Queen of Rot and Pain: A Dark Fantasy Romance (The Pale Court)

Beccaroo

Magnificently Dark

"Was this a happy ending filled with sunshine and rainbows? No. It was a happy ending with corpses, slaughter, and mutual villainy - and DANGIT I want more. I want the brother gods to have their own books. I want more of this world because I *know* that I am going to have a book hang over that rivals the ones I had from ACOTAR and the IPB series. So. SPOILERS AHEAD. I’m gonna talk about the story, beginning to end - so if you don’t want spoilers, scroll awaaay. Listen. Mortal woman who’s been condemned for years for being “barren” is caught in a dead donkey’s leathers and dragged across the land in a journey that took a “full day to ride”. She pulls up in the Pale Court - which is where all bones and flesh go when they die. She - and the rest of the realm she lives in - don’t believe in the real god because they were abandoned by him 200 years prior and have been taught by priests to worship a false golden sun god. Obviously, after her ride, she’s nearly dead. Death gosh “Enosh” doesn’t let her die - he “steals” her final breath away from his “soul god” brother Another-E-Name and keeps her captive in his court “because she’s warm”. Did I think this was a BIT insta-lovey? Well, it was definitely insta-obsession for Mr Enosh, despite all his mistrust and hatred of humans - for JUSTIFIED reasons, I want to add. Listen. If you haven’t read this duo yet but you’ve seen the reviews, you might be wary. Look. I was too. But a friend convinced me to read it and… everything I thought I knew was wrong. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS HE DOES NOT BURY HER ALIVE *all the way* He just… starts to before he realises that he can’t go through with it. HE DOESN’T BREAK HER LEGS *he twists them* He’s the god of flesh and bone. He can essentially reform her bones and handicap her when he’s frightened she might run away - and he doesn’t like to cause pain (without cause that is) SURE. Just because a body is pliant because of magic doesn’t mean the body is willing - so when he screws her before they get married, it’s all… non-consensual. Like, pretty solidly she’d say no if she could. If you’re looking for a hero that respects the female main character’s wishes?? Maybe look somewhere other than a book with a plot that is based on the hero keeping her captive and “enslaved”?? Like??? There’s a massive amount of “spice” - but a huuuuge portion of it is rape. But hey. In the second book, she gets back at him and rapes him on his throne so… EQUALITY? Also. His realisation that he was being a POS and his apologies afterward? I woulda liked more grovelling, maybe some revenge spice beyond her making him pull out - but it was still well done. The erotic scenes are all written hot (maybe not as explicit as I was hoping considering how eloquent the prose about all the corpses were) but in a way that makes the reader kinda uncomfortable cause it’s rape? And just cause they end up happy doesn’t justify any of it? But when dealing with a god of corpses and murder and enslaved souls and… Kay. It’s dark. But like, it ends up being… No. Still freakin’ dark af. I can’t even pretend. The Stockholm Syndrome is stroooong with this. But, in this genre?? What’s new? Tell a woman who has never been praised or appreciated that she’s precious and… well?? I’d probably fall in love too. So. In other news??? I had absolutely no idea how triggering this book would be for me - but in a mostly healing way?? Infertility, miscarriage, magically undying fetus that can’t grow because her mortal mother DIED while pregnant. The FMC is a midwife - so that was pretty heavy - but furthermore she is barren herself. An “unwoman”. As a reader who IS barren and unable to have the 12 children I dreamt of?? F**k this book was heart wrenching. It was well done though - done in a way that is going to live in my head for years to come. And the near shattering of her soul when she found out that she’d finally gotten pregnant after all and been MURDERED??!!! I felt that resonate in my soul, literally. It’s gonna haunt me for a while… But in a good way. Basically? My review is this. UTTERLY MAGNIFICENT and BEAUTIFULLY unique. I got vibes of the legend of “Eros and Psyche” - but a lil’ demented and filled with nauseating descriptions of corpses, murder, and possessions “made of skin, bone, and bug shells” which *shudder* good for Ada, glad she can appreciate. I could never. I’ll be buying physical copies and, I’m sure, re-reading this half a dozen times a year. ["

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September 16, 2022 Verified Purchase

Quisha

Good, but….

"I know she had to become the Queen of Rot and Pain but in order to she had to lose all her mortality??? Ada is strong willed and won’t let anyone including her husband tell her what to do. And I love that she has her own mind. It was hard liking Enosh in the first book but in this one, chef’s kiss… When he loves, he loves hard!! I’m hoping that Yarin and Elam get their own books ["

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January 27, 2026 Verified Purchase

Kent

Absolutely a must read!

"Both book one and two had such an amazing story line! It had me on the edge of my seat with all of the emotions! I absolutely loved this duo and I would recommend this to anyone. I have my friend reading the first book now ["

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May 19, 2026 Verified Purchase

paula rejas

Love the darkness

"Love that the book had a dark undertone, no one is good in the story and even the one good person goes dark for selfish reasons. Still seeing their relationship bloom is what kept this story going. Good drama. Not the best, not the worst. ["

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January 28, 2026 Verified Purchase