Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Summary:

When Rachelle was fifteen, she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

I fell in love with the author’s writing in Cruel Beauty and I was so excited to read another book by her set in an entirely different world. Crimson Bound didn’t disappoint and I would probably say I ended up liking the novel better than Cruel Beauty.

Although the book is a dark retelling of Red Riding Hood, the mythology is poles apart. The world building was truly exceptional in Crimson Bound. Hodge has the ability to write beautiful, dark descriptions that make the reader feel immersed in the setting.

Rachelle is a complex character who lives in the gray area between good and evil. She has made some horrible mistakes, but she doesn’t want to end up controlled by the evil living in the Great Forest. She accepts her doomed fate, but crafts a plan to help save humanity before the evil consumes her.

I really loved the book up until the final third. I just grew a little irritated of Rachelle and some of her choices. Plus, I didn’t really care for the love triangle. I liked the characters involved in the romance, but I just didn’t feel the development was realistic. 

Overall, despite a few plot points I didn’t care for, I really still liked Crimson Bound. I can’t wait to read what the author comes up with for her next book.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!