This is a rather odd book - definitely not bad but a slightly unimpressive.

Vel and Cae are both well developed and unique characters. Even if the book did not delegate first person narration to one of them and third person narration to the other, the readers would have been able to tell the two protagonists apart quite easily. Their relationship was also well developed, they made a good pair.

Here's the thing though, this book is quite long and because it's long, it becomes slightly repetitive. Although nothing happens twice, a pattern in the plot progression becomes clear. The final twist is quite predictable but somehow kind of makes one of the characters behave unlike themself in order to make sense.

The worldbuilding is very thorough: the world is interesting and quite novel. Magic is present within the world but is largely ignored unless convenient for the characters. The Ralia vs Tithena debate kind of lacked complexity: one is Bad :( , the other is Good :). It would have been nice to see a more complex approach.

Overall, an interesting but rather longwinded book. Also, be aware that the book handles topics of rape, self harm and suicidal ideation in graphic detail on page.

-This was better than I expected and I enjoyed every single second of it
-Loved the exploration
-The political intrigue was great
-Some of the plot/things going on we’re not flushed out well
-Be mindful of triggers

As much as I wanted to love this, I am giving it a 3/5. The worldbuilding itself was incredibly well planned and detailed, but the main characters were where it fell flat for me. I did not know much about either of them other than they wanted each other. Their personalities were devoid of anything unique other than that one fact. Many side characters were absolutely wonderful, though. I also applaud the reaction, recovery, and healing journey that took place following the rape scene in the beginning of the book.

I’ve been trying to think about why this book didn’t quite work for me when I LOVED Winter’s Orbit (basically the same book but with spaceships instead of magic) and I think it boiled down to AS&SE taking itself too seriously. I’m pretty sure that I (and other readers who intentionally picked up a fantasy romance about an arranged diplomatic marriage between two men) don’t need so many didactic interludes where the protagonist from a Less Enlightened Land gets the More Enlightened Ways of His New Land explained to him, you know? But I may just be a grump, so jf that doesn’t sound too bad to you, give the book a shout. I also really didn’t like that the POV alternated between 1st person for one protagonist and 3rd for the other.

Warnings, because I’ve heard that some readers were nastily surprised by the darker tone of this book: there’s a rape scene right at the beginning of the book and a whole bunch of suicidal ideation following, including a failed suicide attempt.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This book was so fun. I really enjoyed it. This book kept me interested and i enjoyed the book and this genre

I have been searching all year for a fantasy romance that I would love and here it is! I loved the two leads in this story and thought it was such a compelling choice to have one be written in first person while the other in third. I also really enjoy a story of healing in my romance, which we definitely get to explore with one of our leads (there are content warnings and the harm caused to one of our characters is graphically on page). I also just found the plot to be fun. I figured out the "answer" to the mystery pretty early on but still had a fun time and even didn't mind the reveal. The background political mystery plot felt like a campy way to natural incorporate tension that allowed for our leads to develop chemistry and get to know each other. Something I also loved is that all tension between them had nothing to do with the miscommunication trope so although we were constantly wondering who was going to betray our characters, they were not paranoid about each other. I also adored the main friendship we are introduced to in the first part. At first I was nervous because there was a power imbalance but the more I learned about how they met and how much they meant to each other and how they are transitioning to new roles in this new kingdom I just loved it so much. Basically I had a blast and felt things, which is what I want from a fantasy romance so if the content warnings are not a deal breaker for you I highly recommend.

I LOVED this book, but it's a tough one to recommend. The explicit on page rape is jarring (which I get, that's a horrific thing to go through), but as someone who has been sexually assaulted, I was unprepared for just how explicit the rape would be. Luckily, I was able to read past that to the beautiful story that came after since it's been quite a few years for me. I'll honestly be reluctant to recommend this one to people because you never know who has gone through something like that and how fresh it might be for them. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book and the care that was taken with trauma following the rape. The romance was sweet and just the right kind of slow burn for this kind of story.

Velasin vin Aaro is a closeted gay man in an extremely homophobic society. When a former lover assaults him in front of a diplomat, Velasin is sent to marry Caethari Aeduria instead of the princess he was expecting. A rather flimsy mystery of who opposes their union drives the plot. Content warnings for rape and attempted suicide are needed, and these events are used for character development That's where the novel lost me - the scenes are graphic and referenced often, and are the basis for character relationships. The mystery plot is rather vapid, even grading on the curve of romance mysteries, and the heroes solve the mystery by literally walking in on the plotters having a "here's to evil" meeting.

I loved this book! A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a long book, but definitely worth it. The writing was excellent and so was the story and the characters. I really enjoyed this one and I know a lot of other people will too!

Foz Meadows writes a beautiful love story and pairs it with an engaging plot that had me flipping through the pages as fast as I could.
Velasin and Caethari are complete opposite yet fit together like pieces in a puzzle, and their relationship grows achingly sweet throughout as they learn more about each other. I especially appreciated experiencing it from both POVs as it made small milestones stand out even further.

Plotwise, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is interesting and mysterious in a way that plays off the romance very well, especially as it is all about that romance. The foreshadowing is subtle which meant the ending took me by surprise, though the pieces fell into place in retrospect.

Overall a fantastic romance book that I flew threw.

There's a lot to enjoy about this book! The worldbuilding is intricate and feels lived-in, and the primary characters are quite appealing. The plot, however, feels oddly stuck between a fantasy romance and a political fantasy, with the result that the pacing is uneven and bounces somewhat awkwardly between lulls and action. Most of the side characters feel under-developed -- which, again, would suit a fantasy romance just fine but undercuts (and makes pretty predictable) the political plotline. (It doesn't help that several functionary characters have names that are very similar, with just the same consonants arranged in slightly different orders). Overall, I enjoyed the read and the romance, but the book felt a little underbaked.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance (Tor, 2022) is marketed as a historical fantasy novel, but its subtle and humane sweetness set it aside from most examples of the genre. Though it offers political intrigues and battles, it is also a compassionate exploration of a man’s recovery from assault and homophobia with the help of his new husband.

The man in question, Velasin vin Aaro, exhibits little purpose in life when we first meet him at his father’s estate. The third son of a nobleman, he’s an insecure dilettante who is forced to conduct his affairs with other men in secrecy, due to the restrictive religious beliefs of his native country. When he’s promised to a noblewoman from the neighboring country of Tithena in order to cement a new alliance, Velasin feels like he has no choice but to go along with his father’s wishes. However, when a former lover forces himself onto Velasin and the two men are discovered undressed, his preferences are revealed. Rather than dissolving the alliance, the envoy from Tithena suggests marriage to the prospective bride’s brother instead, to everyone’s surprise.

Velasin, shaken from the assault and forsaken by his father, takes his dear servant Markel and a few possessions and sets off to a country he barely knows, where his husband, Caethari, awaits him. From there on the story alternates between the two perspectives. Caethari, a well-adjusted warrior with a good understanding of boundaries, is ready to welcome his new husband, but someone else isn’t—and is trying to break up the impending union with covert attacks and attempted assassinations from various people. Even more disturbing, this conspiracy claims to be acting under the directive of the Wild Knife—Caethari’s fighting name.

Caethari and Velasin will need to work together as partners to survive—and perhaps grow into their roles as husbands in the process.

Y'all, I finished this book back in July and haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. It is hands down one of my top three favorite books of 2022 and as of right now it is tied with A Lady for a Duke as my favorite of the year. The thing is I haven't been able to write a review for it. How do I describe what I loved about this book without spoilers and with adequate words to portray my feelings?

Honestly, I haven't figured it out beyond saying I loved it! And go read it now!

This book, y’all. It made my heart full. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It even made me gasp out loud. And it was beautifully and delightfully queer. And the slow burn romance! Totally swoon worthy! Someone please tell me there’s going to be a sequel or companion novel or something because I need more! More of this world and more of these characters!

That being said there are some heavy topics in this book and the TW/CWs (see below) should definitely be paid attention to. I will say that these topics were treated with the kindness and respect they deserved without sugarcoating them. I can only applaud Foz Meadows for her treatment of them.

Well. That's it. That’s the review. Go read it and come talk to me about it in the comments!

TW/CW: sexual assault/rape (on page), suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide/self harm, homophobia, PTSD/trauma, violence, injury/injury detail, blood, murder, animal death (horse).*

*There are probably more but these are the major ones that I remember.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

https://beforewegoblog.com/book-review-a-strange-and-stubborn-endurance-by-foz-meadows/

A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE IS A STUNNING ROMANTIC FANTASY THAT DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT EMOTIONAL PUNCH ALONG WITH SOME OF THE BEST QUEERNORMATIVE WORLDBUILDING I’VE EVER SEEN.

When A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was suggested to me, I thought I’d be picking up a fantasy romance, but it quickly became clear that as important and gorgeous as the romance was, the larger story carried equal weight, so I’m calling it a romantic fantasy. We get dark themes right away, including an on-page sexual assault and subsequent self-harm, and the author weaves these awful moments and their aftermath into the narrative with painful poignancy. The assault occurs on the eve of the intended union between two kingdoms, and the subsequent twist on this arranged marriage plot is unexpected and deeply thought-provoking.

Cover of A Strange and Stubborn EnduranceWe move with Velasin and his new fiancé Caethari from a homophobic, patriarchal society into one of openness and tolerance, with trans and nonbinary characters playing prominent roles. It’s emotional whiplash Velasin isn’t ready for, especially with his assault and his father’s reaction to the discovery of his homosexuality fresh on his mind. I was blown away by the care taken with the worldbuilding in terms of gender and identity. There’s a third gender in Tithena with its own neopronouns (thei/thir) and talk of magical transitioning options for trans characters, one of whom we get to know fairly well. There’s also a great disabled side character, Markel, Velasin’s manservant/life partner, who’s mute, and the way the author shows other characters interacting with Markel and learning his sign language is perfect. Tithena is a very open and tolerant society with zero queerphobia, but that doesn’t mean it’s a paradise, as we soon find out.

Of the two main plots in the book, the romance and the fantasy/mystery plot, the romance is by far the stronger. A series of assassination attempts (some successful) and other strange happenings seem to come in rapid succession just as the plot needs them, and I became increasingly disinterested in that side of the plot, which is fairly traditional in its way. Questions of succession, inheritance, and court intrigue blended together in my mind with the seemingly endless series of attacks and attempts to solve them. It wasn’t that it was poorly done—it was fine, and fans of this sort of thing will enjoy it, but it was the romance that kept me reading because it was absolutely DIVINE.

Velasin comes to Tithena as a damaged person, surly and withdrawn and afraid to let anyone get close, for obvious reasons—a toxic sexual assaulting ex, not to mention the culture shock of living openly in a kingdom where he is married to another man instead of hiding his identity. Caetheri is patient and understanding, though his attraction to Velasin is undeniable, and they agree to live as married friends. But little by little, Meadows teases out tendrils of hope that they can become more than that, and this is what kept me flipping the pages, hungry for more.

I want to be clear: this is a slow burn, perhaps a little slower than I might have liked, but I’m impatient like that. For most readers, it will be the perfect burn, and it has brilliant emotional depth to it. The characters are fully realized, complex people with their own sets of problems and concerns that weigh on them and slow the progress of their relationship. The events of the plot help push them closer together, and as they work to overcome the very real challenges keeping them apart, we root for them harder and harder.

By the end of the book, though I wasn’t super invested in the political mystery plot, I was riveted by the main pairing. Caethari and Velasin are an iconic couple, one I will not soon forget. Meadows draws out every bit of the growing closeness between them, from forced proximity to accidental nakedness to peril, and I can honestly say that I cheered out loud when they finally (FINALLY!) got together. And after all that pining and waiting and almost-but-not-quite moments, the blessed act was both hot and tender, a perfect mix of emotional and physical intoxication.

Oh, and the prose! How could I forget such gorgeous, careful wordsmithing? Meadows writes like no other, a breathy mix of nineteenth century eloquence and the best that contemporary prose has to offer. I highlighted passage after passage, line after line, until I finally gave up and just let myself swim in the words, which carried the already breathtaking romance to new emotional heights.

You should read A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows if you want a romantic fantasy with superb worldbuilding, depth of character, and prose, with a slow-building romance that culminates in a most satisfying physical and emotional conclusion. This is one of the best books I have read in the romantasy field, and it deserves a place on your bookshelf and in your heart.

I DNFed this book at a little over 50%, which I was sorry to do. The premise, a fantasy romance with an LGBTQ+ couple forced into a political marriage that turns into true love, was intriguing but the execution couldn't keep my interest. It read like a fleshed-out fanfiction entry, and I wasn't into the overly done writing style.

On the positive side, "A Strange and Stubborn Endurance" was fast-paced and had a diverse, inclusive cast of characters that included gay, trans, and disabled people. But that was about all I liked about it. Certain parts of the story didn't quite make sense. For example, a character's father was attacked and instead of rushing to his father's side, he took the time to get another character clothing first. Then a powerful political figure opened up and explained all of her strategies to the main character, Velasin, immediately after meeting him. Even if he did just marry into the family, that seemed unlikely to me. "Hi, I just met you, and have no reason to trust you, but here's all my thinking on who I'm choosing to be my heir."

In general, the world=building read like info dumps. Every new tradition and custom Velasin comes across is overly explained. We are told rather than shown Ralian and Titheni customs over and over again in a tiresome amount of dry detail. There's also magic in this world, but it felt rather pointless (at least in the first half of the book). A few weak spells are thrown around but the magical system isn't fully developed.

I finally had to quit reading when there was a punitive measure taken against a character that literally turned my stomach. Other people may enjoy this book, but it just wasn't for me.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a vivid high-fantasy read that grapples with both desire and fear in a complex and intricate way, while also navigating the political and personal conflict of healing deep wounds. Velasin and Caethari are a wonderful spin on the arranged-marriage trope and I found their story to be the heart and endurance of the novel. They easily deserve another story.
I struggled with some of the denser and winding language, however, and found that it inhibited some of my experience. Also, I found that some of the secondary and tertiary characters fell flat in comparison to our lead's full-rounded arcs.
I do also deeply appreciate Meadows' trigger warnings before the beginning of the novel, because the content at the forefront took me some mental time to process. They exist for a reason, and the story may not be for everyone. Regardless, stories of assault and placing value in the survivor's narrative should not be unaccounted for, and Meadows does offer an earnest portrayal of healing.

One thing I’ve enjoyed with the mainstreaming of queer stories is we can now have all the tropes associated with romance, fantasy, etc., without having to rely on “coming out” or other stereotypical issues in queer fiction. It’s trading one set of tropes for another, but at least it’s now possible to read whatever genre you want, just with highly visible queer characters. There’s a lot of diversity in this one, both with sexuality and gender, as well as disability visibility with a mute character.

Velasin is gay, but in Ralian society, that’s against their religion, so he maintains a small circle of queer people, but knows he’s still constrained by societal conventions. He’s a third son with a small income, sort of sliding through life hoping no one will notice he’s gay. His father summons him to tell him he’s being married off to a Tithenian noblewoman, and he can’t exactly protest, as this is how things are done.

His former lover who cheated on him shows up and tries to seduce him, which ends up being a sexual assault on the page. Uncomfortable to read but not overly graphic, this early scene sets the stage for later events. The Tithenians are a much more tolerant society, so their ambassador suggests marrying him off to the noblewoman’s brother instead. This is a slightly better deal for Valasin, but it’s still an arranged marriage to a stranger, and his family is cutting him off due to the scandal, so he’s going off to a strange land, never to return home.

Caethari is surprised to learn he’s going to marry Valasin, but he isn’t quite sure what to make of the situation, nor his future husband. When Valasin and his Tithenian escort party are attacked at the gates of his new home, Caethari is a witness, and begins investigating what turns out to be a plot with possible court intrigue. Is the enemy within or from one of the many neighboring countries? The two work together to figure it out, in one of the strangest “get to know your husband” methods ever seen.

I enjoyed the characters, but I would have liked to see a bit more of court intrigues. There are hints of it, but it’s difficult to understand some of the “who, what, where, and why” without more details. The reveal of who’s behind the plot losing a bit of punch without laying out why they do it before they do a Villain Monologue explaining it. Some sequences felt a bit long, and might have been tightened up to allow more of the character and worldbuilding details to set up the reveal. I guessed correctly before the reveal, but if it was to be someone we’d actually seen on the page, there weren’t that many options.

This is a romantic fantasy, which is a favorite genre, and I would love to read more set in this world. I would also say this has a lot of fanfic tropes and writing style, but that is in no way a negative thing.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Despite being comped to books I truly loved, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance really was not the book for me. The novel ended up having more A Little Life energy to me than Winter’s Orbit energy, and thus I DNF’d it around 30%.

Tonally, I was expecting something more positive and uplifting from the blurb and cover copy. There is a content warning for sexual assault at the beginning of the novel (amongst others), but I do think readers should be advised that this novel centers Vel’s recovery from sexual assault, which is also graphically depicted on page. It plays a far more significant part in the narrative than I realized and I found it heavy-handed on the suffering and needlessly gratuitous; other readers may find it cathartic or healing.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

BY: SAFIA H. SENHAJI
ISSUE: 1 AUGUST 2022

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows, one of my most highly anticipated books of the year, is delightful and lush and absolutely worth the wait. Apart from containing some of my favourite tropes and pairings, it is a hopeful and healing story of recovery and belonging. A standalone fantasy romance with Byzantine politics, a little bit of magic, amazing characters, and great diversity, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance delivers all of the romantic and found-family feels a reader could want—as well as fleshed-out characters, setting, and oftentimes humorous lines

http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/a-strange-and-stubborn-endurance-by-foz-meadows/

Grade: B- / 3.5 stars

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is an enjoyable fantasy romance novel in which an arranged marriage provides the spark for murder, intrigue and political shenanigans. The worldbuilding is solid, with well-developed and detailed societal customs and hierarchies, the protagonists are likeable and the central romance is tender and drips with lots of lovely UST. On the downside, the book is at least a hundred and fifty pages too long, the pacing is stodgy in places, and the mystery is too drawn out and easily resolved.

When the story begins, Velasin vin Aaro, a nobleman of Ralia, is on his way home in response to a summons from his father. He has no idea what it’s about, and hopes word has not reached home of his more… disreputable exploits; namely that he beds men rather than women, something Ralian society considers a degenerate perversion. Travelling with him is his best friend and valet Markel (who is mute); left behind is his former lover, Lord Killic vin Lato, whom Velasin dumped after discovering him cheating – again.

Not long after his arrival, Velasin discovers why he’s been brought home. His father has arranged a marriage for him with the daughter of the Tiern (Lord) of Qi-Katai in Tithenia – and Velasin knows he has no alternative but to agree to the match. The Tithenai envoy is to arrive the next day, but before Velasin can think much about what’s to come, he’s stunned and angry to hear that Killic has followed him and is asking to see him. He tries wheedling his way back into Vel’s good graces with pretty words – and when those don’t work, he resorts to sex, and won’t take no for an answer. Be warned, the assault happens on the page (it’s hard to read, but so much of what follows is built around it, it would be impossible to remove it) – and stops only when they’re seen by Velasin’s father and the Tithenian envoy, who has arrived early. Wretched, humiliated, sick to his stomach Velasin watches as Killic is run off while he is left alone in utter disgrace.

The following morning, Velasin is summoned to his father’s presence and informed that the marriage is still to go ahead. He’s surprised to see that the envoy is “one of Tithena’s third-gender souls, called kemi…” whose existence “scandalised the Ralian court”, which is rigidly traditional about everything including gender roles and women’s rights (or lack thereof). Equally surprising is the envoy’s suggestion that instead of marrying the Tiern’s daughter, Velasin might marry his son without changing the terms of the contract. Velasin’s father is aghast at the idea of his son marrying a man, but agrees – then tells Vel he can never return home again.

Caethari Xai Aeduria is surprised to discover that he, rather than his sister, is to be married, but at least has a little time to get used to the idea while the Ralian convoy is en route to Qi-Katai. He’s curious about his future husband, but has been able to find out little about him, and really isn’t sure what he ought to feel or how he should act when they meet. That becomes of secondary importance once Velasin arrives, however; watching from the rooftop, Cae sees the convoy enter through the city gate, and then watches helplessly as someone in the crowd rushes at Velasin with a knife – which is deflected by Markel, who bears the brunt of the strike. Hurrying to the scene, Cae almost collides with a very dishevelled and worried Velasin, who is desperate to get to Markel’s side. It’s not exactly the way Cae had envisaged meeting his betrothed.

Even before Velasin arrived in Qi-Katai, there were signs of trouble when the caravan travelling from Ralia was attacked, leaving one guard dead and others injured. The attack at the city gate is followed by one on Cae’s father – all of them pointing to there being a deep-seated anti-Ralian sentiment at large and to someone intending to destabilise the already fragile relations between Ralia and Tithena.

I was looking forward to getting my teeth into a plot filled with conspiracies and court intrigue, but the mystery plot is fairly weak, little more than a series of events, one after the other, with no real escalation or building on what has gone before, and no real investigation. Vel and Cae ask questions, but are never given the time or opportunity to act on the answers as it seems that every time they come close to doing so, another character interrupts them and sends things off in a different direction or just continues the earlier conversation without reaching any conclusions. It’s too drawn out with little happening, and then, to add insult to injury, the reveal happens literally by accident when Velasin and Cae overhear the bad guys arguing and blaming each other for not doing things properly!

The romance is easily the best thing in the book, as Cae gently tries to help Velasin work through his trauma, offering friendship and understanding and not pushing for anything more. The way they move from being strangers to forging a tentative friendship, then from friendship to absolute trust and more is really well done, with great chemistry and lots of lingering touches and longing looks that build the romantic and sexual tension.

Grading A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was tough because while the plot leaves much to be desired, the romance is lovely, and there are many other things about the book that should be celebrated. I’ve mentioned the worldbuilding already – and within that, there’s excellent queer rep that includes prominent non-binary and trans characters and a welcoming society for all. Velasin’s bewilderment at becoming part of this society is well portrayed, too; having been brought up within the strict conventions of Ralia, he finds it hard to adjust to the fact that he no longer has to hide his sexuality or be surprised at the fact that people like him are treated with respect. He has no idea what is expected of him as Cae’s husband, and is struggling to un-learn many of the things he’s been brought up to believe. He’s a more well-developed character than Cae, who thinks of himself as a bluff soldier, good in combat, not so good when it comes to reading people and politicking. Fortunately, Cae proves to be very insightful and sensitive to the needs of others, intuiting almost at once that all is not well with Velasin and determining to help him however he can. I also liked watching him get turned on by his husband’s mind on those occasions where Velasin is able to cast off his self-doubt and desire for self-effacement, and reveal his true self – inquisitive, clever, observant, a charmer who is skilled at playing the courtier and navigating his way through layers of malice and misdirection. In fact, I wish we’d seen much more of that side of him, especially as part of his journey in this book is finding his way back to being the person he was before the assault and realising he doesn’t have to let it define him.

I really wish I could give A Strange and Stubborn Endurance a strong recommendation because of all the things it gets right, but the weakness of the plot really does drag it down and the slow pacing makes it difficult to invest in the outcome – especially when it seems that sometimes, even the characters themselves have forgotten about it! The final ten percent or so is terrific, and had the rest of the book been able to sustain that level of nail-biting tension, I’d be extolling its virtues. In the end, I’m going with a low B and qualified recommendation overall – a low C for the mystery and a high B for the romance, worldbuilding, characters and representation. I’d definitely read another fantasy romance from this author – here’s hoping for something tighter next time.