I really enjoyed this book and although not a princess kept in isolation under the thumb of cruel men, I found the story relatable. I loved the transformation of Vita from meek girl, to a cunning and resourceful woman.

I am sad that I am DNF’ing this one at around 50%. I struggled from the start of this book with the writing and being able to get into the story. I can’t pin point what it was but it felt very simple and “I’m just going to tell you what’s happening” and I kept trying to rewrite it as I was reading. It also felt like a lot was going on around our main character but she wasn’t doing much, which I know is what her arc will be but I wanted more from her even in the beginning. Giving it two stars still I loved the concept and the storyline. Crueler mercies was definitely a nice change in the fantasy world and felt fresh and different, but this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bindery, and Fantasy & Frens for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Vita was a beloved princess when suddenly her whole world came crashing down around her. Her father ordered the execution of her mother and forced Vita to watch. Soon after Vita was forced into exile away from the kingdom she once knew. 11 years has passed and the Kasri have invaded her new home. Ardaric, the general of the Kasrians, has come to steal Vita away and storm the kingdom for the thrown. Vita is now pushed into the hands of Soline, a lady in waiting, who tells Vita about alchemy. As her world changes once again, Vita does her best to balance her life. But will she end up losing it all or getting everything she hoped for?

This book was so similar to Ava Reid’s Lady Macbeth. Not in the story specifically but the atmosphere and the vibes. Chase has extensive descriptions of the scenes and feelings of characters as they move through this war for power. It’s constantly giving this feeling of a jack in the box about to pop while you turn the handle. I loved it! My heart was pounding moving from scene to scene. You can almost hear the sounds of the castle or the battleground. There’s so much of this book that I loved. My only critique is the breath of the world and the plot. While so much was put into this book, so much was left out. The world building was patchy. Nothing felt fully thought through when it came to understanding where we were in this world. The magic system had no structure at all. It was all a hope and a prayer. Do I think that made it a bad book? Not at all!! I still very much enjoyed and loved this book for what it was but I definitely think the synopsis gives out expectations that were not delivered on.

Overall I am giving this 4.5/5 stars, rounded up. The characters and the story were truly what saved this for me.

Thank you Maren Chase and Bindery Books for a NetGalley ARC copy of Crueler Mercies

DNF at 68%

This book started SO strong! A royal beheading, the FMC being locked away for 11 years, A siege by unknown invaders, followed by a conqueror forcing her hand in marriage. This all happened in the first 70 pages, followed by not much for the next 220 pages after (that I read). When the FMC and her lady's maid started trying alchemy I was so excited because I thought something would surely come of it, but they started one fire and then didn't try again for over a 100 pages at least. The author would also skip weeks at a time, with no notable changes in the war or mention of the FMC trying to find her captured bird (who was supposedly family to her). There was no sense of urgency and the book seemed more focused on the FMCs romantic relationship with her lady's maid, than progressing the political plot. This was one of my most anticipated reads and ended up being such a let down, I'm sure there is a powerful ending, but I can't peak my interest enough to finish.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this book, but I quite enjoyed it. All I knew going in was a sapphic fantasy with female rage, and while that is accurate, it's not a hugely romantic story, and while I liked both characters, there was not a lot of emphasis on their romantic relationship. And the rage was a bit more quiet than expected, but there was a nice build up to it, a slowburn rage if you will.

The book is a single POV story about Vita, a princess who at nine years old was exiled from court after her mother's execution and locked up in a fortress far away. It's essentially a take on a princess in a tower fairytale, and one where the princess gets "rescued" in a way. Except, the man who claims to have liberated her is a general seeking to dethrone her father, and to him Vita is little more than a pawn to get there, and he's forcing Vita to marry him.

Most of the book follows Vita after being freed from her prison, and cast into the next, and she has to navigate her new situation, and try to find some place for herself in it. She doesn't want to marry the general, but he does offer revenge against her father for locking her up and killing her mother, and if she doesn't comply he'll kill her, so she doesn't exactly have a choice here.

I've seen other reviews complain about Vita's lack of agency, and I'm inclined to disagree. She does rebel, and she's scheming and plotting behind the scenes, trying her best with what she has, but she's in a situation where she doesn't have a lot of control. In that sense, it's true she doesn't always have much agency, but that's the kind of story this is. About seeking freedom for herself that is independent from the powerful men in the world, but the circumstances are such that that is not simply a matter of wanting it badly enough. The general makes it very clear that if she is not useful to him anymore, she's too dangerous an enemy and he'd kill her. Vita does not have much to work with.

Vita at the beginning is a 19 year old woman who has been locked into isolation with barely any education since she was nine years old, and she very much reads like a character in these circumstances. That makes her read a bit younger, but I don't think that means the book is YA perse, but it is a voice I imagine not everyone will enjoy. It did make her character feel vibrant though, and I quite enjoyed how she developed in gaining more agency, improving her tactics, and trying to wield power as she could.

Aldaric was a great villain, not the most complex, just a very typical man who thinks he's entitled to whatever he wants. I was really rooting for Vita to kill him most of the book, and I liked this subversion of the "knight rescues princess from the tower" because in a way he did rescue her from the imprisonment and he deeply sucks.

The female rage is something that builds up, and Vita starts out as a sweet, rather passive character, but she does want revenge against her father from the start, and ultimately lands on Aldaric also needing to die. It's not filled with range, but rather building up slowly as Vita tries to grapple with this huge change in her life.

My only complaint about this book is that it did get a bit slow around the middle, and sometimes I wanted Vita to hurry up and do something already, so I think that part of the story could have been tightened a little.

Would recommend this to people who enjoy female characters finding their agency in a patriarchal world

Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Crueler Mercies.

I was excited and intrigued by the description of an exiled princess seeking revenge and falling in love. The story started out strong with a dramatic opening. The pacing at the beginning of the novel felt effective for the amount of time Maren Chase wanted to include. Reading about Vita's years in exile was poignant and sad -- to look forward so deeply to having her hair washed was a good example. And then, everything changed. One fateful day, the enemy general Ardaric takes over the city where Vita is hidden away, and against all odds, she is found, saved, and given a choice: marry the enemy, or die.

At this point, unfortunately, I felt the plot slowly begin to unravel. Vita is given her crew of caretakers, including Soline, Isotta, and Marius. She begins to develop feelings for Soline that she doesn't understand, as she balances this "dangerous" relationship with warring desires to go along with Ardaric's plans or seek revenge on basically all identified enemies in the story, including both Ardaric and her father, the king, who forced her into exile.

Vita seems both extremely naive and all too intelligent at various points for the remainder of the story. It doesn't make much sense that a young child completely uninterested in her lessons has any grasp over running a kingdom, fighting a war, or understanding the intricacies of the relationships between different parts of the world. She is looked down upon as a young nobody, and then also exalted by Ardaric's warriors when she gives a rousing speech before a battle. She is both cruel and delicate. I loved the idea of incorporating alchemy into the story, but this did not really pan out in a way that was any more realistic than the rest of the plot. The way this was incorporated ultimately seemed way too good to be true for two young women seemingly just messing around with a bunch of plants, jewelry, and coins, and hoping for the best. And lastly, romance? That is a bit of a dramatic sell for the actual relationship between Soline and Vita. The end is so unbelievable as to almost be laughable. I like happy endings, but come on....

Isotta and Marius were my favorite, Vita and Soline ended up annoying me quite a bit, and I really disliked almost everyone else. The pace of the plot was good, but nothing else about it really stood out. The book overall read a little more YA to me, which is fine, but if it was billed as such, I might have been a little more convinced by everything. The writing was very good overall. The story did hold my attention. Ultimately, a three for getting me engaged despite all the drawbacks.

What a book! I adore a good standalone fantasy novel, and this fulfilled a craving I didn't know I had. Rich world-building, political intrigue, and a swoon-worthy romance - really, this book had everything. More than a few times I found myself on the edge of my seat when confronted with the violence and brutality of Vita's world.

If I had one complaint it would be that the "magic" and Vita's efforts to learn about it seem more like an afterthought until the last third of the novel. It's not necessarily a bad thing but I did think it would play more of a role.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Maren Chase’s Crueler Mercies is a searing, lyrical tale of fury, exile, and the seductive promise of reclaiming power on your own terms. At its heart is Vita, a fallen princess shaped by grief and sharpened by betrayal, whose long-buried rage refuses to stay dormant. Chase crafts a vivid world in the Kingdom of Carca—rich with courtly deceit, sun-soaked brutality, and the alchemical magic that becomes both salvation and weapon.

The bond between Vita and Soline simmers with tension, desire, and danger, grounding the story in emotion even as it flirts with revolution. The prose is poetic but sharp, echoing the novel’s themes of feminine rage and resilience. Though the pacing occasionally lags in the middle, the payoff is worth it: this is a story that doesn’t just demand justice—it burns for it.

Crueler Mercies is a fierce, intoxicating debut perfect for fans of politically charged fantasy with sapphic romance and sharp edges.

This was ok, overall - the beginning was the strongest part with the Anne Boleyn vibes of nine-year-old Princess Vita's mother being beheaded by order of her father. Vita's existence as she knows it is over and she is exiled while papa goes for Jane Seymour to try to get a son and heir.

Her circumstances much changed, Vita is a confusing lead character much of the time. She is passive, and childish at times, which is understandable as her emotional development has been pretty much stunted, but then we're presented with Vita the politically savvy princess? How? When? She didn't seem to be into her schooling when she was a child, but now understands the intricacies of court intrigue and politics?

The relationship between Vita and Soline wasn't all that convincing, and neither was the ending. Perhaps if more seeds had been planted at the beginning of the book (having Vita be interested in how her father runs his kingdom would be good) then the Vita at the end of the book would feel more believable and her ending would feel earned.

This is a revenge story set in a dark fantasy war setting complete with slow burn sapphic romance, alchemy magic, and court drama. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Maren Chase, set to release on June 3rd.

There are healthy doses of female rage through the entire book. I found myself absolutely loathing the FMC’s father as well as her controlling fiancé. The strength of this story is following Vita’s arc of slowly believing in herself after years of solitude in captivity. Each progression out of her shell feels properly earned, making Vita easy to root for.

I found the world building to be very interesting to the point that I truly hope more stories are told in this world. This is Maren’s debut novel, and I will absolutely welcome whatever she has next for us with open arms.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for giving me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Maren Chase’s Crueler Mercies is a bold, emotionally charged debut that delivers everything its title promises—and more. Set in the sun-drenched yet politically treacherous Kingdom of Carca, the novel follows Princess Vita, a once-beloved royal whose life is shattered when her father executes her mother and casts her into exile.

Years later, Vita is offered a cruel bargain: marry a conquering general or die forgotten. But her path takes a thrilling turn when she meets Soline, a mysterious lady-in-waiting who introduces her to the volatile power of alchemy—and to a love that could ignite a revolution.

DNF at 22%. Vita was like if stale bread was a main character. I thought she was going to be so much more badass. She goes from one plot point to the next with barely any thoughts at all, half of them feeling so out of character. Her and Soline have ZERO chemistry; the relationship came out of nowhere. The plot is so generic, I feel like I could find dozens of books just like this.

Ultimately uneven and disappointing Rapunzel-inspired tale of female rage and vengeance. The slow burn sapphic romance was lovely, but the villain ultimately not very dangerous and Vita vacillated between naive and politically savvy a bit too often.

Maren Chase’s debut novel Crueler Mercies starts off explosively and explores a young princess’ journey from helplessness to fury.

This would be better marketed to a YA audience as many plot lines were not fully explored and at times Vita’s character floundered but I finished the book in two sittings regardless.

4.75

“She was nothing to everyone and yet somehow she’d become a central piece in a game she’s never wanted to play.”

What a slow burn of rage this author cooks up for you with a forbbion sweet sapphic romance and a touch of alchemy. Did I also mention the main character befriends crows? I feel like that’s an important thing to mention here.

I enjoy this book so much more than I expected going into it. This author does an amazing job allowing your rage to fester and build up along with our main character Vita (Vittoria) who truly went through terrible things she didn’t deserve. It’s sad the amount of cruel things that can happen to good people when they don’t deserve it but, is that just the way of the real world? Really, I felt like I felt everything our main character did, the fear, the mistrust, the sadness, the anger, the hope. I enjoyed just how human this story felt at times which also at times added to the fear of a situation.

Then you constantly question your morals, the concept of showing mercy and if it truly can be nothing but a curse.

I do feel that to some this slow burn might be just a bit too slow to some. I liked it and then it went to I didn’t mind it, too I did wish it moved just a little faster although I get what the author was doing. I think that’s a big part of my start rating. I did find myself getting a little bored at times just waiting and anticipating something big to happen finally. That’s the only thing keeping me from a full 5 stars. I think because I was expecting certain things maybe? Even though I didn’t get them I’m still so satisfied with this story.

I can FEEL the soul and love in this book. I will be buying a physical copy and recommending. I'd gladly read more from this author now in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, The Author, and the publishers for letting me read this ARC for an honest review!

Right out of the gate the first thing I appreciated about this book is the world building! The last couple fantasy’s I have read lately have been found wanting in this area. The author creates a world through emotions and I loved that. So thank you Maren Chase! We politics, social issues, history and best of all characters that you become attached to. That you actually care about. Who have substance and evolve throughout the story. Vita is a great MC. There are a lot of cruel and selfish people around our her that she must learn to navigate. SO as the story goes on she goes from a timid obedient child to a isolated prisoner to a woman who learns to manipulate to survive. Best part is that non stop action packed las half of the book.

“But my penance for being a woman will never be paid.”

Maren Chase doesn’t wait for you to be lulled into a false sense of security before handing you your heart, she does it in the first chapter.

While I’m not usually one for reading war based novels, I felt pulled into this one. It was extremely satisfying to see Vittoria come into her own as a woman and a leader, despite the massive anxiety that Ardaric gave me. Her character arc was incredibly well done.
Honestly, the entire book was incredible.

I debated taking a star off for Vita remembering historical and political details after her being in confinement for so long as it initially bothered me, but because memories can sometimes return with the strangest of triggers, I am leaving it at 5 stars.

For those sensitive readers, there are animal deaths (it’s listed in the trigger warnings), however it still caught me by surprise. Just keep in mind that it occurs both on paper and off.

The other TWs contained in this book are: depictions of violence, the death of a parent, child neglect, misogyny, animal death, starvation, extended scenes of warfare, cannibalism, murder, a coercive relationship, and sexual assault.

If you like strong female characters, alchemy based on intention not overly complicated magick systems, and stories that explore feminine rage, then do yourself a favor and read Crueler Mercies.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and Bindery Books, however this review is completely my own unbiased personal opinion, left of my own volition.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for Crueler Mercies by Maren Chase.

As far as fantasy romance goes, this was better than average but it wasn't particularly a favorite of mine. I was sort of considering it a three star the entire book until the last few chapters and then I bumped it up to four. That said, the ending was super satisfying and made the rest of the book worth it.

I think some of my more negative feelings surrounding the book were a result of an adult marketed book that read pretty YA, but also had a lot of cruelty. It was sort of startling when the dialogue felt geared towards a younger audience but then was followed by extreme violence. It just felt out of place, like it was trying to be two different things. I do understand that might have been a creative choice by the author to show that the main character was immature and childlike (to an extent) as a result of her confinement, but it just felt off to me. I also felt the alchemy parts were a little underdone. For it having such a vital role to play in the end, I wish we learned more about it. It felt like a small side plot until the end when it became huge.

Some of the things I enjoyed about the book were the found family aspects (both human and animal), the sapphic relationship (although also underdeveloped...), and the feminine rage (lots and lots and lots of it). It was interesting to watch Vita go from a very sheltered life to a very public one where she had to rely on instincts and education she'd learned as a child. She was definitely smarter than she gave herself credit for and watching her learn that throughout the book was really cool. It was a little frustrating to watch Vita be a passive participant at times but I also felt like it was realistic and it added to the satisfaction at the end.

Overall, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I'm glad Vita got her revenge (twice!) in the end and I think I would try another Maren Chase book.

This book had so much potential but everything in it was extremely underused that for me it ended being disappointing.

First of all, the book is marketed as adult but in reality it reads more like YA than anything, maybe it's because the author's prose is kind of flat and that makes it feel like a book for a younger audience, it also tells you more than it shows you: about the characters, about their dynamics and about the whole situation.

Speaking of the characters, I tried to connect with them, especially with Vita, but the thing is that they feel flat, I don't know anything about them except for the role they play in the story. At the first chapters I understood it, since Vita was imprisoned for most of her life so I didn't expect her to be the most proactive or to have any idea about politics and battle strategy, but she is very naive in the whole span of the book.

Which leads me to say, I don't buy her relationship with Soline. It happens so quickly, there's no depth and, honestly, there is no chemistry between them. As I kept reading I didn't really care if they ended together or not.

Another thing that I didn't enjoy was how it doesn't happen anything interesting in the book almost until the end, the pacing was slow, and the thing that was most interesting, the alchemy, was very underdeveloped. This as a whole contributed to make the book bland.

All in all, this book obviously wasn't for me, but it may be a good start for younger readers who want to start reading fantasy.

Crueler Mercies is the story of Vita, a young princess swept away by the politics of her father - to be hidden in a tower and starved by loneliness, other than the visits of her crows. After a long decade an enemy general invades the city and she briefly escapes, only to be caught in other trap, this time as the general's fiancée in a larger plot to use her to destroy the king. She has few friends but her lady-in-waiting, who encourages her own politicking and alludes to the forgotten art of alchemy and how it might help them escape their confining lives. A story full of rage and revenge contrasted against a soft sapphic slow-burn. In several ways reminded me of Markless and The Priory of the Orange Tree.

rapunzel retelling | royalty | sapphic romance | found-family of crows | political intrigue | female rage | vengeance