifestyle, he personally did not keep or use a slave until he was "gifted" Damon. It's implied he does not support this practice. But he "keeps" Damen with him for a reason we find out in later books. He also did not personally do anything to Damen but at the same time, he does have one of the court "pets" do it so it's just as bad. That scene did not need to happen. It was never addressed and it just taints their relationship way more than the lashing does. The image of the "potentially better man Laurent" is in total contrast with the Laurent present in this first book. Because in this first book you can't see how Laurent could ever become redeemable. He's beautiful, smart, cunning but ruthless. He has Damen flayed by having him receive lashes until the brink of death. His intention is really to kill Damen (because of reasons that will be revealed later on, in case it's not obvious already) but he survives by miracle or well, plot convenience. But besides that, something even worse happens. He has one of the "pets" molest Damen, non-consensual engagement is still rape. So it's nearly impossible to see how he can come back from that. Other readers have complained about the lack of romance in this book but I was thankful because I don't want to see romance when this is so fresh in my mind. Let's face if it were real life and Laurent and Damen were real people I would never ship them no matter how much atoning was happening in the future. In the context of Vere and Akeilos, I could see it, maybe. The one compelling aspect was Damen's fate, from the beginning. He was the force that kept me going to find out how things will wrap up for him. Betrayed by his brother, with everybody but the traitors believing he was dead and shipped off to be a slave by non-other than the future King of the neighboring Kindom, whose brother he had killed on the battlefield. So not only did he have to live stripped of his former life but also in fear Laurent would discover who he is and that he killed his brother which will lead him promptly to execution. He also felt guilty about Auguste's death which made him too compliant for my taste. Laurent's treatment of him is very inconsistent, at times abominable, at times quite humane which is a choice.Their relationship takes a turn when there's an attempt of murder on Laurent and Damen saved him even though he had no reasons to. It might be his principles, it might be his guilt, but he saves him. Laurent also saves Damen back when they try to pin the attack on him and there's an understanding that maybe they can rely on each other when things go awry. Damen is also a gray area character. On one hand, he was naive enough to not see the danger coming from his brother because he cares for and looks up to Kastor, he gets involved and tries to improve the life of some of the slaves, once he's in Vere, he saves Laurent's life though it's not clear that it's not in self-interest, he refuses to participate in the rape of Govart when he wins on the ring during one of their disturbing games. On the other hand, he doesn't think that the kind of slavery they have in Akielos is wrong until he becomes one of those slaves.

So I'm torn about this book. It did have elements that are hard to digest but it also had a gripping political plot with high stakes and some intriguing characters. Even though I enjoyed the plot and characters overall, I still can't ignore the shady aspects of this book, it did prevent me from complete immersion in the story.